noun
diakonos
Greekδιάκονος (diakonos)
Strong’sG1249
a waiter, servant, administrator
stem diakon-29 times in the New Testamentin 11 of 27 books6 of 20 forms occur
Translated as
What it means
διάκονος, -ου, ὁ, ἡ
(derivation unknown), [in LXX for נַעַר, שָׁרַת pi.: Es 6:3, 5, א B Es 1:10 2:2, Pr 10:4, 4 Mac 9:17 *;]
SYN.: δοῦλος, bondman; θεράπων, servant acting voluntarily; ὑπηρέτης, servant, attendant, by etymol. suggesting subordination. All these imply relation to a person, in distinction from which δ. represents rather the servant in relation to his work. Cf. also λειτουργός, a public servant, in which the idea of service to the community is prominent; οἰκέτης, a house servant.
G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament, 1922 — public domain. References open in the reader.
Strong’s G1249 — the 1890 definition, and where the word comes from
Saiddee-ak'-on-os
an attendant, i.e. (genitive case) a waiter (at table or in other menial duties); specially, a Christian teacher and pastor (technically, a deacon or deaconess)
Fromprobably from an obsolete διάκω (to run on errands; compare G1377);
King Jamesdeacon, minister, servant.
James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, 1890 — public domain. The numbers in it link to the entries here.
Every form
| Job in the sentence case | feminine singular | masculine singular | feminine plural | masculine plural |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| subject nominative | diakonas | diakonos15×διάκονος | diakonais | diakonois7×διάκονοι |
| object accusative | diakonan1×διάκονον | diakonon1×διάκονον | diakonain | diakonoin2×διακόνους |
| direct address vocative | diakonar | diakonor | diakonair | diakonoir |
| of, belonging to genitive | diakonau | diakonou | diakonaiu | diakonoiu |
| to, for dative | diakona | diakono | diakonai | diakonoi3×διακόνοις |
Tinted cells are forms the New Testament never uses, so there is no Greek to show against them — but they are still correct Biblang, built from the slots below like any other.
Why these forms, and no others — 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
Where it appears
29 occurrences, every one of them listed
diakonan“servant”objectaccusative singular1×
Romans 16:1“servant”Sunistanamō de vi Foiban tan adelfan nu, arōtan kai diakonan tau ekklēsau tau en Kenchreai,I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a servant of the church in Cenchrea.
diakonos“servant”subjectnominative singular15×
Matthew 20:26“servant”ouk houtōs eti en vi; alla hos an thelateiō en vi megos ginera eti vu diakonos,It shall not be this way among you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,
Matthew 23:11“servant”tos de megoteros vu eti vu diakonos.The greatest among you shall be your servant.
Mark 9:35“servant”kai kathizaratos fōnata toin dōdeka kai legatō autoi; Ei tinos thelatō prōtos arō eti pantoiu eschatos kai pantoiu diakonos.Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, “If anyone wants to be first, he must be the last of all and the servant of all.”
Mark 10:43“servant”ouk houtōs de atō en vi; alla hos an thelateiō megos ginera en vi, eti vu diakonos,But it shall not be this way among you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,
John 12:26“servant”ean mi tinos diakonateiō mi akolouthatōr, kai hopou amō mis ekei kai tos diakonos tos ēmos eti; ean tinos mi diakonateiō timati auton tos patēros.If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me; and where I am, My servant will be as well. If anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him.
Romans 13:4“servant”theou gar diakonos atō si eis tem agathem. ean de tem kakem poiaseiō, fobesōr; ouk gar eikē tan machairan foratō; theou gar diakonos atō, ekdikos eis organ to tem kakem prassarōto.For he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not carry the sword in vain. He is God’s servant, an agent of retribution to the wrongdoer.
Romans 13:4“servant”theou gar diakonos atō si eis tem agathem. ean de tem kakem poiaseiō, fobesōr; ouk gar eikē tan machairan foratō; theou gar diakonos atō, ekdikos eis organ to tem kakem prassarōto.For he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not carry the sword in vain. He is God’s servant, an agent of retribution to the wrongdoer.
Galatians 2:17“servant”ei de zētarōtois dikaiira en Christo heuriskina kai autois hamartōlois, ara Christos hamartau diakonos? mē ginetoia;But if, while we seek to be justified in Christ, we ourselves are found to be sinners, does that make Christ a minister of sin? Certainly not!
Ephesians 3:7“servant”heu ginima diakonos kata tan dōrean tau chariau tou theou tau dōiratau mi kata tan energeian tau dunamiau autouI became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace, given me through the working of His power.
Ephesians 6:21“minister”Hina de oidaveiē kai vis teim kata min, tinem prassamō, panteim gnōrizati vi Tuchikos tos agapētos adelfos kai pistos diakonos en kurio,Tychicus, the beloved brother and faithful servant in the Lord, will tell you everything, so that you also may know about me and what I am doing.
