Abbott-Smith Manual Greek Lexicon
διάκονος (G1249)
29 διάκονος , -ου, ὁ, ἡ (derivation unknown), [in LXX for נַעַר , שָׁרַת pi.: Es 6:3 , 5 , א B Es 1:10 2:2 , Pr 10:4 , 4 Mac 9:17 * ;] in general, a servant, attendant, minister : Mt 20:26 22:13 23:11 , Mk 9:35 10:43 , Jo 2:5 , 9 , I Co 3:5 , Ga 2:17 , Eph 6:21 , Col 4:7 ; δ. θεοῦ , Ro 13:4 , II Co 6:4 , I Th 3:2 ; δ. Χριστοῦ , II Co 11:23 , Col 1:7 , I Ti 4:6 ; cf. ὁ δ. ὁ ἐμός , Jo 12:26 ; δ. περιτομῆς , Ro 15:8 ; δ. καινῆς διαθήκης , II Co 3:6 ; δ. δικαιοσύνης , II Co 11:15 ; δ. [εὐαγγελίου] , Eph 3:7 , Col 1:23 ; δ. [ἐκκλησίας] , Col 1:25 . As technical term for Church officer (so in pre-Christian times, v. M, Th. , I, 3 2 ), a deacon : Phl 1:1 , I Ti 3:8 , 12 ; fem. (cf. Eccl. διακονίσσα ), Ro 16:1 (cf. I Ti 3:11 , and CGT , in l., also M, Th. , l.c.).† SYN. : δοῦλος , bondman ; θεράπων , servant acting voluntarily; ὑπηρέτης , servant, attendant , by etymol. suggesting subordination. All these imply relation to a person, in distinction from which δ. represents rather the servant in relation to his work. Cf. also λειτουργός , a public servant , in which the idea of service to the community is prominent; οἰκέτης , a house servant .
G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament (1922) — public domain