Bible Encyclopedias
Office

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

of´is : In the Old Testament the word is often used in periphrastic renderings, e.g. "minister ... in the priest's office," literally, act as priest ( Exodus 28:1 , etc.); "do the office of a midwife," literally, cause or help to give birth (Exodus 1:16 ). But the word is also used as a rendering of different Hebrew words, e.g. כּן , kēn , "pedestal," "place" (Genesis 40:13 , the King James Version "place"; Genesis 41:13 ); עבדה , ‛ăbhōdhāh , "labor," "work" (1 Chronicles 6:32 ); פּקדּה , peḳuddāh , "oversight," "charge" (Psalm 109:8 ); מעמד , ma‛ămādh , literally, "standing," e.g. waiting at table (1 Chronicles 23:28 ); משׁמר , mishmār , "charge," observance or service of the temple (Nehemiah 13:14 the King James Version).

Similarly in the New Testament the word is used in periphrastic renderings, e.g. priest's office (Luke 1:8 , Luke 1:9 ); office of a deacon (διακονία , diakonı́a , 1 Timothy 3:10 ); office of a bishop (ἐπισκοπή , episkopḗ , 1 Timothy 3:1 ). the Revised Version (British and American) uses other renderings, e.g. "ministry" (Romans 11:13 ); "serve as deacons" (1 Timothy 3:10 ). In Acts 1:20 , the Revised Version (British and American) has "office" (margin "overseership") for the King James Version "bishoprick."