δουλεύω

δουλεύω — douleúō

δουλεύω; future δουλεύσω; 1 aorist ἐδούλευσα; perfect δεδούλευκά; (δοῦλος); the Sept. for עָבַד;

1. properly, to be a slave, serve, do service: absolutely, Eph 6:7; 1Ti 6:2; τίνι Mat 6:24; Luk 16:13; Rom 9:12; said of nations in subjection to other nations, Joh 8:33; Act 7:7; men are said δουλεύειν who bear the yoke of the Mosaic law, Gal 4:25 (see δουλεία).

2. metaphorically, to obey, submit to;

a. in a good sense: absolutely, to yield obedience, Rom 7:6; τίνι, to obey one's commands and render to him the services due, Luk 15:29; God: Mat 6:24; Luk 16:13; 1Th 1:9; κυρίῳ and τῷ κυρίῳ, Act 20:19; Rom 12:11 (not Rec.st, see below); Eph 6:7; Christ: Rom 14:18; Col 3:24; νόμῳ Θεοῦ, according to the context, feel myself bound to, Rom 7:25; τοῖς θεοῖς, to worship gods, Gal 4:8; τῷ καιρῷ (Anth. 9, 441, 6), wisely adapt oneself to, Rom 12:11 Rec.st (see above), cf. Fritzsche at the passage; perform services of kindness and Christian love: ἀλλήλοις, Gal 5:13; used of those who zealously advance the interests of anything: ὡς πατρί τέκνον σύν ἐμοί ἐδούλευσεν εἰς τό εὐαγγέλιον equivalent to ὡς πατρί τέκνον δουλεύει, ἐμοί ἐδούλευσεν καί οὕτω σύν ἐμοί ἐδούλευσεν, etc. Php 2:22 (Winers Grammar, 422 (393); 577 (537)).

b. in a bad sense, of those who become slaves to some base power, to yield to, give oneself up to: τῇ ἁμαρτία, Rom 6:6; νόμῳ ἁμαρτίας, Rom 7:25; ἐπιθυμίαις καί ἡδοναῖς, Tit 3:3, (Xenophon, mem. 1, 5, 5; Apology Socrates 16; Plato, Phaedrus, p. 238 e.; Polybius 17, 15, 16; Herodian, 1, 17, 22 (9, Bekker edition)); τῇ κοιλία, Rom 16:18, (γαστρί, Anthol. 11, 410, 4; Xenophon, mem. 1, 6, 8;abdomini servire, Seneca, de benef. 7, 26, 4;ventri obedire, Sall. (Cat. 1:1)); μαμωνᾷ, to devote oneself to getting wealth: Mat 6:24; Luk 16:13. τοῖς στοιχειοις τοῦ κόσμου, Gal 4:9.