verb
diakonamō
Strong’sG1247
I wait at table, serve
stem diakon-37 times in the New Testamentin 12 of 27 books19 forms occur
What it means
A plain-English reading of the word, with the lexicons it draws on — Abbott-Smith, Strong's, and Liddell-Scott-Jones — right below it, in full.
AI Summary
διακονέω means, at its core, to serve or wait on someone, especially in the sense of waiting at table, but extending to caring for a person's needs generally 1234. It is used both without an object, describing the act of serving, and with a dative of the person served, meaning to minister to or care for someone 13. The passive can describe being served or attended to by others 3.
The word also has a narrower, technical sense: to act as a deacon, that is, to hold and perform the office of deacon in the church 123.
With an accusative of a thing rather than a person, the word means to supply or render as a service — to minister something to someone, or to be supplied or furnished by way of service 13.
Sources: 1 Abbott-Smith 2 Strong's 3 LSJ 4 Dodson. Condensed by anthropic/claude-sonnet-5 on 2026-09-23 — it may still misstate what these say; check them yourself if it matters to you.
The lexicons it was drawn from, in full:
Abbott-Smith — the 1922 lexicon entry, in full
* διακονέω, ῶ
(< δίακονος);
SYN.: λειτουργέω, q.v. (Cremer, 179).
G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament, 1922 — public domain. References open in the reader.
Strong’s G1247 — the 1890 definition, and where the word comes from
Saiddee-ak-on-eh'-o
to be an attendant, i.e. wait upon (menially or as a host, friend, or (figuratively) teacher); technically, to act as a Christian deacon
Fromfrom G1249;
King James(ad-)minister (unto), serve, use the office of a deacon.
James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, 1890 — public domain. The numbers in it link to the entries here.
Liddell-Scott-Jones — the classical dictionary this word appears in
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 11: (διάκονος):—minister, do service, absolutely, Refs 5th c.BC+: with dative person, serve Refs 4th c.BC+; δ. ὑποθήκαις τινός Refs 5th c.BC+; δ. παρὰ τῷ δεσπότῃ Refs 3rd c.BC+; δ. πρὸς ὠνήν τε καὶ πρᾶσιν Refs 5th c.BC+:—middle, minister to one's own needs, serve oneself, Refs 5th c.BC+; διακονοῦντες καὶ διακονούμενοι ἑαυτοῖς acting as servants and serving themselves, Refs 5th c.BC+: also simply like active, οἶνον ἡμῖν χρυσίῳ διακονούμενοι Refs 2nd c.AD+:—passive, to be served, οὐκ ἦλθε διακονηθῆναι ἀλλὰ διακονῆσαι NT
2 to be a deacon, NT
II c.accusative of things, render a service, τινὶ ὅ τι ἂν δεηθῇ Refs 5th c.BC+:—passive, to be supplied, τῇ πόλει ἐδιακονήθησαν [αἱ πράξεις] Refs 4th c.BC+
H. G. Liddell, R. Scott, H. S. Jones, A Greek-English Lexicon (9th ed., 1925–1940) — digitised by the Perseus Digital Library and corrected and expanded by Tyndale House, Cambridge, via STEPBible-Data's TFLSJ table, CC BY 4.0. Covers all of Greek literature, not just the Bible.
Translated as
Every occurrence, sorted by the English it was actually given — the evidence for what the word means, not a gloss of it.
Berean Standard Bible (BSB), dedicated to the public domain — berean.bible.
