δουλόω (douloō)
douloō
to enslave
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 8 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The verb douloō describes the act of reducing someone to slavery or bringing them into bondage. In the New Testament, it appears in only eight verses, often carrying a strong metaphorical weight rather than describing literal human ownership. It is used to depict spiritual states where individuals are held captive by sin or worldly forces, as seen when Peter warns about those who will be enslaved by corruption (2 Peter 2:19).
Paul employs this term to illustrate the believer’s new allegiance. Instead of remaining under the control of sin, Christians are described as being "enslaved to righteousness" in Romans 6:18 and 6:22. This usage highlights a transfer of loyalty; the word emphasizes total devotion and service to God, contrasting sharply with the previous state of bondage to destructive desires or ignorance.
The term derives from doulos, meaning slave, and retains that concrete imagery of servitude even in spiritual contexts. Translators typically render it as "enslave" or "make a slave," preserving the intensity of the relationship. This choice avoids softening the biblical call to complete surrender, reminding readers that true freedom involves becoming a servant of God rather than remaining a captive to the world.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word douloō carries the heavy weight of slavery, yet in Scripture it often points to a profound shift in loyalty rather than mere oppression. When Paul writes that we are "enslaved to righteousness" (Romans 6:18), he describes a transfer of masters. We move from being captives to sin toward a new allegiance where our service brings true freedom and fruitfulness.
This imagery challenges our modern desire for total autonomy. It reminds us that every heart serves something, whether it is destructive passion or God’s holy will. Choosing to be bound to God is not a loss of dignity but the path to genuine liberty, as seen when Peter warns against being mastered by corruption (2 Peter 2:19). Our service to Him is the only bond that sets us free.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 8 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- you have become slaves1×
- they will enslave1×
- held in bondage;1×
- he has been enslaved.1×
- having become slaves1×
- has bee under bondage1×
- enslaved,1×
- I became servant1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- ἐδούλωσα1×
- ἐδουλώθητε1×
- δουλώσουσιν1×
- δουλωθέντες1×
- δεδούλωται.1×
- δεδούλωται1×
- δεδουλωμένοι·1×
- δεδουλωμένας,1×
Key Verses
-
Romans 6:18
Being made free from sin, you became bondservants of righteousness.
Paul uses this term to define the believer's new identity as a bondservant of righteousness after being freed from sin.
-
Galatians 4:3
So we also, when we were children, were held in bondage under the elemental principles of the world.
Paul describes the pre-conversion state of being held in bondage under the elemental principles of the world.