Serve - Vine's Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words
Serve
[ 1,,G1247, diakoneo ]to minister" (akin to diakonos, No. 2, above), "to render any kind of service," is translated "to serve," e.g., in Luke 10:40; Luke 12:37; Luke 17:8; Luke 22:26-Luke 22:27 (twice); See MINISTER, B, No. 1.
[ 2,,G1398, douleuo ]
"to serve as a doulos" (No. 1, above), is used
(a) of serving God (and the impossibility of serving mammon also), Matthew 6:24 and Luke 16:13; Romans 7:6; in the gospel, Philippians 2:22;
(b) Christ, Acts 20:19; Romans 12:11; Romans 14:18; Romans 16:18; Ephesians 6:7; Colossians 3:24;
(c) the law of God, Romans 7:25;
(d) one another, Galatians 5:13, RV, "be servants to" (AV, "serve");
(e) a father, Luke 15:29 (with a suggestion of acting as a slave);
(f) earthly masters, Matthew 6:24; Luke 16:13; 1 Timothy 6:2, RV, "serve;"
(g) the younger by the elder, Romans 9:12;
(h) of being in bondage to a nation, Acts 7:7; Galatians 4:25, to the Romans, actually, though also spiritually to Judaizers;
(i) to idols, Galatians 4:8, RV, "were in bondage" (AV, "did service");
(j) to "the weak and beggarly rudiments," Galatians 4:9 (RV), "to be in bondage" (aorist tense in the best texts, suggesting "to enter into bondage"), i.e., to the religion of the Gentiles ("rudiments" being used in Galatians 4:3 of the religion of the Jews);
(k) sin, Romans 6:6, RV, "be in bondage" (AV, "serve");
(1) "divers lusts and pleasures," Titus 3:3;
(m) negatively, to any man -- a proud and thoughtless denial by the Jews, John 8:33.
[ 3,,G3000, latreuo ]
primarily "to work for hire" (akin to latris, "a hired servant"), signifies
(1) to worship,
(2) to "serve;" in the latter sense it is used of service
(a) to God, Matthew 4:10; Luke 1:74 ("without fear"); Luke 4:8; Acts 7:7; Acts 24:14, RV, "serve" (AV, "worship"); Acts 26:7; Acts 27:23; Romans 1:9 ("with my spirit"); 2 Timothy 1:3; Hebrews 9:14; Hebrews 12:28, AV, "we may serve," RV, "we may offer service;" Revelation 7:15;
(b) to God and Christ ("the Lamb"), Revelation 22:3;
(c) in the tabernacle, Hebrews 8:5, RV; Hebrews 13:10;
(d) to "the host of heaven," Acts 7:42, RV, "to serve" (AV, "to worship");
(e) to "the creature," instead of the Creator, Romans 1:25, of idolatry: See WORSHIP.
Note: In Luke 2:37 the RV has "worshiping," for AV, "served;" in Hebrews 9:9, "the worshiper," for AV, "that did the service."
[ 4,,G5256, hupereteo ]
for which See MINISTER. B, No. 3, is translated "to serve" in Acts 13:36; there is a contrast intimated between the service of David, lasting for only a generation, and the eternal character of Christ's ministry as the One who not having seen corruption was raised from the dead.