Biblang forms
What the New Testament actually uses, first — the whole system this verb is built from is one click further down.
| Form and the Greek behind it | What it is | Usually | Times |
|---|---|---|---|
| diakonatōδιακονεῖ | happening now · he/she/itpresent active indicative 3rd person singular | serves | 1× |
| diakonateδιηκόνει | was happening · he/she/itimperfect active indicative 3rd person singular | serve | 4× |
| diakonaleδιηκόνουν | was happening · theyimperfect active indicative 3rd person plural | ministering | 5× |
| diakonatiδιακονήσει | will happen · he/she/itfuture active indicative 3rd person singular | serve | 1× |
| diakonataδιηκόνησεν | happened · he/she/itaorist active indicative 3rd person singular | ministered | 1× |
| diakonanaδιηκονήσαμέν | happened · weaorist active indicative 1st person plural | help | 1× |
| diakonateiōδιακονῇ | happening now · he/she/itpresent active subjunctive 3rd person singular | serves | 3× |
| diakonasōrδιακόνει | happening now · youpresent active imperative 2nd person singular | serve | 1× |
| diakonalōrδιακονείτωσαν | happening now · theypresent active imperative 3rd person plural | serve as deacons | 1× |
| diakonarōδιακονεῖν | happening now · the “to …” formpresent active infinitive | serve | 2× |
| diakonaraδιακονῆσαι | happened · the “to …” formaorist active infinitive | serve | 2× |
| diakoniraδιακονηθῆναι | happened · the “to …” formaorist passive infinitive | served | 2× |
| diakonarōntosδιακονῶν | happening now · subjectpresent active participle nominative singular masculine | serves | 4× |
| diakonarōntoisδιακονοῦντες | happening now · subjectpresent active participle nominative plural masculine | serve | 2× |
| diakonarōntaisδιακονοῦσαι | happening now · subjectpresent active participle nominative plural feminine | ministering | 1× |
| diakonarōntoiuδιακονούντων | happening now · of, belonging topresent active participle genitive plural masculine | helpers | 1× |
| diakonorōntaδιακονουμένῃ | happening now · to, forpresent middle or passive participle dative singular feminine | administered | 2× |
| diakonarantoisδιακονήσαντες | happened · subjectaorist active participle nominative plural masculine | served | 2× |
| diakonirantasδιακονηθεῖσα | happened · subjectaorist passive participle nominative singular feminine | delivered | 1× |
Every form the New Testament uses, in paradigm order. What the system can build beyond them — the whole of this verb, whether the text happens to use it or not — is in the tables below.
Every form the system can build — all 172, by mood, including the ones the New Testament never uses
Statements — indicative mood, 13 occurrences
the subject acts active voice
| Who person | happening now present | was happening imperfect | will happen future | happened aorist | has happened perfect | had happened pluperfect |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | diakonamō | diakoname | diakonami | diakonama | diakonamē | diakonamelē |
| you 2nd person singular | diakonasō | diakonase | diakonasi | diakonasa | diakonasē | diakonaselē |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | diakonatō1×διακονεῖ | diakonate4×διηκόνει | diakonati1×διακονήσει | diakonata1×διηκόνησεν | diakonatē | diakonatelē |
| we 1st person plural | diakonanō | diakonane | diakonani | diakonana1×διηκονήσαμέν | diakonanē | diakonanelē |
| ye 2nd person plural | diakonavō | diakonave | diakonavi | diakonava | diakonavē | diakonavelē |
| they 3rd person plural | diakonalō | diakonale5×διηκόνουν | diakonali | diakonala | diakonalē | diakonalelē |
acts on itself, or is acted on middle or passive voice
| Who person | happening now present | was happening imperfect | has happened perfect | had happened pluperfect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | diakonomō | diakonome | diakonomē | diakonomelē |
| you 2nd person singular | diakonosō | diakonose | diakonosē | diakonoselē |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | diakonotō | diakonote | diakonotē | diakonotelē |
| we 1st person plural | diakononō | diakonone | diakononē | diakononelē |
| ye 2nd person plural | diakonovō | diakonove | diakonovē | diakonovelē |
| they 3rd person plural | diakonolō | diakonole | diakonolē | diakonolelē |
acted on passive voice
| Who person | will happen future | happened aorist |
|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | diakonimi | diakonima |
| you 2nd person singular | diakonisi | diakonisa |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | diakoniti | diakonita |
| we 1st person plural | diakonini | diakonina |
| ye 2nd person plural | diakonivi | diakoniva |
| they 3rd person plural | diakonili | diakonila |
May, might — subjunctive mood, 3 occurrences
the subject acts active voice
