Search / G1247
διᾱκον-έω G1247
V-ANA  |  37× in 2 senses
To serve, minister to, or wait upon someone; in the passive, to be served or receive ministry from others.
At the heart of New Testament ethics, this verb covers everything from Martha serving at table (Luke 10:40) to angels ministering to Jesus after the temptation (Matt 4:11) to the foundational declaration that the Son of Man came 'not to be served, but to serve' (Matt 20:28). It encompasses both the practical, hands-on act of waiting on someone and the broader theological concept of Christian ministry and diaconal service. Spanish 'servir,' French 'servir,' and German 'dienen' all preserve a single root, mirroring the Greek word's refusal to draw a hard line between menial labor and sacred calling.
1. to serve or minister to To render active service, minister to, or wait upon someone in either a practical or spiritual capacity. The range spans from serving food at table (Luke 10:40; John 12:2) to women who provided for Jesus out of their own means (Matt 27:55; Luke 8:3) to angelic ministry after the wilderness temptation (Matt 4:11). Jesus' self-description in Matt 20:28 — 'the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve' — elevates this ordinary verb into the defining posture of discipleship. All major translations use cognates of a single 'serve' root (spa 'servir,' fra 'servir,' deu 'dienen'). 32×
GUIDANCE_CARE Help, Care For Serving and Ministry
AR["تَخْدُمونَ","خادِمِ","خَادِمًا","خَدَمَتهُ","خَدَمَتْ","خَدَمَتْهُ","خَدَمُوهُ","صَارَتْ-تَخْدُمُهُمْ","كانوا-يَخدُمونَ","كانَت-تَخدُمُ","كُنَّ-يَخدِمنَ","كُنَّ-يَخْدِمْنَهُ","لِأَخْدُمَ","لِيَخدُمَ","لِيَخْدُمَ","نَخْدِمَ","يَخدِمُ","يَخْدُمْنَهُ","يَخْدِمُ"]·ben["পরিবেশন-করছিলেন","যারা-সেবা-করে","সেবা-করছিল","সেবা-করছিলেন","সেবা-করতে","সেবা-করা","সেবা-করে","সেবাকারী"]·DE["dienen","dient"]·EN["ministering","serves","serving","she-was-serving","they-were-serving","to-serve","was-serving","were-serving"]·FR["servir"]·heb["יְשָׁרֵת","לְשָׁרֵת","מְשָׁרְתִים","מְשָׁרְתוֹת","מְשָׁרֵת","שֵׁרְתָה","שֵׁרְתָהּ","שֵׁרְתוּ"]·HI["और","सेव-करने","सेवा-कर-रही-थी","सेवा-करता-हूँ","सेवा-करता-है","सेवा-करती-थी","सेवा-करती-थीं","सेवा-करती-हुईं","सेवा-करते-थे","सेवा-करते-हुए।","सेवा-करना","सेवा-करने","सेवा-करने-को","सेवा-करने-लगी","सेवा-करने-वाला","सेवा-करे"]·ID["dia-melayani","ia-melayani","melayani","mereka-melayani","untuk-melayani","yang-melayani"]·IT["servire"]·jav["ingkang-ngladosi.","kang-ngladosi","ngladosi","ngladosi,","sami-ngladosi"]·KO["봉사하는-것","섬겼다","섬기고-있었다","섬기는-것이라","섬기는-자","섬기려","섬기며","섬기면","시중들도록","시중들었다"]·PT["ministravam","para-servir","para-servir,","serve,","servia","serviam","servindo"]·RU["послужить","служа","служащие","служащий","служила","служили","служит","служит,","служить","служить,"]·ES["a-servir","servir","servía","servían","sirve","sirviendo"]·SW["akamhudumia","akawahudumia","akinihudumia","alihudumu","aliwahudumia","anahudumu","anayehudumu","kuhudumia","kuhudumu","kutoa","kutumika","mkiendelea-kutumikia","nikihudumia","wakimhudumia","walihudumu","walimhudumia","walimtumikia"]·TR["hizmet-eden","hizmet-ederek","hizmet-ederse","hizmet-ediyordu","hizmet-ediyorlardı","hizmet-ediyorsunuz","hizmet-etmek-için","hizmet-etmeye","hizmet-etti","masalara"]·urd["خدمت-کرتی-تھی","خدمت-کرتی-تھیں","خدمت-کرتے-تھے","خدمت-کرتے-ہو","خدمت-کرتے-ہوئے","خدمت-کرتے-ہُوئے","خدمت-کرنا","خدمت-کرنے","خدمت-کرنے-لگی","خدمت-کرنے-لگے","خدمت-کرنے-والا","خدمت-کرے","خدمت-کرے،","خدمت-کی"]
▼ 1 more sense below

