Quick Definition
λειτουργός, ου, ὁ n.m. a minister, servant
Strong's Definition
from a derivative of 2992 and 2041; a public servant, i.e. a functionary in the Temple or Gospel, or (genitive case) a worshipper (of God) or benefactor (of man)
KJV Usage: minister(-ed)
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament
noun, m. | -οῦ | λαός + ἐργάζομαι
1 The Classical Greek meaning of λειτουργός in the sense of a servant of the state assuming public office to be administered at his own expense is completely lacking from NT usage.
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament © United Bible Societies, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
λειτουργός, -ov, 6, (fr. ΕΡΓῺ i. 6. ἐργάζομαι, and unused λεῖτος i. 4. λήϊτος equiv. to δημόσιος public, belonging to the state (Hesych.), and this trom λεώς Attic for λαός), Sept. for nw (Piel ptep. of Nw); 1. a public minister; a servant of the state: τῆς πόλεως, Inserr.; of the lictors, Plut. Rom. 26; (it has not yet been found in its primary and proper sense, of one who at Athens assumes a public office to be administered at his own expense [cf. L. and S.s. v. 1.1; see Aetroupyew). 2. uniy. @ minister, servant: so of military laborers, often in Polyb.; of the servants of aking, 1 K. x.5; Sir. x. 2; [of Joshua, Josh. i. 1 Alex.; univ. 2S. xiii. 18 (ef. 17)]; of the servants of the priests, joined with ὑπηρέται, Dion. Hal. antt. 2, 73; τῶν ἁγίων, of the temple, i. 6. one busied with holy things, of a priest, Heb. viii. 2, οἵ. [Philo, alleg. leg. iii. § 46]; Neh. x. 39; Sir. vii. 80; τῶν θεῶν, of heathen priests, Dion. H. 2, 22 cf. 73; Plut. mor. p.417 a.; Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, of Paul likening himself to a priest, Ro. xv. 16; plur. τοῦ θεοῦ, those by whom God administers his affairs and executes his decrees: so of magistrates, Ro. xiii. 6; of angels, Heb. i. 7 fr. Ps. ciii. (civ.) 4 [cf. Philo de caritat. § 3]; τῆς χάριτος τοῦ θεοῦ, those whose ministry the grace of God made use of for proclaiming to men the necessity of repentance, as Noah, Jonah: Clem. Rom. 1 Cor. 8, 1 cf. ο. 7; τὸν ἀπόστολον καὶ λειτουργὸν ὑμῶν τῆς χρείας μου, by whom ye have sent to me those things which may minister to my needs, Phil. ii. 25." [λεμά, see Aaya. }
Mounce Concise Greek Dictionary
λειτουργός leitourgos 5x
pr. a person of property who performed a public duty or service to the state at his own expense; in NT a minister or servant, Rom. 13:6; 15:16; Heb. 1:7; 8:2; one who ministers relief, Phil. 2:25*
Abbott-Smith Greek Lexicon
λειτουργός, -οῦ, ὁ
(< λιός, ἔργον), [in LXX chiefly for מְשָׁרֵת, Jos 1:1 A, III Ki 10:5, Ps 102 (103):21, Si 7:30, al.;]
in cl., one who discharges a public office at his own expense, then, generally,
a public servant, a minister, servant: τ. ἁγίων λ., He 8:2 (cf. Ne 10:39, Si 7:30); Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, Ro 15:16; pl., τ. θεοῦ, Ro 13:6, He 1:7(LXX); λ. ὑμῶν τ. χρείας μου, Phl 2:25.†
SYN.: v.s. διάκονος, λειτουργέω.
Moulton & Milligan — Vocabulary of the Greek NT
λειτουργός in the Ptolemaic period is often simply a ‘‘ workman,” as in Polybius, e.g. P Petr III. 46 (3) (iii/B.c.) οἰκοδόμοις Kal λειτουργοῖς, accounts in connexion with the erection of buildings, but cf. P Hib I. 964 (B.c. 259) where it is used of a military settler perhaps, as the editors suggest, because he had some special duties assigned to him. In P Oxy XII. 1412” (c. A.D. 284) we hear of a special meeting of the Senate of Oxyrhynchus—w]ndicac@al τε τὰς [τ]ῶν Χ[ιτ]ουργῶν Χχειρο[τ]ο[ν]ίας, ““ἴο vote upon the election of those who are to serve,” in connexion with the transport of corn for the troops: cf. the report of similar proceedings in 7d. 1415!f (late iii/A.D.) οἱ βουλευταὶ elm(ov)* ᾿Αριστί]ων ὅταν ἔλθῃ ὁλοκληρήσει, λειτουργὸς ἣν ὁλοκληρῶν ᾿Αριστίων. ὃ πρύτανις -εἶπίεν) --- δότε τοὺς [λειτο]υργούς, ἵνα [μὴ ἐμποδίζηται, ‘the senators said, ‘ Aristion, when he comes, will prosper; a prosperous public servant was Aristion.’ The prytanis said, ‘ Appoint the persons to office, in order that there may be no delay’ ” (Edd.), and for the inscrr. see CIG II. 288118, 2882°, 28861. With this sense of a public servant cf, LXX Josh 11 A, 3 Kings τοῦ, and for a religious sense see Neh 10%, Isai 61°, Rom 135 αὐ. © , λεντιον
Liddell-Scott-Jones — Greek-English Lexicon
λειτουργός (leitourgos) — minister. λειτουργ-ός, ὁ, (λήϊτος, ἔργον) one who performed a λειτουργία (which see), [Refs 3rd c.AD+]; λ. τῶν ἐν παισὶ λειτουργιῶν [Refs]
II. public servant, ἡ στάσις τῶν λ. [τοῦ Σαλομῶνος] [LXX]; of workmen, carpenters, etc., οἰκοδόμοι καὶ λ. [Refs 3rd c.BC+]; at Magnesia, an official of the γερουσία, [Refs]; = Latin lictor, [Refs 1st c.AD+] ministering to my need, [NT]
II.2. private servant, [LXX]
III. in religioussense, minister, [θεοῦ][LXX+NT+1st c.BC+]; θεοῖς λιτουργοί (sic) [Refs 1st c.BC+]; attendant at sacrifices, acolyte, [Refs]
IV. Astrology texts, λειτουργοί, οἱ, astral gods subordinate to the δεκανοί, [Refs 4th c.AD+]