"the office and work of a diakonos" (see MINISTER, A, No. 1), "service, ministry," is used (a) of domestic duties, Luk 10:40; (b) of religious and spiritual "ministration," (1) of apostolic "ministry," e.g., Act 1:17, Act 1:25, Act 6:4, Act 12:25, Act 21:19, Rom 11:13, RV (AV, "office"); (2) of the service of believers, e.g., Act 6:1, Rom 12:7, 1Co 12:5, RV, "ministrations" (AV, "administrations"); 1Co 16:15, 2Co 8:4, 2Co 9:1, 2Co 9:12, RV, "ministration;" 2Co 9:13, Eph 4:12, RV, "ministering" (AV, "the ministry," not in the sense of an ecclesiastical function); 2Ti 4:11, RV, "(for) ministering;" collectively of a local church, Act 11:29, "relief" (RV marg. "for ministry"); Rev 2:19, RV, "ministry" (AV, "service"); of Paul's service on behalf of poor saints, Rom 15:31; (3) of the "ministry" of the Holy Spirit in the Gospel, 2Co 3:8; (4) of the "ministry" of angels, Heb 1:14, RV, "to do service" (AV, "to minister"); (5) of the work of the Gospel, in general, e.g., 2Co 3:9, "of righteousness;" 2Co 5:18, "of reconciliation;" (6) of the general "ministry" of a servant of the Lord preaching and teaching, Act 20:24, 2Co 4:1, 2Co 6:3, 2Co 11:8, 1Ti 1:12, RV, "(to His) service;" 2Ti 4:5; undefined in Col 4:17; (7) of the Law, as a "ministration" of death, 2Co 3:7; of condemnation, 2Co 3:9.
akin to leitourgos (see MINISTER, A, No. 2), to which the meanings of leitourgia correspond, is used in the NT of "sacred ministration," (a) priestly, Luk 1:23, Heb 8:6, Heb 9:21; (b) figuratively, of the practical faith of the members of the church at Philippi regarded as priestly sacrifice, upon which the Apostle's life-blood might be poured out as a libation, Phi 2:17; (c) of the "ministration" of believers one to another, regarded as priestly service, 2Co 9:12, Phi 2:30. See SERVICE. "of or pertaining to service, ministering," is used in Heb 1:14, of angels as "ministering spirits" (for the word "do service" in the next clause, see A, No. 1). In the Sept., Exo 31:10, Exo 39:13, Num 4:12, Num 4:26, Num 7:5, 2Ch 24:14.
