Steward, Stewardship - Vine's Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words

Steward, Stewardship

[ A-1,Noun,G3623, oikonomos ]
primarily denoted the manager of a household or estate" (oikos, "a house," nemo, "to arrange"), "a steward" (such were usually slaves or freedmen), Luke 12:42; Luke 16:1, Luke 16:3, Luke 16:8; 1 Corinthians 4:2; Galatians 4:2, RV (AV, "governors"); in Romans 16:23, the "treasurer" (RV) of a city (See CHAMBERLAIN, Note); it is used metaphorically, in the wider sense, of a "steward" in general,
(a) of preachers of the Gospel and teachers of the Word of God, 1 Corinthians 4:1;
(b) of elders or bishops in churches, Titus 1:7;
(c) of believers generally, 1 Peter 4:10.

[ A-2,Noun,G2012, epitropos ]
is rendered "steward" in Matthew 20:8; Luke 8:3, See GUARDIAN.

[ A-3,Noun,G3622, oikonomia ]
is rendered "stewardship" in Luke 16:2-Luke 16:4, and in the RV in 1 Corinthians 9:17, See DISPENSATION.

[ B-1,Verb,G3621, oikonomeo ]
akin to A, Nos. 1 and 3, signifies "to be a house steward," Luke 16:2. In the Sept., Psalms 112:5.

Vine's Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words