Bible Lexicons

δοῦλος , -η , -ον ,

[in LXX, ὁ . δ . nearly always for H5650; ἡ δ . chiefly for H519, H8198;]

1. in bondage to, subject to: Romans 6:19.

2. As subst., ὁ , ἡ δ ., a slave;

(a) fem., ἡ δ ., a female slave, bondmaid (Cremer, 702; DB, iii, 215): Luke 1:38; Luke 1:48, Acts 2:18 (LXX);

(b) masc., ὁ δ ., a slave, bondman: Matthew 8:9; Matthew 18:23, al,; opp. to ἐλεύθερος , 1 Corinthians 7:22; 1 Corinthians 12:13, Galatians 3:28, Ephesians 6:8, Colossians 3:11, Revelation 6:15; Revelation 13:16; Revelation 19:18; opp. to κύριος , δεσπότης , οἰκοδεσπότης , Matthew 10:24; Matthew 13:27-28, Luke 12:46, John 15:15, Ephesians 6:5, Colossians 3:22; Colossians 4:1, al,; metaph., δ . Χριστοῦ , τοῦ Χρ ., Ἰησοῦ Χρ ., Romans 1:1, 1 Corinthians 7:22, Galatians 1:10, Ephesians 6:6, Philippians 1:1, Colossians 4:12, James 1:1, 2 Peter 1:1, Judges 1:1; δ . τ . θεοῦ , τ . κυρίου , Acts 16:17, 2 Timothy 2:24, Titus 1:1, 1 Peter 2:16, Revelation 7:3; Revelation 15:3; δ . πονηρός , ἀχρεῖος , κακός , Matthew 18:32; Matthew 24:48; Matthew 25:26; Matthew 25:30, Luke 17:10; Luke 19:22; δ . ἀμαρτίας , John 8:34, Romans 6:17; Romans 6:20; τ . φθορᾶς , 2 Peter 2:19.

SYN.: διάκονος G1249 (q.v.), θεράπων G2324, ὑπηρέτης G5257 (v. DB, iii, 377; iv, 461, 469; DCG, i, 221; ii, 613; Cremer, 215, 702).

In Wilcken Ostr. i. p. 681 ff. there is a valuable account of the occupations which in the Graeco-Roman world were monopolized by slave labour. Among those that were not, the following classes, which are represented in the NT, are mentioned—ἁλιεύς, ἀμπελουργός, γεωργός, γραμματεύς, διδάσκαλος, ἔμπορος, ἐργάτης, ἰατρός, ναύκληρος, ποιμήν, τέκτων, τραπεζίτην, χαλκεύς. For the Pauline δοῦλος Χριστοῦ it is sufficient to refer to Deissmann’s well-known discussion (LAE, p. 323 ff.), in which the phrase is set in the light of old Greek custom, and especially of the right of manumission as evidenced by the Delphic inscriptions.

A further contrast is drawn later (p. 381) with the familiar title a ";slave of the Emperor,"; as in the Phrygian inscription, BCH xxviii. (1904) p. 195, Ἀγαθόποδι δούλῳ τοῦ κυρίου αὐτοκράτορος. Reference may also be made to Thackeray Gr. i. p. 8, where the growing tendency in the LXX renderings to emphasize the distance between God and man is shown by θεράπων giving place to οἰκέτης, this to παῖς, and this again to δοῦλος. The phrase of Matthew 25:30 is found in P Par 68B. .54 (Imperial) ἀχρείους δούλους. (See under ἀχρεῖος, where however Mt l.c. is accidentally overlooked). On Δοῦλα as a proper name, see Proleg. p. 48 n.1.

The adj. δουλικός, which is not found in the NT, is very common—BGU IV. 1058.12 (B.C. 13) δουλικὸν παιδίον, ib. I. 193.12 (A.D. 136) δουλικὸν ἔγγονον, P Tebt II. 407.5 (? A.D. 199) δουλικὰ σώμ [ατ ]α, etc. Δοῦλος, fem. δούλα, remains in MGr.

 

δουλα δοῦλα Δουλε δουλέ δούλε Δοῦλε δουλοι δούλοι δούλοί δοῦλοι δοῦλοί δουλοις δουλοίς δούλοις δουλον δουλόν δούλον δούλόν δοῦλον δοῦλόν δουλος δουλός δούλος δούλός δοῦλος δοῦλός δουλου δούλου δουλους δουλούς δούλους δουλω δούλω δούλῳ δουλων δούλων doula doûla Doule Doûle doulo doulō douloi doúloi doúlōi doûloi doûloí doulois doúlois doulon doulōn doúlon doúlōn doûlon doûlón doulos doûlos doûlós doulou doúlou doulous doúlous