Greek · G1252 · unreviewed

διακρίνω

To judge/doubt

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διακρίνω G1252

Pronunciation diakrínō

What does διακρίνω (diakrínō) mean in the Bible?

διακρίνω (diakrínō) is a Greek word meaning "to judge/doubt". δια-κρίνω [in LXX for שׁפט, דִּין, etc. Describes internal division that undermines confident trust in God. This term runs through the canonical themes of Faith, Spirit.

Full entry for διακρίνω (G1252) · Browse the biblical lexicon

Meaning

to judge/doubt

Extended definition

To distinguish or discern; in NT also to doubt or hesitate inwardly through divided judgment.

1to separate, hence, to distinguish, discriminate, discern: μηδὲν δ., Act.11:12; οὐδὲν δ. μεταξύ, Act.15:9; σε, 1Co.4:7; τὸ σῶμα, 1Co.11:29.

2to settle, decide, judge, arbitrate: Mat.16:3, 1Co.6:5 11:29 (ICC, in l.), ib. 31 14:29. Mid, and pass.;

1to get a decision, contend, dispute: before πρός, Act.11:2; with dative (but see ICC, in l.), Ju 9; absol., Ju 22 (R,mg.).

2Hellenistic (NT and Eccl., but not LXX), to be divided in one's mind, to hesitate, doubt: Mat.21:21 Rom.14:23, Jas.1:6; ἐν ἐαυτῷ, Jas.2:4; ἐν τ. καρδίᾳ, Mrk.11:23; μηδὲν δ., Act.10:20; δ. τ. ἀπιστίᾳ, Rom.4:20, Ju 22 (R, txt.).

Source: STEPBible TBESG + Abbott-Smith

Why This Word Matters

Describes internal division that undermines confident trust in God. Acts 10:1-23

The Spirit commands Peter to act without distinction or prejudice. James 1:5–8

Grammatical Forms

How mood, tense, and voice shift the force of this verb in context.

Tenses

Present Aorist Imperfect

Voices

Middle Active Passive

Participle verbal adjective — the action as a modifying quality 8×

Present Middle Acts 10:20 · Rom 14:23 · Jas 1:6 · Jude 1:9 · Jude 1:22 6×

Aorist Active Acts 11:12 1×

Present Active 1 Cor 11:29 1×

Infinitive verbal noun — the action in abstract 2×

Present Active Matt 16:3 1×

Aorist Active 1 Cor 6:5 1×

Subjunctive possibility, probability, or purpose 2×

Aorist Passive Matt 21:21 · Mark 11:23 2×

Indicative states a fact or reality 6×

Aorist Passive Rom 4:20 · Jas 2:4 2×

Imperfect Middle Acts 11:2 1×

Aorist Active Acts 15:9 1×

Present Active 1 Cor 4:7 1×

Imperfect Active 1 Cor 11:31 1×

Imperative command or strong request 1×

Present Active 1 Cor 14:29 1×

Discourse Aspect

How this verb appears across 19 occurrences in the NT discourse index (MACULA Greek SBLGNT).

Aspect

completed 3 ongoing 1 imperative 1 background 2 subjunctive 2 infinitive 2 participle 8

Tense

present 10 aorist 7 imperfect 2

Voice

active 8 middle 7 passive 4

Mood

participle 8 indicative 6 infinitive 2 subjunctive 2 imperative 1

NT Occurrences

Aspect reflects grammatical form — not authorial emphasis. Participles and infinitives are verbal adjectives and nouns respectively.

Clause data: MACULA Greek (Clear Bible, CC BY 4.0) · SBLGNT (Logos/SBL, CC BY 4.0)

Canonical Themes

Faith Spirit

Biblical Occurrences

Each occurrence shows the passage reference, the original language term as it appears in that context, its transliteration, and the contextual sense.

New Testament Witnesses

Acts 10:1-23 Without Hesitation diakrínō Participle · Present Middle

To doubt or discriminate.

James 1:5–8 διακρινόμενος diakrínō Participle · Present Middle

wavering, divided

Additional Occurrences

James 1:5–8 διακρινόμενος diakrínō

doubting, wavering, being divided

Mark 11:20–25 διακρίνω diakrínō

to doubt, hesitate, waver

Word Pictures (Robertson)

A.T. Robertson's Word Pictures in the New Testament (1930–31) discusses this term in the following chapters. Open any chapter and go to the Word Pictures tab to read his verse-by-verse commentary.

1 Corinthians 11 — Honor, Worship Order, and the Lord’s Supper Under the Lordship of Christ 1 Corinthians 14 — Pursue Love, Desire Gifts, and Let All Things Be Done for Edification and Order Acts 10 — God Opens the Gospel Door to the Gentiles Acts 11 — Jerusalem Recognizes God’s Grace to the Gentiles Acts 15 — The Gospel of Grace Clarified and the Gentiles Received Mark 11 — The King Comes to Jerusalem: Fig Tree, Temple Judgment, Faith, Forgiveness, and Authority Matthew 16 — The Confession of the Christ, the Church Christ Builds, and the Cross-Shaped Way of Discipleship Matthew 21 — The King Enters Jerusalem, Judges Fruitless Religion, and Exposes Rejected-Son Leadership Romans 14 — Receiving One Another, Honoring the Lord, and Pursuing Peace in Matters of Conscience

A.T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament (1930–31) — public domain

Sources

MorphGNT Strong's Dictionary XML — CC0 1.0 Public Domain

Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (morphhb/OSHB) — CC BY 4.0

Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon — CC BY 4.0

STEPBible Data — CC BY 4.0

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