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Bible Dictionaries
Serve
Vine's Expository Dictionary of NT Words
"to minister" (akin to diakonos, No. 2, above), "to render any kind of service," is translated "to serve," e.g., in Luke 10:40; 12:37; 17:8; 22:26,27 (twice); see MINISTER , B, No. 1.
"to serve as a doulos" (No. 1, above), is used (a) of serving God (and the impossibility of serving mammon also), Matthew 6:24 and Luke 16:13; Romans 7:6; in the gospel, Philippians 2:22; (b) Christ, Acts 20:19; Romans 12:11; 14:18; 16:18; Ephesians 6:7; Colossians 3:24; (c) the law of God, Romans 7:25; (d) one another, Galatians 5:13 , RV, "be servants to" (AV, "serve"); (e) a father, Luke 15:29 (with a suggestion of acting as a slave); (f) earthly masters, Matthew 6:24; Luke 16:13; 1 Timothy 6:2 , RV, "serve;" (g) the younger by the elder, Romans 9:12; (h) of being in bondage to a nation, Acts 7:7; Galatians 4:25 , to the Romans, actually, though also spiritually to Judaizers; (i) to idols, Galatians 4:8 , RV, "were in bondage" (AV, "did service"); (j) to "the weak and beggarly rudiments," Galatians 4:9 (RV), "to be in bondage" (aorist tense in the best texts, suggesting "to enter into bondage"), i.e., to the religion of the Gentiles ("rudiments" being used in ver. 3 of the religion of the Jews); (k) sin, Romans 6:6 , RV, "be in bondage" (AV, "serve"); (1) "divers lusts and pleasures," Titus 3:3; (m) negatively, to any man -- a proud and thoughtless denial by the Jews, John 8:33 .
primarily "to work for hire" (akin to latris, "a hired servant"), signifies (1) to worship, (2) to "serve;" in the latter sense it is used of service (a) to God, Matthew 4:10; Luke 1:74 ("without fear"); 4:8; Acts 7:7; 24:14 , RV, "serve" (AV, "worship"); Acts 26:7; 27:23; Romans 1:9 ("with my spirit"); 2 Timothy 1:3; Hebrews 9:14; 12:28 , AV, "we may serve," RV, "we may offer service;" Revelation 7:15; (b) to God and Christ ("the Lamb"), Revelation 22:3; (c) in the tabernacle, Hebrews 8:5 , RV; 13:10; (d) to "the host of heaven," Acts 7:42 , RV, "to serve" (AV, "to worship"); (e) to "the creature," instead of the Creator, Romans 1:25 , of idolatry: see WORSHIP.
Note: In Luke 2:37 the RV has "worshiping," for AV, "served;" in Hebrews 9:9 , "the worshiper," for AV, "that did the service."for which see MINISTER. B, No. 3, is translated "to serve" in Acts 13:36; there is a contrast intimated between the service of David, lasting for only a generation, and the eternal character of Christ's ministry as the One who not having seen corruption was raised from the dead.
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Vines, W. E., M. A. Entry for 'Serve'. Vine's Expository Dictionary of NT Words. https://www.studylight.org/​dictionaries/​eng/​ved/​s/serve.html. 1940.