ἱερουργέω
hierourgéō
G2418 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To perform sacred rites, to serve or officiate in the role of a priest, engaging in actions considered holy or set apart for religious purposes; more generally, to minister in a way associated with ritual or cultic service. In figurative New Testament usage, to fulfill a ministry characterized by a priestly dimension, such as presenting the outcome of one's work as an offering to God.
Semantic Range
to perform sacred rites, to officiate as a priest, to serve in a cultic or priestly function (literal); to fulfill a priestly or sacred ministry, to offer one's work or converts as an offering to God (figurative or metaphorical)
Root / Etymology
From ἱερόν ('temple, sacred place') and the verbal root ἐργ- ('to work, to do'). The verb is a compound formed from 'sacred' (ἱερο-) and 'to work/do' (ἐργ-), literally: 'to work sacred things' or 'to perform sacred duties'. Related substantives include ἱεροῦργος ('priestly worker, sacred functionary') and ἱερουργία ('priestly service, sacred rite').
Historical & Contextual Notes
In classical Greek, forms related to ἱερουργέω were rare but carried the sense of performing sacred actions or religious ceremonies. By the Hellenistic and especially the Koine period, ἱερουργέω and its cognates could describe official priestly activity involving sacrifices or the performance of sacred rituals, primarily in Greek or Hellenized religious contexts. In the Septuagint, the verb is infrequent, with ritual actions more often described by other terms like λειτουργέω ('serve, minister'). In the New Testament (see Romans 15:16), the word is used figuratively of apostolic work, describing Paul's mission as a 'priestly ministry' in connection with the proclamation of the good news and the offering of believing communities to God, not a literal Levitical or temple-priest activity. English translations like 'minister' or 'perform the priestly duty' capture only part of the word's original cultic nuance. Its use highlights a metaphorical application of cultic language to non-cultic, spiritual acts of service within early communities.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from a compound of ἱερόν and the base of ἔργον; to be a temple-worker, i.e. officiate as a priest (figuratively):--minister.
Root Family
ἱερουργ- (hierourgéō) — to perform sacred work, to serve as priest, to officiate in ritual context
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G2418-01 |
ἱερουργοῦντα | ierourgounta | V PRS ACT PTCP ACC M SG |
ministering as a priest | performing sacred service | performing sacred service | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G2418-01 |
Romans 15:16 | ἱερουργοῦντα | ierourgounta | V PRS ACT PTCP ACC M SG |
ministering as a priest | performing sacred service | performing sacred service |