Lexical Summary paidiské: Maidservant, slave girl, young woman Original Word: παιδίσκη Strong's Exhaustive Concordance bondmaid, damsel, maiden. Feminine diminutive of pais; a girl, i.e. (specially), a female slave or servant -- bondmaid(-woman), damsel, maid(-en). see GREEK pais NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origindim. of pais Definition a young girl, maidservant NASB Translation bondwoman (5), servant-girl (4), servant-girls (1), slave-girl (2), slaves* (1), women (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 3814: παιδίσκηπαιδίσκη, παιδίσκης, ἡ (feminine of παιδίσκος, a young boy or slave; a diminutive of παῖς, see νεανίσκος); 1. a young girl, damsel (Xenophon, Menander, Polybius, Plutarch, Lucian; the Sept. Ruth 4:12). 2. a maid-servant, a young female slave; cf. German Mädchen (our maid) for a young female-servant (Herodotus 1, 93; Lysias, Demosthenes, others): Luke 12:45; Acts 16:16; opposed to ἡ ἐλευθέρα, Galatians 4:22f, 30f; specifically, of the maid-servant who had charge of the door: Matthew 26:69; Mark 14:66, 69; Luke 22:56; Acts 12:13; ἡ παιδίσκη ἡ θυρωρός, John 18:17; (also in the Sept. of a female slave, often for אָמָה, שִׁפְחָה). Cf. Lob. ad Phryn., p. 239. (Synonym: see παῖς, at the end.) The term translated “servant girl,” “slave girl,” or “bondwoman” appears thirteen times in the Greek New Testament. It designates a female household slave who is under legal authority yet remains a moral agent whose words and actions the Holy Spirit uses to advance redemptive history. Social and Historical Setting In the first-century Greco-Roman world, a female household slave was the lowest rung in the social hierarchy—without legal standing, dependent on her master’s will, and often assigned menial or domestic tasks. Jewish law allowed such servants (Exodus 21:7–11), and Roman jurisprudence treated them as property. Into this setting the gospel shines, revealing that Christ “is all and in all” (Colossians 3:11) and that even the least in society can bear witness to divine truth. Servant Girls in the Teaching of Jesus (Luke 12:45) When Jesus warns about the unfaithful steward who “begins to beat the servants, both men and women, and to eat and drink and get drunk” (Luke 12:45), He pairs male and female slaves to show the master’s total disregard for those under his authority. The passage underscores that stewardship is measured by one’s treatment of all who are entrusted to his care, regardless of gender or status. Servant Girls and Peter’s Denials (Matthew 26:69; Mark 14:66-69; Luke 22:56; John 18:17) A succession of servant girls confronts Peter in the high priest’s courtyard. Their social insignificance heightens Peter’s failure: he crumbles not before officials but before household slaves. God thus exposes human weakness through unexpected voices. These girls, though marginalized, become instruments in the fulfillment of Jesus’ prophecy, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times” (Matthew 26:75). Rhoda and the Church’s Prayer (Acts 12:13) When Peter is miraculously released from prison, “a servant girl named Rhoda came to answer” the outer gate (Acts 12:13). Her joyful insistence that Peter is at the door contrasts with the church’s initial disbelief, illustrating that childlike faith can surpass seasoned believers’ expectations. The Spirit-Possessed Slave Girl at Philippi (Acts 16:16) Luke describes “a slave girl with a spirit of divination” who brings her owners great profit. Paul’s command, “I charge you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her” (Acts 16:18), liberates her from spiritual and economic bondage, sparking the conflict that leads to the planting of the Philippian church. The episode highlights the gospel’s power to free the oppressed and disrupt exploitative systems. The Allegory of the Bondwoman in Galatians 4 Paul invokes the term six times while contrasting Hagar and Sarah: Hagar represents Sinai, earthly Jerusalem, and bondage; Sarah embodies heavenly Jerusalem and freedom. The repeated word anchors Paul’s argument: life under law enslaves, whereas life in Christ liberates. The contrast also safeguards the unity of the church by rooting identity in promise rather than ethnicity or legal observance. Theological Themes 1. Divine Sovereignty over Social Hierarchies: God employs the least esteemed members of society to reveal truth, confront sin, and advance the gospel. Ministry Implications • Dignity of All Believers: Churches must model Christlike honor toward those whom society devalues, remembering that God often speaks through them. Conclusion The occurrences of this term weave a narrative in which God magnifies His grace through people the world overlooks. Whether exposing denial, announcing deliverance, or illustrating doctrinal truth, the “servant girl” stands as a recurring reminder that “the foolish things of the world shame the wise” and that freedom in Christ is the inheritance of all who believe. Englishman's Concordance Matthew 26:69 N-NFSGRK: αὐτῷ μία παιδίσκη λέγουσα Καὶ NAS: in the courtyard, and a servant-girl came KJV: and a damsel came unto him, INT: to him one servant girl saying Also Mark 14:66 N-GFP Mark 14:69 N-NFS Luke 12:45 N-AFP Luke 22:56 N-NFS John 18:17 N-NFS Acts 12:13 N-NFS Acts 16:16 N-AFS Galatians 4:22 N-GFS Galatians 4:23 N-GFS Galatians 4:30 N-AFS Galatians 4:30 N-GFS Galatians 4:31 N-GFS Strong's Greek 3814 |
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