Colossians 1:7“minister”kathōs mathava apo Epafrou tou agapētou sundoulou nu, hos atō pistos huper nu diakonos tou Christou,You learned it from Epaphras, our beloved fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf,
Colossians 1:23“minister”ei ge epimenavō ta pistia themeliirētois kai hedraiois kai mē metakinirōtois apo tau elpiau teu euangelieu heu akouava, teu kērussirateu en panta ktisia ta hupo ton ouranon, heu ginema mis Paulos diakonos.if indeed you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope of the gospel you heard, which has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant.
Colossians 1:25“minister”hau ginema mis diakonos kata tan oikonomian tou theou tan dōiratan mi eis vin plērara ton logon tou theou,I became its servant by the commission God gave me to fully proclaim to you the word of God,
Colossians 4:7“minister”Teim kata min panteim gnōrizati vi Tuchikos tos agapētos adelfos kai pistos diakonos kai sundoulos en kurio,Tychicus will tell you all the news about me. He is a beloved brother, a faithful minister, and a fellow servant in the Lord.
1 Timothy 4:6“servant”Houteim hupotitherōtos toi adelfoi kalos esi diakonos Christou Iēsu, entrefirōtos toi logoi tau pistiau kai tau kalau didaskaliau ha parakolouthasē,By pointing out these things to the brothers, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, nourished by the words of faith and sound instruction that you have followed.
diakonon“servant”objectaccusative singular1×
Romans 15:8“servant”legamō gar Christon diakonon ginirē peritomau huper alētheiau theou, eis tem bebaiara tain epangeliain toiu patēroiu,For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the circumcised on behalf of God’s truth, to confirm the promises made to the patriarchs,
diakonois“servants”subjectnominative plural7×
John 2:9“servants”hōs de geueta tos architriklinos tem hudōrem oinon ginirētem, kai ouk oidatelē pothen atō, tois de diakonois oidalelē tois antlarētois tem hudōrem, fōnatō ton numfion tos architriklinosand the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not know where it was from, but the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside
1 Corinthians 3:5“servants”Tinem oun atō Apollos? tinem de atō Paulos? diakonois dia hoiu pisteuava, kai hekasto hōs tos kurios dōata.What then is Apollos? And what is Paul? They are servants through whom you believed, as the Lord has assigned to each his role.
2 Corinthians 6:4“servants”alla en pante sunistanarōtois heautoin hōs theou diakonois; en hupomona polla, en thlipsiai, en anankai, en stenochōriai,Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships, and calamities;
2 Corinthians 11:15“servants”ouk megem oun ei kai tois diakonois autou metaschēmatizelō hōs diakonois dikaiosunau, hoiu tem telem eti kata teim ergeim autoiu.It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their actions.
2 Corinthians 11:15“servants”ouk megem oun ei kai tois diakonois autou metaschēmatizelō hōs diakonois dikaiosunau, hoiu tem telem eti kata teim ergeim autoiu.It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their actions.
2 Corinthians 11:23“servants”diakonois Christou alō? parafronarōtos lalamō, huper mis; en kopoi perissoterōs, en fulakai perissoterōs, en plēgai huperballontōs, en thanatoi pollakis;Are they servants of Christ? (I am speaking as if I were out of my mind.) I am so much more: in harder labor, in more imprisonments, in worse beatings, in frequent danger of death.
1 Timothy 3:12“deacons”diakonois alōr henau gunaikau anērois, tekneiu kalōs proistanerōtois kai toiu idioiu oikoiu;A deacon must be the husband of but one wife, a good manager of his children and of his own household.
diakonoin“deacons”objectaccusative plural2×
2 Corinthians 3:6“ministers”hos kai hikanata nin diakonoin kainau diathēkau, ouk grammeu alla pneumeu, tem gar grammem apokteinatō, tem de pneumem zōopoiatō.And He has qualified us as ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
1 Timothy 3:8“deacons”Diakonoin hōsautōs semnoin, mē dilogoin, mē oino pollo prosecharōtoin, mē aischrokerdoin,Deacons likewise must be dignified, not double-tongued or given to much wine or greedy for money.
diakonoi“deacons”to, fordative plural3×
Matthew 22:13“attendants”tote tos basilevos legata toi diakonoi; Daratois autou podoin kai cheirain ekballavar auton eis tem skotem tem exōterem; ekei eti tos klauthmos kai tos brugmos toiu odontoiu.Then the king told the servants, ‘Tie him hand and foot, and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
John 2:5“servants”legatō tas mētēras autou toi diakonoi; Hem tinem an legateiō vi poiavar.His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever He tells you.”
Philippians 1:1“deacons”Paulos kai Timotheos doulois Christou Iēsu pantoi toi hagioi en Christo Iēso toi arōtoi en Filippoi sun episkopoi kai diakonoi;Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, To all the saints in Christ Jesus at Philippi, together with the overseers and deacons: