Greek word · G1396
δουλαγωγέω
doulagōgeō
to enslave
Literally 'to lead (ἄγω) as a slave (δοῦλος)': to enslave, to take someone away into slavery, to bring under complete control.
Appears once in the Greek New Testament. ·
What it means
δουλαγωγέω, -ῶ
(δοῦλος, ἄγω),
to make a slave, bring into bondage: 1 Corinthians 9:27 (Cremer, 703).†
(AS)
From G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament (1922), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).
In depth
From the study of 1 Corinthians 9:27
- Range of meaning
Literally 'to lead (ἄγω) as a slave (δοῦλος)': to enslave, to take someone away into slavery, to bring under complete control.
- Against the English
KJV 'bring into subjection' and ESV 'keep it under control' are accurate but abstract. BSB and NIV 'make it my slave' and YLT 'bring into servitude' keep the slavery word.
- Used elsewhere in the period
Rare. It appears in Hellenistic prose (BDAG cites Diodorus Siculus and Epictetus) for enslaving people or for being mastered by passions. It is used only here in the NT.
Where it appears
1 Corinthians · 1
-
1 Corinthians 9:27 δουλαγωγῶ, bring [it] into servitude,
No, I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.
Here: Literally 'slave-lead': to take someone away as a slave, as a winner does with a captive. The body does not run Paul. He leads it. It echoes v. 19, where Paul says he 'made himself a slave to all.'
Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.