service

In the Bible, normally something done by slaves, tasks performed by lesser persons for those who controlled their existence. With regard to God, service looked to Temple worship and its rituals (Exod 31:10; Exod 35:19; 1Esd 6:18; Luke 1:23); with regard to humans, it pertained to forms of bondage (Gen 30:26; Exod 1:14). For Paul, the service a person owed God is now to be displayed in Christian service to neighbor, which is service to Christ (Rom 12:1-2; Rom 14:17-18; Gal 5:13; 1Cor 9:19; 2Cor 4:5).