λατρ-εία G2999
Service or worship, especially sacred ritual duty rendered to God; the act or practice of divine worship.
Originally denoting the service of a hired worker, this noun narrowed in Jewish and Christian usage to mean sacred worship or liturgical duty offered to God. Paul counts Israel's latreia among her great privileges (Rom 9:4). He then radically redefines it in Rom 12:1: presenting one's body as a 'living sacrifice' is logike latreia — 'rational worship.' Hebrews uses the term for the priestly ritual duties of the tabernacle (Heb 9:1, 6). The multilingual evidence splits between 'worship/culto' and 'service/servicio,' reflecting the word's dual emphasis on devotion and duty.
Senses
1. sense 1 — Religious service or worship — the formal or heartfelt duty of worship rendered to God. The word spans both outward ritual and inward devotion. In Heb 9:1 and 9:6, it refers concretely to the Levitical rites performed in the tabernacle; in Rom 9:4, it is one of Israel's covenant privileges. Paul's striking use in Rom 12:1 transforms the concept: offering one's whole life becomes true 'worship' (logike latreia). John 16:2 warns that persecutors will think killing believers is latreia to God. The translation evidence — Spanish culto/servicio, French culte/service, German Gottesdienst — reflects this blend of devotional worship and active service. 5×
AR["العِبَادَاتِ", "الْعِبَادَةَ", "الْعِبَادَةُ", "عِبَادَةً", "عِبَادَةٍ"]·ben["উপাসনা", "উপাসনার", "সেবা"]·DE["Gottesdienst"]·EN["of-worship", "service", "services"]·FR["culte", "service"]·heb["עֲבוֹדָה", "עֲבוֹדוֹת"]·HI["उपासना", "उपासना,", "सेवा", "सेवाएं"]·ID["ibadah", "ibadah-ibadah"]·IT["latreian", "latreias", "servizio"]·jav["pangabekti", "pangibadah", "pangibadah,", "pengibadahan"]·KO["예배-를", "예배들을", "예배라", "예배와", "예배의"]·PT["culto", "culto,", "de-culto", "serviço", "serviços"]·RU["богослужения", "служение", "служения"]·ES["culto", "de-culto", "servicio", "servicios"]·SW["ibada", "ya-ibada"]·TR["hizmet", "ibadet", "ibadetin", "ibadetleri", "tapinmanızı"]·urd["عبادت", "عبادت-کے", "عبادتیں"]
Related Senses
H3808 1. simple negation (not) (4839×)G1722 1. locative: in, within (2442×)H1004b 1. house, dwelling, building (2015×)G3756 1. not (negation particle) (1635×)H4480a 1. source or separation (1198×)H5892b 1. city, town (1093×)G1519 1. direction: into, to, toward (1061×)H3427 1. Qal: to dwell, inhabit (937×)G1537 1. from, out of (source/origin) (886×)H8034 1. Name (designation / identifier) (856×)G3361 1. subjective negation (not) (834×)G1909 1. on, upon (spatial surface) (757×)H0369 1. existential negation: there is not (738×)H5869a 1. in the eyes/sight of (evaluative) (734×)H5650 1. Servant, attendant, subject (723×)H0408 1. prohibitive negation do-not (712×)G2443 1. so that, in order that (purpose/result) (665×)G0575 1. from (649×)G1223 1. through, by means of (582×)H3541 1. thus, so, in this manner (569×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
λατρ-εία, ἡ, the state of a hired labourer, service, Refs 5th c.BC+, etc.: metaphorically, the business or duties of life, Refs 1st c.AD+ __2 λ. τοῦ θεοῦ, θεῶν, service to the gods, divine worship, NT+5th c.BC+