| Who person | happening now present | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | diakonameiō | diakonameia | diakonameiē |
| you 2nd person singular | diakonaseiō | diakonaseia | diakonaseiē |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | diakonateiō3×διακονῇ | diakonateia | diakonateiē |
| we 1st person plural | diakonaneiō | diakonaneia | diakonaneiē |
| ye 2nd person plural | diakonaveiō | diakonaveia | diakonaveiē |
| they 3rd person plural | diakonaleiō | diakonaleia | diakonaleiē |
acts on itself, or is acted on middle or passive voice
| Who person | happening now present | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | diakonomeiō | diakonomeiē |
| you 2nd person singular | diakonoseiō | diakonoseiē |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | diakonoteiō | diakonoteiē |
| we 1st person plural | diakononeiō | diakononeiē |
| ye 2nd person plural | diakonoveiō | diakonoveiē |
| they 3rd person plural | diakonoleiō | diakonoleiē |
acted on passive voice
| Who person | happened aorist |
|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | diakonimeia |
| you 2nd person singular | diakoniseia |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | diakoniteia |
| we 1st person plural | diakonineia |
| ye 2nd person plural | diakoniveia |
| they 3rd person plural | diakonileia |
Commands — imperative mood, 2 occurrences
the subject acts active voice
| Who person | happening now present | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|
| you 2nd person singular | diakonasōr1×διακόνει | diakonasar | diakonasēr |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | diakonatōr | diakonatar | diakonatēr |
| ye 2nd person plural | diakonavōr | diakonavar | diakonavēr |
| they 3rd person plural | diakonalōr1×διακονείτωσαν | diakonalar | diakonalēr |
acts on itself, or is acted on middle or passive voice
| Who person | happening now present | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|
| you 2nd person singular | diakonosōr | diakonosēr |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | diakonotōr | diakonotēr |
| ye 2nd person plural | diakonovōr | diakonovēr |
| they 3rd person plural | diakonolōr | diakonolēr |
acted on passive voice
| Who person | happened aorist |
|---|---|
| you 2nd person singular | diakonisar |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | diakonitar |
| ye 2nd person plural | diakonivar |
| they 3rd person plural | diakonilar |
Wishes — optative mood, no occurrences
the subject acts active voice
| Who person | happening now present | happened aorist |
|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | diakonamoiō | diakonamoia |
| you 2nd person singular | diakonasoiō | diakonasoia |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | diakonatoiō | diakonatoia |
| we 1st person plural | diakonanoiō | diakonanoia |
| ye 2nd person plural | diakonavoiō | diakonavoia |
| they 3rd person plural | diakonaloiō | diakonaloia |
acts on itself, or is acted on middle or passive voice
| Who person | happening now present |
|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | diakonomoiō |
| you 2nd person singular | diakonosoiō |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | diakonotoiō |
| we 1st person plural | diakononoiō |
| ye 2nd person plural | diakonovoiō |
| they 3rd person plural | diakonoloiō |
acted on passive voice
| Who person | happened aorist |
|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | diakonimoia |
| you 2nd person singular | diakonisoia |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | diakonitoia |
| we 1st person plural | diakoninoia |
| ye 2nd person plural | diakonivoia |
| they 3rd person plural | diakoniloia |
The “to …” form — infinitive, 6 occurrences
| Who is acting voice | happening now present | will happen future | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| the subject acts active voice | diakonarō2×διακονεῖν | diakonari | diakonara2×διακονῆσαι | diakonarē |
| acts on itself, or is acted on middle or passive voice | diakonorō | diakonorē | ||
| acted on passive voice | diakoniri | diakonira2×διακονηθῆναι |
Used as an adjective — participle, 13 occurrences
| Who is acting voice | happening now present | will happen future | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| the subject acts active voice | diakonarōntos8×διακονῶν | diakonarintos | diakonarantos2× | diakonarēntos |
| acts on itself, or is acted on middle or passive voice | diakonorōntos2× | diakonorēntos | ||
| acted on passive voice | diakonirintos | diakonirantos1× |
Each is given in the form it takes as a subject. From there a participle carries the ordinary noun endings, in every case, number and gender — so these four columns are the whole of what the verb contributes.
