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Ministering, Ministration, Ministry

Vine's Expository Dictionary of NT Words

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Vines' Expository Dictionary
• Ministering, Ministration, Ministry
Lexicons
• διακονία , δωροφορία

"the office and work of a diakonos" (see MINISTER , A, No. 1), "service, ministry," is used (a) of domestic duties, Luke 10:40; (b) of religious and spiritual "ministration," (1) of apostolic "ministry," e.g., Acts 1:17,25; 6:4; 12:25; 21:19; Romans 11:13 , RV (AV, "office"); (2) of the service of believers, e.g., Acts 6:1; Romans 12:7; 1 Corinthians 12:5 , RV, "ministrations" (AV, "administrations"); 1 Corinthians 16:15; 2 Corinthians 8:4; 9:1,12 , RV, "ministration;" 2 Corinthians 9:13; Ephesians 4:12 , RV, "ministering" (AV, "the ministry," not in the sense of an ecclesiastical function); 2 Timothy 4:11 , RV, "(for) ministering;" collectively of a local church, Acts 11:29 , "relief" (RV marg. "for ministry"); Revelation 2:19 , RV, "ministry" (AV, "service"); of Paul's service on behalf of poor saints, Romans 15:31; (3) of the "ministry" of the Holy Spirit in the Gospel, 2 Corinthians 3:8; (4) of the "ministry" of angels, Hebrews 1:14 , RV, "to do service" (AV, "to minister"); (5) of the work of the Gospel, in general, e.g., 2 Corinthians 3:9 , "of righteousness;" 2 Corinthians 5:18 , "of reconciliation;" (6) of the general "ministry" of a servant of the Lord preaching and teaching, Acts 20:24; 2 Corinthians 4:1; 6:3; 11:8; 1 Timothy 1:12 , RV, "(to His) service;" 2 Timothy 4:5; undefined in Colossians 4:17; (7) of the Law, as a "ministration" of death, 2 Corinthians 3:7; of condemnation, 3:9.

akin to leitourgos (see MINISTER , A, No. 2), to which the meanings of leitourgia correspond, is used in the NT of "sacred ministration," (a) priestly, Luke 1:23; Hebrews 8:6; 9:21; (b) figuratively, of the practical faith of the members of the church at Philippi regarded as priestly sacrifice, upon which the Apostle's life-blood might be poured out as a libation, Philippians 2:17; (c) of the "ministration" of believers one to another, regarded as priestly service, 2 Corinthians 9:12; Philippians 2:30 . See SERVICE.

"of or pertaining to service, ministering," is used in Hebrews 1:14 , of angels as "ministering spirits" (for the word "do service" in the next clause, see A, No. 1). In the Sept., Exodus 31:10; 39:13; Numbers 4:12,26; 7:5; 2 Chronicles 24:14 .