δουλεία (douleia)
douleia
slavery
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 5 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The noun douleia describes the state of slavery or bondage. In the New Testament, it appears five times, primarily in Paul’s letters to Romans and Galatians, as well as in Hebrews. The word captures the harsh reality of being owned by another, a condition that implies total loss of personal freedom.
Paul uses this term to contrast two spiritual conditions. In Romans 8:15, he distinguishes the spirit of slavery from the Spirit of adoption, suggesting that douleia is characterized by fear rather than the intimate relationship believers have with God. Similarly, in Galatians 4:24 and 5:1, he links this bondage to the old covenant law, presenting it as a state from which Christ sets people free.
The concept carries significant theological weight regarding human liberation. In Hebrews 2:15, the author explains that Jesus came to free those who were held in slavery by the fear of death. This usage highlights that douleia is not merely physical captivity but a spiritual oppression that only divine intervention can resolve.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word douleia points to a state of total ownership, where personal freedom is lost. In the New Testament, this term describes more than just physical captivity; it highlights a spiritual condition defined by fear and constraint. Paul uses this concept to contrast two very different ways of living: one driven by anxiety and obligation, and another marked by intimate relationship with God.
For your faith, this distinction is vital. It reminds us that we are not called to live under the heavy weight of legalistic fear or the dread of death. Instead, through Christ, we receive a Spirit of adoption that allows us to call God 'Father.' This shift from slavery to sonship offers a profound sense of security and belonging that no human effort can provide.
Understanding this helps us appreciate the depth of our liberation. We are not merely released from punishment but are brought into a family. This truth invites us to rest in the freedom Christ secured, trusting that we are held by love rather than bound by fear.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 5 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- to slavery.1×
- slavery1×
- of slavery1×
- of bondage1×
- bondage1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- δουλείας3×
- δουλείας.1×
- δουλείαν1×
Key Verses
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Romans 8:15
For you didn’t receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”
This verse explicitly contrasts the 'spirit of bondage' with the Spirit of adoption, defining douleia as a state characterized by fear rather than familial intimacy.
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Galatians 4:24
These things contain an allegory, for these are two covenants. One is from Mount Sinai, bearing children to bondage, which is Hagar.
Here, Paul uses the term to allegorically link slavery to the old covenant at Sinai, illustrating how reliance on the law can lead back into spiritual constraint.
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Hebrews 2:15
and might deliver all of them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.
The author identifies the fear of death as the chain that holds people in bondage, showing that Christ’s deliverance addresses a deep existential captivity.