How every form is built — the slots that make them
diakon is this word in every one of its forms. The slots after it make all the rest.
same in every form varies — every value shown
Words built on the same stem
Other words sharing the exact same stem — not merely related in meaning.
Where it appears
Every verse the word appears in, filed under the form it takes there.
37 occurrences, every one of them listed
diakonatō“serves”happening now · he/she/itpresent active indicative 3rd person singular1×
1 Peter 4:11… lalatō, hōs logieim theou; ei tinos diakonatō, hōs ek ischuau hau chorēgatō tos …… the words of God. If anyone serves, he should serve with the strength …
diakonate“serve”was happening · he/she/itimperfect active indicative 3rd person singular4×
Matthew 8:15… autan tos puretos, kai egerita kai diakonate auto.… she got up and began to serve Him.
Mark 1:31… kai afiēkata autan tos puretos, kai diakonate autoi.… left her, and she began to serve them.
Luke 4:39… kai afiēkata autan; parachrēma de anastēarantas diakonate autoi.… up at once and began to serve them.
John 12:2… auto deipnem ekei, kai tas Marthas diakonate, tos de Lazaros henos ate ek …… a dinner for Jesus there. Martha served, and Lazarus was among those reclining …
diakonale“ministering”was happening · theyimperfect active indicative 3rd person plural5×
Matthew 4:11“ministering”… diabolos, kai idou angelois proserchala kai diakonale auto.Then the devil left Him, and angels came and ministered to Him.
Mark 1:13“ministering”… meta teiu thēreiu, kai tois angelois diakonale auto.… He was with the wild animals, and the angels ministered to Him.
Mark 15:41… en ta Galilaia akolouthale auto kai diakonale auto, kai allosais pollais tais sunanabainarantais …These women had followed Jesus and ministered to Him while He was in …
Luke 8:3“provided”… kai Sousannas kai heterais pollais, hotinais diakonale autoi ek teiu huparcharōnteiu autai.Joanna the wife of Herod’s household manager Chuza, Susanna, and many others. These women were ministering to them out of their own means.
1 Peter 1:12… apokaluptita hoti ouk heautoi vi de diakonale auteim, heim nun anangelita vi dia …… to them that they were not serving themselves, but you, when they foretold …
diakonati“serve”will happen · he/she/itfuture active indicative 3rd person singular1×
Luke 12:37… perizōneti kai anaklinati autoin kai parercharantos diakonati autoi.… you, he will dress himself to serve and will have them recline at …
diakonata“ministered”happened · he/she/itaorist active indicative 3rd person singular1×
2 Timothy 1:18… ta hēmera kai hoseim en Efesa diakonata, beltiem sis gnōskasō.… know very well how much he ministered to me in Ephesus.
diakonana“help”happened · weaorist active indicative 1st person plural1×
Matthew 25:44“help”… asthenon ē en fulaka kai ouk diakonana si?… naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?’
diakonateiō“serves”happening now · he/she/itpresent active subjunctive 3rd person singular3×
John 12:26ean mi tinos diakonateiō mi akolouthatōr, kai hopou amō mis …If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me; and …
John 12:26… tos ēmos eti; ean tinos mi diakonateiō timati auton tos patros.… will be as well. If anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him.
Philemon 1:13“serve”… miauton katecharō, hina huper su mi diakonateiō en toi desmoi teu euangelieu,… liked to keep him with me, so that on your behalf he could minister to me in my chains for the gospel.
diakonasōr“serve”happening now · youpresent active imperative 2nd person singular1×
Luke 17:8… auto; Hetoimazasar tinem deipnameia kai perizōnerantos diakonasōr mi heōs esthiameia kai pinameia, kai …… my meal and dress yourself to serve me while I eat and drink …
diakonalōr“serve as deacons”happening now · theypresent active imperative 3rd person plural1×
1 Timothy 3:10kai houtois de dokimazolōr prōtem, eita diakonalōr anenklētois arōntois.… they are above reproach, let them serve as deacons.
diakonarō“serve”happening now · the “to …” formpresent active infinitive2×
Luke 10:40… tas adelfas mu monan min kataleipate diakonarō? legasar oun auta hina mi sunantilabeteia.… my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her to help me!”
