δουλ-εύω G1398
To serve or be subject to; to be enslaved, live in bondage
Douleuo derives from doulos (slave) and ranges from willing, devoted service to literal or figurative enslavement. Jesus uses it in a memorable absolute: 'No one can serve two masters' (Matt 6:24; Luke 16:13), where service implies total allegiance. Paul stretches both poles — joyful service to God (Rom 12:11; 1 Thess 1:9) and bondage to sin, the law, or the elemental spirits (Rom 6:6; Gal 4:8–9, 25). Spanish captures the slavery sense vividly with 'servisteis como esclavos' (you served as slaves), while the general sense appears simply as 'servir.'
1. serve, render service to — To serve, render devoted service, or perform duties on behalf of a master, lord, or cause — whether divine or human. Spanish 'servir' and German 'dienen' treat this as straightforward service. Jesus declares the impossibility of serving both God and Mammon (Matt 6:24; Luke 16:13). The elder son has 'served' his father faithfully (Luke 15:29). Paul urges believers to serve the Lord with zeal (Rom 12:11; 1 Thess 1:9) and commends Epaphroditus's ministry (Phil 2:22). 19×
AR["أن-تَستَعبِدوا","أَخْدِمُ","أَخْدِمُكَ","أَنْ-تَخْدِمُوا","أَنْ-يَخْدِمَ","اخدِموا","تَخدِموا","خادِمينَ","خَادِمِينَ","خَدَمَ","عَابِدًا","لِتَعْبُدوا","لِيَخْدِموهُم","نَخْدِمَ","يَخدِمَ","يَخْدِمُ","يَخْدِمُونَ،"]·ben["তারা-সেবা-করুক,","তোমরা-সেবা-কর","দাসত্ব-কর","দাসত্ব-করতে","দাসত্ব-করবে","দাসত্ব-করি","সেবা-কর।","সেবা-করতে","সেবা-করতে,","সেবা-করতে;","সেবা-করি","সেবা-করে,","সেবা-করেছেন","সেবাকারী"]·DE["dienen","dient"]·EN["I-serve","he-served","let-serve","serve","serving","to-serve","will-serve"]·FR["servir"]·heb["יַעֲבֹד","יַעַבְדוּ","לַעֲבֹד","עִבְדוּ","עָבַד,","עוֹבְדִים","עוֹבֵד"]·HI["उस्ने-सेव-कि,","गुलमि-करन","सेव-करते-हुए","सेव-करने","सेव-करो","सेवअ-करेइन","सेवा-करता-हूँ","सेवा-करता-हूं","सेवा-करता-है","सेवा-करते","सेवा-करते-हुए","सेवा-करना","सेवा-करें","सेवा-करेगा"]·ID["akan-melayani","aku-melayani","dia melayani","hendaklah-mereka-melayani","layanilah","melayani","melayani,","memperbudak"]·IT["servire","servire-come-schiavo"]·jav["badhé-ngabdi","kita-ngladosi","kula-ngladosi","ngabdi","ngabdi.","ngladosana","ngladosi","ngladosi,","padha-ngladosi,","piyambakipun-ngladosi","sami-ngabdi,"]·KO["곧","섬겨왔노라,","섬겼습니다","섬기게-됨이라","섬기기-위하여","섬기기를","섬기노라","섬기는","섬기는-자는","섬기라","섬기며","섬기지","섬기지-않는다","섬길-것이다"]·PT["servem,","servi","servindo","servindo.","servir","servirá","serviu","sirvam","sirvo","te-sirvo"]·RU["-Христу","-собственному","да-служат","закону","нам","служа","служащие","служил","служите","служить","служу"]·ES["para-servir","que-sirve","servid","servid-como-esclavos","servir","servir-como-esclavos","servirá","sirvan","sirven","sirviendo","sirvió","sirvo","te-sirvo"]·SW["alitumika","anaye-tumikia","atamtumikia","kumtumikia","kutumikia","kuwatumikia","kuzitumikia","mkimtumikia.","mkitumika","nikimtumikia","nimekutumikia","ninatumikia","tumikianeni","tumikieni","tumikii,","tutumike","wawahudumie"]·TR["hizmet-eden","hizmet-ederek","hizmet-edin","hizmet-ediyorlar","hizmet-etmek","hizmet-etmeye","hizmet-etsinler","hizmet-etti","kulluk-ederek","kulluk-etmek","kölelik-edecek","kölelik-edelim","kölelik-ediyorum","kölelik-etmek"]·urd["بندگی-کرتے","خدمت-کرتا-ہوا","خدمت-کرتا-ہوں","خدمت-کرتے-ہوئے","خدمت-کرنا","خدمت-کرنے-والا","خدمت-کرنے-کو","خدمت-کرو","خدمت-کریں","خدمت-کرے-گا","غلامی-کرنا","غلامی-کرو","غُلامی-کی","نوکری-کرنا","کی"]
