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Greek

To minister

λειτουργέωStrong’s G3008

leitourgeō

Appears in 3 verses of the New Testament

In short

Leitourgeō is the Greek word usually translated “as were ministering”, “minister” and “ministering”. It appears in 3 verses of the New Testament.

“As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.”
Acts 13:2 KJV
Meaning

Usually translated “as were ministering”, “minister” and “ministering”. Open the dictionary entry below for the full range of meaning, with the verses it cites.

How it's translated
  • as were ministering 1
  • to minister 1
  • ministering 1

Word-by-word English from the STEPBible tagged text.

Where it's used most
  • Acts 1
  • Romans 1
  • Hebrews 1

3 books in all.

Related words
Explore in Scripture
Greek dictionary

λειτουργέω leitourgeō · to minister

λειτουργέω, -ῶ (λειτουργός), [in LXX chiefly for שָׁרַת pi., also for עָבַד, צָבָא, etc. ;] 1. in cl., at Athens, to supply public offices at one's own cost, render public service to the State, hence, generally, 2. to serve the State, do a service, serve (of service to the Gods, Diod., i, 21): of the official service of priests and Levites (Exo.29:30, Num.16:9, Sir.4:14, 1Ma.10:42, al.; cf. Deiss., BS, 140 f.), Heb.10:11; of Christians: with dative of person(s) before ἐν, Rom.15:27 (cf. Sir.10:25); τ. κυρίῳ, Act.13:2.† …

From STEPBible’s Greek lexicon (based on Abbott-Smith).

Webster's 1828 Dictionary

How the English word “minister” was understood when the King James Version was still the common Bible of English readers.

MIN'ISTER, noun

[Latin]

  1. Properly, a chief servant; hence, an agent appointed to transact or manage business under the authority of another; in which sense, it is a word of very extensive application.“Moses rose up and his minister Joshua” Exodus 24:13
  2. One to whom a king or prince entrusts the direction of affairs of state; as minister of state; the prime minister In modern governments, the secretaries or heads of the several departments or branches of government are the ministers of the chief magistrate.
  3. A magistrate; an executive officer.“For he is the minister of God to thee for good” Romans 13:4
  4. A delegate; an embassador; the representative of a sovereign at a foreign court; usually such as is resident at a foreign court, but not restricted to such.
All definitions and other forms of “minister”
  1. One who serves at the altar; one who performs sacerdotal duties; the pastor of a church, duly authorized or licensed to preach the gospel and administer the sacraments. Ephesians 3:7
  2. Christ is called a minister of the sanctuary. Hebrews 8:2
  3. An angel; a messenger of God.“Who maketh his angels spirits, his ministers a flaming fire” Psalms 104:4

MIN'ISTER, verb transitive

[Latin ministro.]

To give; to afford; to supply.

  1. “He that ministereth seed to the sower--” 2 Corinthians 9:10“That it may minister grace to the hearers” Ephesians 4:29

MIN'ISTER, verb intransitive

To attend and serve; to perform service in any office, sacred or secular.

  1. “I will sanctify also both Aaron and his sons, to minister to me in the priest's office” Exodus 29:44
  2. To afford supplies; to give things needful; to supply the means of relief; to relieve.“When saw we thee hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?” Matthew 25:44
  3. To give medicines.

Noah Webster, An American Dictionary of the English Language (1828). Verse references are checked against the KJV. Read the full entry.

Verses are from the King James Version. Word meanings come from the original Greek, not from any one translation.