latreuo denotes rendering worshipful service, chiefly to God, though it can describe service wrongly given to created things.

The verb most often describes worshipful service directed to God: service offered without fear, in the tent or temple setting, and before God’s throne. A smaller set of verses shows the same kind of service misdirected toward the host of heaven or the creature rather than the Creator.

1. Worshipful service directed to God · dominant

   The present infinitive in Luke 1:74 states the purpose of rescue from enemies: that the speakers might serve him without fear. In Hebrews 9:14, cleansing from dead works has the stated result that people may serve the living God; Revelation 7:15 depicts those before God’s throne serving him day and night in his temple. In Matthew 4:10, the future form occurs in the command that the Lord God alone is to receive this service.

   Luke 1:74Hebrews 9:14Revelation 7:15Matthew 4:10Acts 7:7Hebrews 8:5
2. Worshipful service misdirected to created objects · rare

   Acts 7:42 uses the present infinitive where God hands the people over to worship the host of heaven. In Romans 1:25, the aorist form occurs after the exchange of God’s truth for a lie, with service directed to the creature rather than the Creator.

   Acts 7:42Romans 1:25

In the Anselm Project Bible: The APB variously uses “serve,” “worship,” and “minister” in these verses, including “serve the living God” in Hebrews 9:14 and service to “the creature rather than the Creator” in Romans 1:25. Because the APB is a whole-verse translation, these renderings indicate the clauses’ overall presentation rather than fixed English equivalents.