Acts 6:2“serve”… nin kataleiparantoin ton logon tou theou diakonarō trapezai;… us to neglect the word of God in order to wait on tables.
diakonara“serve”happened · the “to …” formaorist active infinitive2×
Matthew 20:28… tou anthrōpou ouk erchata diakonira alla diakonara kai dōara tan psuchan autou lutrem …… come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as …
Mark 10:45… tou anthrōpou ouk erchata diakonira alla diakonara kai dōara tan psuchan autou lutrem …… come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as …
diakonira“served”happened · the “to …” formaorist passive infinitive2×
Matthew 20:28… tos huios tou anthrōpou ouk erchata diakonira alla diakonara kai dōara tan psuchan …… Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give …
Mark 10:45… tos huios tou anthrōpou ouk erchata diakonira alla diakonara kai dōara tan psuchan …… Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give …
diakonarōntos“serves”happening now · subjectpresent active participle nominative singular masculine4×
Luke 22:26… neoteros, kai tos hēgorōntos hōs tos diakonarōntos;… who leads like the one who serves.
Luke 22:27… gar megoteros, tos anakeiorōntos ē tos diakonarōntos? ouchi tos anakeiorōntos? mis de en …… the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who …
Luke 22:27… en mese vu amō hōs tos diakonarōntos.… am among you as one who serves.
Romans 15:25“serving”nuni de poreuomō eis Ierousalēm diakonarōntos toi hagioi.Now, however, I am on my way to Jerusalem to serve the saints there.
diakonarōntois“serve”happening now · subjectpresent active participle nominative plural masculine2×
Hebrews 6:10“serve”… onomem autou, diakonarantois toi hagioi kai diakonarōntois.… shown for His name as you have ministered to the saints and continue to …
1 Peter 4:10… kathōs labata charismem, eis heautoin autem diakonarōntois hōs kalois oikonomois poikilau charitau theou;… whatever gift he has received to serve one another.
diakonarōntais“ministering”happening now · subjectpresent active participle nominative plural feminine1×
Matthew 27:55“ministering”… akolouthala to Iēso apo tau Galilaiau diakonarōntais auto;… They had followed Jesus from Galilee to minister to Him.
diakonarōntoiu“helpers”happening now · of, belonging topresent active participle genitive plural masculine1×
Acts 19:22… de eis tan Makedonian duo toiu diakonarōntoiu auto, Timotheon kai Erastoson, autos epechata …He sent two of his helpers, Timothy and Erastus, to Macedonia, while …
diakonorōnta“administered”happening now · to, forpresent middle or passive participle dative singular feminine2×
2 Corinthians 8:19“administered”… nu sun ta charita houta ta diakonorōnta hupo nu pros tan autou tou …… than that, this brother was chosen by the churches to accompany us with the gracious offering we administer to honor the Lord Himself and to …
2 Corinthians 8:20“administered”… mōmeteia en ta hadrota houta ta diakonorōnta hupo nu,… the way we administer this generous gift.
diakonarantois“served”happened · subjectaorist active participle nominative plural masculine2×
1 Timothy 3:13tois gar kalōs diakonarantois bathmon heautoi kalon peripoiolō kai pollan …For those who have served well as deacons acquire for themselves …
Hebrews 6:10“serving”… hau endeikeva eis tem onomem autou, diakonarantois toi hagioi kai diakonarōntois.… you have shown for His name as you have ministered to the saints and continue to …
diakonirantas“delivered”happened · subjectaorist passive participle nominative singular feminine1×
2 Corinthians 3:3“delivered”fanerorōntois hoti avō epistolas Christou diakonirantas hupo nu, engraforēntas ouk melane alla …… is clear that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the …