λατρεία

λατρεία — latreía

λατρεία, λατρείας, ἡ (λατρεύω, which see);

1. in Greek authors "service rendered for hire; then any service or ministration (Tragg., Plutarch, Lucian); the service of God": τοῦ Θεοῦ, Plato, Apology 23 b.; καταφυγεῖν πρός θεῶν εὐχάς τέ καί λατρείας, ibid. Phaedr., p. 244 e.;servitus religionis, quam λατρείανGraeci vocant, Augustine civ. dei 5, 15.

2. in the Greek Bible, the service or worship of God according to the requirements of the levitical law (Hebrew עֲבֹדָה, Exo 12:25 f, etc.): Rom 9:4; Heb 9:1 (1Ma 2:19; 1Ma 2:22); λατρείαν προσφέρειν τῷ Θεῷ (to offer service to God) equivalent to θυσίαν προσφέρειν εἰς λατρείαν (to offer a sacrifice in service), Joh 16:2; ἐπιτελεῖν τάς λατρείας, to perform the sacred services (see ἐπιτελέω, 1), spoken of the priests, Heb 9:6; universally, of any worship of God, ἡ λογικη λατρεία, Rom 12:1 (cf. Winer's Grammar, § 59, 9 a.); (of the worship of idols, 1Ma 1:43).