Matt 6:24, Matt 6:24, Luke 15:29, Luke 16:13, Luke 16:13, Acts 20:19, Rom 7:6, Rom 7:25, Rom 9:12, Rom 12:11, Rom 14:18, Rom 16:18 (+7 more)
▼ 1 more sense below
Senses
2. serve as slave, be in bondage — To serve in the specific sense of being enslaved, living in bondage, or being subjugated — whether literally or metaphorically. Spanish 'servisteis como esclavos' makes the slavery explicit. In John 8:33, the Jews protest they have never 'been enslaved' to anyone. God tells Abraham his descendants will 'serve' a foreign nation (Acts 7:7). Paul uses this sense for bondage to sin (Rom 6:6), to weak and worthless elemental spirits (Gal 4:8–9), and for Hagar's children born into slavery (Gal 4:25). 6×
AR["اِستَعبَدنا","تَستَعبِدُ","عابِدينَ","عَبَدتُم","نَعبُدَ","يُسْتَعْبَدُونَ"]·ben["দাসত্ব-করতে","দাসত্ব-করবে","দাসত্ব-করে","দাসত্ব-করেছি-না","দাসত্ব-করেছিলে"]·DE["dienen","dient"]·EN["serving","she-serves","they-serve","to-serve-as-slave","we-have-been-enslaved","you-served"]·FR["servir"]·heb["יַעַבְדוּ","מְשַׁרְתֶת","מְשָׁרְתִים","עֲבַדְתֶּם","עֲבוֹד","עָבַדְנוּ"]·HI["गुलअम-है","तुमने-सेव-कि","दअस-थे","दास-नहीं-रहे","दास-होने-को","दासता-करेंगे"]·ID["kami-menjadi-hamba","kamu-memperbudak","melayani","memperbudak","memperbudak,","menjadi-hamba"]·IT["servire","servire-come-schiavo"]·jav["dados-abdi","ngawula","ngawèla,","ngladosi","panjenengan-sami-ngladosi","sampun-dados-batur"]·KO["섬겼노라","종-노릇하기","종-살-것이다","종노릇-한-적이-없다","종노릇하노라","종된-자들"]·PT["está-em-escravidão","servindo","servirem","servirmos","servíeis","temos-servido"]·RU["будут-служить","рабами-были","рабствующие","служили","служит"]·ES["hemos-servido","servir","servisteis-como-esclavos","sirve-como-esclava","sirviendo","sirvieren"]·SW["hatujawahi-kumtumikia","inatumikia","mliwatumikia","tukitumikia","watalifanyia-utumwa","watumwa"]·TR["köle-edilmiş","kölelik-eder","kölelik-etmedik","kölelik-etmemek","kölelik-ettiniz","yargılayacağım"]·urd["تم-نے-غلامی-کی","غلامی-نہیں-کی","غلامی-کرتی-ہے","غلامی-کرتے-تھے","غلامی-کریں","غلامی-کریں-گے"]
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×)G1247 1. to serve or minister to (32×)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×)H5828 1. help, assistance (19×)H5411 1. Nethinim, temple servants (18×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
δουλ-εύω, (δοῦλος) to be a slave, Refs 5th c.BC+ __2 serve, be subject, τό τ᾽ ἄρχειν καὶ τὸ δ. δίχα Refs 4th c.BC+; δ. ζεύγλαιςRefs 5th c.BC+; δ. γαστρί, ὕπνῳ, λαγνείᾳ, Refs 5th c.BC+; τῇ γῇ δ. make oneself a slave to one's land, i. e. give up rights that one may keep it, Refs 5th c.BC+; δ. τῷ καιρῷ accommodate oneself to the occasion, Refs 2nd c.AD+ __3 render a service, τινά Refs 6th c.AD+