doulos · slave

What it means

doulos (δοῦλος) is a Greek word of the Bible that means “slave”.

Someone who belongs to a master and serves him.

How to say it

Approximate pronunciation. Vowels sound as in Spanish (a as in father, e as in bed, i as in machine, o as in note, u as in rule); the syllable in bold is stressed. The voice is your device's.

Its senses in the Bible

1. A person who belongs to a master and serves him.
2. Someone who belongs wholly to God, or to sin.

From Abbott-Smith (1922) · Thayer (1889)

Word study

Slave: one who belongs to a master and serves him. Abbott-Smith: subservient; a slave. Of the same family are δουλεύω, “to serve as a slave”, and σύνδουλος, “fellow slave”.

• A master's slave Matthew 8:9Luke 17:10
• “Whoever wants to be first among you will be the slave of all” Mark 10:44
• “No longer do I call you slaves” John 15:15John 8:34
• “Paul, a slave of the Messiah Jesus” Romans 1:1
• “Taking the form of a slave” Philippians 2:7
• “There is neither slave nor free” Galatians 3:28

How we translate it

“Slave” 72 times, “slaves” 54. This edition's glossary sets “slave” and does not use “servant” for δοῦλος, also where Paul, James or Jude present themselves as slaves of the Messiah; “servant” is left for παῖς.

How it is translated

The words this translation uses for it, most frequent first.

• slave ×72
• slaves ×54

Related words

Words of the same family, by Strong’s numbering.

Where it appears

• Matthew×30
• Mark×5
• Luke×26
• John×11
• Acts×3
• Romans×7
• 1 Corinthians×5
• 2 Corinthians×1
• Galatians×4
• Ephesians×3
• Philippians×2
• Colossians×4
• 1 Timothy×1
• 2 Timothy×1
• Titus×2
• Philemon×2
• James×1
• 1 Peter×1
• 2 Peter×2
• Jude×1
• Revelation×14

• Matthew 8:9

  For I too am a man under authority, having soldiers under me; and I say to this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my slave, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”

• Matthew 10:24

  A disciple is not above the teacher, nor a slave above his master.

• Matthew 10:25

  It is enough for the disciple to become like his teacher, and the slave like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they call the members of his household!

• Matthew 13:27

  And the slaves of the master of the house came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? Then where does it get darnel?’

• Matthew 13:28

  And he said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ And the slaves say to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?’

• Matthew 18:23

  For this reason the kingdom of heaven has become like to a man, a king, who wanted to settle accounts with his slaves.

• Matthew 18:26

  So the slave fell down and was bowing down before him, saying, ‘Be patient with me, and I will repay you everything.’

• Matthew 18:27

  And the master of that slave had compassion and released him and forgave him the loan.

• Matthew 18:28

  But that slave went out and found one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred denarii; and seizing him, he was choking him, saying, ‘Pay back whatever you owe!’

• Matthew 18:32

  Then his master summoned him and says to him, ‘Wicked slave! All that debt I forgave you, because you begged me.

• Matthew 20:27

  and whoever wants to be first among you will be your slave;

• Matthew 21:34

  And when the season of fruit drew near, he sent his slaves to the tenant farmers to receive his fruit.

• Matthew 21:35

  And the tenant farmers took his slaves and one they beat, another they killed, another they stoned.

• Matthew 21:36

  Again he sent other slaves, more than the first, and they did to them the same.

• Matthew 22:3

  And he sent his slaves to call those who had been invited to the wedding feast, and they were not willing to come.

• Matthew 22:4

  Again he sent other slaves, saying, ‘Tell those who have been invited, “Look, I have prepared my dinner, my bulls and the fattened animals have been slaughtered, and everything is ready; come to the wedding feast.”’

• Matthew 22:6

  and the rest, seizing his slaves, treated them shamefully and killed them.

• Matthew 22:8

  Then he says to his slaves, ‘The wedding feast is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy.

• Matthew 22:10

  And those slaves went out into the roads and gathered all whom they found, both evil and good; and the wedding feast was filled with guests.

• Matthew 24:45

  Who, then, is the faithful and wise slave whom the master has put in charge of his household to give them their food at the proper time?

• Matthew 24:46

  Happy is that slave whom his master will find doing so when he comes.

• Matthew 24:48

  But if that wicked slave says in his heart, ‘My master is delayed,’

• Matthew 24:50

  the master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour that he does not know,

• Matthew 25:14

  For it is just as a man going on a journey called his own slaves and handed over to them his possessions.

• Matthew 25:19

  Now after a long time the master of those slaves comes and settles accounts with them.

• Matthew 25:21

  His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave; you were faithful over a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’

• Matthew 25:23

  His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave; you were faithful over a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’

• Matthew 25:26

  But his master answered him, ‘Wicked and lazy slave! You knew that I reap where I did not sow and gather where I did not scatter?

• Matthew 25:30

  And throw the worthless slave into the outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

• Matthew 26:51

  And look, one of those with Jesus, stretching out his hand, drew his sword, and striking the slave of the high priest, cut off his ear.

• Mark 10:44

  and whoever wants to be first among you will be the slave of all.

• Mark 12:2

  And at the season he sent a slave to the tenants, so that he might receive from the tenants some of the fruit of the vineyard.

• Mark 12:4

  And again he sent to them another slave; and that one they struck on the head and treated shamefully.

• Mark 13:34

  It is like a man away on a journey, who left his house and gave his slaves authority, to each his work, and commanded the doorkeeper to keep watch.

• Mark 14:47

  But one of those standing by, drawing his sword, struck the slave of the high priest and cut off his ear.

• Luke 2:29

  “Now you are releasing your slave, Sovereign, according to your word, in peace;

• Luke 7:2

  Now a certain centurion’s slave, who was highly valued by him, was sick and was about to die.

• Luke 7:3

  And when he heard about Jesus, he sent to him elders of the Jews, asking him to come and save his slave.

• Luke 7:8

  For I too am a man placed under authority, having soldiers under me, and I say to this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my slave, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”

• Luke 7:10

  And when those who had been sent returned to the house, they found the slave in good health.

And 86 more times.