Senses
2. to be served or ministered to Passive: to be the recipient of service, to have others minister to one's needs. The same declaration of Matt 20:28 and Mark 10:45 supplies the contrast — 'not to be served' — establishing that receiving service is a legitimate category even if Jesus redefines who should receive it. In 2 Cor 3:3 and 8:19-20, Paul uses passive forms for the ministry of the collection being 'administered,' where the emphasis shifts from personal attendance to institutional stewardship. Spanish 'ser servido' and German passive 'bedient werden' preserve the voice distinction.
GUIDANCE_CARE Help, Care For Serving and Ministry
AR["المَخدومَةُ","المَخدومَةِ","لِيُخدَمَ","لِيُخْدَمَ"]·ben["পরিচর্যা-করা","যা-পরিচর্যা-করা-হয়","সেবা-পেতে"]·DE["dienen","dient"]·EN["being-administered","having-been-ministered","to-be-served"]·FR["servir"]·heb["לְהִשָּׁרֵת","מְשֻׁרֶתֶת","מְשֻׁרָת"]·HI["जो-सेवा-की-गई","सेव-पअने","सेवा-की-जानेवाली","सेवा-लिया-जाने"]·ID["dilayani","untuk-dilayani","yang-dilayani"]·IT["servire"]·jav["dipun-ladenaken","dipun-lados","dipun-ladosi","dipunladosi"]·KO["섬김-받는","섬김-받으려","섬김-받은"]·PT["administrada","ministrada","para-ser-servido","para-ser-servido,"]·RU["служимой","служимом","служённое","чтобы-Ему-служили","чтобы-Ему-служили,"]·ES["a-ser-servido","servida","siendo-administrada"]·SW["iliyohudumiwa","inayohudumiwa","kuhudumu","kutumiwa","unaohudumiwa"]·TR["Mesih'in","bizim tarafımızdan","hizmet-edilmek-için","hizmet-edilmeye","o-"]·urd["خدمت-لینے","خدمت-کیا-جاتا-ہے","خدمت-کیا-گیا"]

Related Senses
H8104 1. Qal: keep, observe (law/covenant) (399×)G3101 1. disciple, learner (263×)H5647 1. worship, serve (God/deity) (203×)H5826 1. Qal: to help, aid (53×)H8334 1. to minister, serve (52×)H8334 2. minister, servant, attendant (46×)G5083 1. observe or obey commands (41×)H8104 2. Niphal: beware, take heed (34×)H3256 1. discipline, chastise (Piel active) (27×)H5833 1. help, aid, assistance (26×)H8104 3. Qal: watch, look out (26×)H5341 1. keep, observe (commandments) (24×)G5083 2. guard or protect someone (23×)H5647 2. serve, minister to (a person) (21×)H5826 2. Qal participle: helper (21×)G5219 1. obey, be obedient to (20×)H5341 2. guard, protect, preserve (a person) (20×)G1398 1. serve, render service to (19×)H5828 1. help, assistance (19×)H5411 1. Nethinim, temple servants (18×)

BDB / Lexicon Reference
διᾱκον-έω, Ionic dialect διηκ-, imperfect ἐδιακόνουν NT+7th c.BC+: future -ήσωRefs 5th c.BC+: aorist διηκόνησα Refs 1st c.AD+; infinitive -ῆσαιRefs 5th c.BC+: perfect δεδιακόνηκα Refs 4th c.BC+:—middle, imperfect διηκονούμην Refs 2nd c.AD+: future -ήσομαιRefs: aorist διηκονησάμην Refs:—passive, future δεδιακονήσομαι Refs 1st c.AD+: aorist ἐδιακονήθην Refs 4th c.BC+perfect δεδιακόνημαι, see below