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Acts 13:1 Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. 2As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. 3And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.
I know that some translations say "as they were worshiping the Lord..." I think that the KJV is correct because the Greek word is Leitourgountōn and only occurs once.
leitourgeó: to serve the state, i.e. by anal. to perform religious service
So I was trying to imagine what this looked like. Were they praying corporately in a meeting room and just alternating between singing and praying and the Holy Ghost spoke through one of the members? One of the certain prophets and teachers?
And how wonderful is this, that we can "minister to the Lord?"
HELPS Word-studies
Cognate: 3008 leitourgéō (from 3011 /leitourgós, "someone who officially serves sovereign and community") – properly, to minister in an official (technical, authorized) capacity, especially on behalf of the community. For the believer, 3011 (leitourgós) refers to the priestly-ministering they give to God – which automatically impacts (for eternity) all who witness it. Because each believer is an official priest of God, their ministering to the Lord is equally profound with every "living sacrifice" offered up in faith (cf. Ro 12:1-3,15:27). Thus it also carries out His plan for His people.
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
STRONGS NT 3008: λειτουργέω
λειτουργέω, participle λειτουργῶν; 1 aorist infinitive λειτουργῆσαι; (from λειτουργός, which see);
1. in Attic, especially the orators, "to serve the state at one's own cost; to assume an office which must be administered at one's own expense; to discharge a public office at one's own cost; to render public service to the state" (cf. Melanchthon in Apology, Confessions, Augustine, p. 270f (Corpus Reformat. edition Bindseil (post Bretschn.) vol. xxvli., p. 623, and F. Francke, Conf. Luth., Part i., p. 271 note (Lipsius 1846)); Wolf, Demosthenes, Lept., p. 85ff; Böckh, Athen. Staatshaush. i., p. 480ff; Lübker, Reallex. des class. Alterth. (or Smith, Dict. of Greek and Rom. Antiq.) under the word λειτουργία).
2. universally, to do service, to perform a work; Vulg.ministro (A. V. to minister);
a. of the priests and Levites who were busied with the sacred rites in the tabernacle or the temple (so the Sept. often for שֵׁרֵת; as Numbers 18:2; Exodus 28:31, 39; Exodus 29:30; Joel 1:9, etc.; several times for עָבַד, Numbers 4:37, 39; Numbers 16:9; Numbers 18:6f; add, Sir. 4:14 (; Judith 4:14); 1 Macc. 10:42; (Philo, vit. Moys. 3:18; cf. ὑμῖν λειτουργουσι καί αὐτοί τήν λειτουργίαν τῶν προφητῶν καί διδασκάλων (of bishops and deacons), Teaching of the Twelve Apostles, chapter 15 [ET] (cf. Clement of Rome, 1 Cor. 44, 2 [ET] etc.))): Hebrews 10:11. b.λειτουργουν τῷ κυρίῳ, of Christians serving Christ, whether, by prayer, or by instructing others concerning the way of salvation, or in some other way: Acts 13:2; cf. DeWette at the passage c. of those who aid others with their resources, and relieve their poverty: τίνι ἐν τίνι, Romans 15:27, cf. Sir. 10:25.
I know that some translations say "as they were worshiping the Lord..." I think that the KJV is correct because the Greek word is Leitourgountōn and only occurs once.
leitourgeó: to serve the state, i.e. by anal. to perform religious service
So I was trying to imagine what this looked like. Were they praying corporately in a meeting room and just alternating between singing and praying and the Holy Ghost spoke through one of the members? One of the certain prophets and teachers?
And how wonderful is this, that we can "minister to the Lord?"
HELPS Word-studies
Cognate: 3008 leitourgéō (from 3011 /leitourgós, "someone who officially serves sovereign and community") – properly, to minister in an official (technical, authorized) capacity, especially on behalf of the community. For the believer, 3011 (leitourgós) refers to the priestly-ministering they give to God – which automatically impacts (for eternity) all who witness it. Because each believer is an official priest of God, their ministering to the Lord is equally profound with every "living sacrifice" offered up in faith (cf. Ro 12:1-3,15:27). Thus it also carries out His plan for His people.
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
STRONGS NT 3008: λειτουργέω
λειτουργέω, participle λειτουργῶν; 1 aorist infinitive λειτουργῆσαι; (from λειτουργός, which see);
1. in Attic, especially the orators, "to serve the state at one's own cost; to assume an office which must be administered at one's own expense; to discharge a public office at one's own cost; to render public service to the state" (cf. Melanchthon in Apology, Confessions, Augustine, p. 270f (Corpus Reformat. edition Bindseil (post Bretschn.) vol. xxvli., p. 623, and F. Francke, Conf. Luth., Part i., p. 271 note (Lipsius 1846)); Wolf, Demosthenes, Lept., p. 85ff; Böckh, Athen. Staatshaush. i., p. 480ff; Lübker, Reallex. des class. Alterth. (or Smith, Dict. of Greek and Rom. Antiq.) under the word λειτουργία).
2. universally, to do service, to perform a work; Vulg.ministro (A. V. to minister);
a. of the priests and Levites who were busied with the sacred rites in the tabernacle or the temple (so the Sept. often for שֵׁרֵת; as Numbers 18:2; Exodus 28:31, 39; Exodus 29:30; Joel 1:9, etc.; several times for עָבַד, Numbers 4:37, 39; Numbers 16:9; Numbers 18:6f; add, Sir. 4:14 (; Judith 4:14); 1 Macc. 10:42; (Philo, vit. Moys. 3:18; cf. ὑμῖν λειτουργουσι καί αὐτοί τήν λειτουργίαν τῶν προφητῶν καί διδασκάλων (of bishops and deacons), Teaching of the Twelve Apostles, chapter 15 [ET] (cf. Clement of Rome, 1 Cor. 44, 2 [ET] etc.))): Hebrews 10:11. b.λειτουργουν τῷ κυρίῳ, of Christians serving Christ, whether, by prayer, or by instructing others concerning the way of salvation, or in some other way: Acts 13:2; cf. DeWette at the passage c. of those who aid others with their resources, and relieve their poverty: τίνι ἐν τίνι, Romans 15:27, cf. Sir. 10:25.
