servants of Christδιάκονος
diakonos · Greek Noun
A person who serves another. In the New Testament, it describes one who is under the authority of Christ, living in obedience and total devotion to Him as Lord.
laborsκόπος
kopos · Greek Noun
Hard, strenuous work, often associated with physical or spiritual exhaustion. It signifies the intensity and sacrifice involved in ministry.
imprisonmentsφυλακή
phylakē · Greek Noun
The state of being held in custody or restricted, often for the sake of the gospel. It represents the suffering and persecution faced by the apostles for their witness.
beatingsπληγή
plēgē · Greek Noun
The application of physical force to inflict pain. In this context, it refers to the severe persecution and public humiliation suffered by messengers of Christ.
deathθάνατος
thanatos · Greek Noun
The state of being near the end of life or under threat of execution. Biblically, it highlights the sacrificial nature of the apostle's mission.
JewsἸουδαῖος
Ioudaios · Greek Noun
Referring to the Jewish religious authorities who followed the Mosaic Law, often acting as opponents to the early Christian mission.
beaten with rodsῥαβδίζω
rhabdizō · Greek Verb
A common form of corporal punishment in antiquity using a rod or staff; often used to punish, discipline, or persecute those considered agitators.
stonedλιθάζω
lithazō · Greek Verb
A method of execution or extreme physical assault involving throwing rocks at a person until they die. It was a formal penalty under Jewish Law for certain crimes like blasphemy.
dangerκίνδυνος
kindunos · Greek Noun
A broad term referring to physical or spiritual peril; in a biblical context, it signifies circumstances that threaten one's life, safety, or faithfulness to God.
my own peopleἸουδαῖος (implied by context of people) / γένος
genous mou · Greek Noun
Those who belong to the ethnic group of the Israelites; in the New Testament, it often highlights the tension between Paul and his former religious peers who rejected the Gospel.
Gentilesἔθνος
ethnos · Greek Noun
Refers to all non-Jewish nations; in Scripture, this encompasses the mission field to which the apostles were called, often involving rejection and persecution.
false brothersψευδἀδελφος
pseudadelphos · Greek Noun
Individuals within the Christian community who profess faith but are deceptive, undermining the truth of the Gospel; they represent a significant internal threat to the purity of the church.
toilκόπος
kopos · Greek Noun
Labor, often associated with exhaustive, wearisome effort; in a ministerial context, it refers to the exhausting demands of service for the sake of Christ.
pressureἐπίστασις
epistasis · Greek Noun
An encompassing word for internal or external strain, trouble, or distress that presses upon the soul or body; it conveys a sense of being hemmed in by difficult circumstances.
anxietyμέριμνα
merimna · Greek Noun
An intense concern or apprehensive care; while sometimes sinful, in the context of ministry, it denotes a godly, shepherd-like preoccupation with the spiritual welfare of others.
weakἀσθενής
asthenes · Greek Adjective
Those who are spiritually or morally feeble, vulnerable, or lacking in confidence; Scripture calls for the stronger to support and bear with the weak.
made to fallσκανδαλίζω
skandalizō · Greek Verb
To be caused to stumble, sin, or fall away from the faith; it involves being led into a state of moral failure or spiritual compromise.
indignantπυρόω
puroō · Greek Verb/Adjective
A state of intense irritation or grief; biblically, it is often a righteous burning emotion caused by the sight of sin or the suffering of the righteous.
