Greek · G1321 · unreviewed

διδάσκω

To teach (in the same broad application)

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διδάσκω G1321

Pronunciation didáskō

What does διδάσκω (didáskō) mean in the Bible?

διδάσκω (didáskō) is a Greek word meaning "to teach (in the same broad application)". διδάσκω [in LXX chiefly for למד pl. Emphasizes ongoing doctrinal formation in the church. This term runs through the canonical themes of Revelation, Spirit, Wisdom.

Full entry for διδάσκω (G1321) · Browse the biblical lexicon

Meaning

to teach (in the same broad application)

Extended definition

Instructional transmission of content to persons; emphasizes active teaching role over passive reception.

to teach (i.e. instruct) a person, teach a thing;

1trans.: with accusative of person(s), Mat.5:2, Mrk.1:22, al.; before ὅτι, Mrk.8:31; περί, 1Jn.2:27; with inf., Luk.11:1; with accusative of thing(s), Mrk.6:30 12:14; with cogn. accusative, Mat.15:9 (LXX); with dupl. accusative, Mrk.4:2, Jhn.14:26; pass., Gal.1:12, 2Th.2:15; with dative of person(s) (like Heb., cf. Job.21:23, but prob. a vernac. usage, see Swete, in l.), Rev.2:14.

2Absol., to teach, give instruction: Mat.4:23, Mrk.1:21, and often in Gosp., Rom.12:7, 1Co.4:17, 1Ti.2:12, al.

Synonymsπαιδεύω (cf. Westc., Heb., 402; Cremer, 180).

Source: STEPBible TBESG + Abbott-Smith

Why This Word Matters

Emphasizes ongoing doctrinal formation in the church. 1 John 2:24-27

The Spirit’s teaching ministry confirms apostolic truth and equips believers to discern error. Acts 15:30-35

Grammatical Forms

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

Tenses

Present Imperfect Aorist Future

Voices

Active Passive

Participle verbal adjective — the action as a modifying quality 34×

Present Active Matt 4:23 · Matt 7:29 · Matt 9:35 · Matt 26:55 · Mark 1:22 · Mark 6:6 · Mark 12:35 · Mark 14:49 · Luke 4:31 · Luke 5:17 · Luke 13:10 · Luke 13:22 · Luke 19:47 · Luke 21:37 · Luke 23:5 · John 6:59 34×

Indicative states a fact or reality 39×

Imperfect Active Matt 5:2 · Matt 13:54 · Mark 1:21 · Mark 2:13 · Mark 4:2 · Mark 9:31 · Mark 10:1 · Mark 11:17 · Luke 4:15 · Luke 5:3 · John 7:14 · Acts 18:25 · Rev 2:14 · Acts 5:21 · Acts 15:1 15×

Present Active Matt 22:16 · Mark 12:14 · Luke 20:21 · John 9:34 · Acts 21:21 · Rom 2:21 · 1 Cor 11:14 · 1 John 2:27 · Rev 2:20 · 1 Cor 4:17 11×

Aorist Active Luke 11:1 · John 8:28 · 1 John 2:27 · Mark 6:30 · Luke 13:26 · John 18:20 6×

Aorist Passive Eph 4:21 · Col 2:7 · 2 Thess 2:15 · Matt 28:15 · Gal 1:12 5×

Future Active Luke 12:12 · John 14:26 2×

Infinitive verbal noun — the action in abstract 16×

Present Active Matt 11:1 · Mark 4:1 · Mark 6:2 · Mark 6:34 · Mark 8:31 · Luke 6:6 · John 7:35 · Acts 1:1 · Acts 4:2 · Acts 4:18 · Acts 5:28 · 1 Tim 2:12 · Heb 5:12 13×

Aorist Active Acts 11:26 · Acts 20:20 · 2 Tim 2:2 3×

Subjunctive possibility, probability, or purpose 4×

Aorist Active Matt 5:19 · Heb 8:11 3×

Present Active 1 John 2:27 1×

Imperative command or strong request 3×

Present Active 1 Tim 4:11 · 1 Tim 6:2 2×

Aorist Active Luke 11:1 1×

Discourse Aspect

How this verb appears across 80 occurrences in the NT discourse index (MACULA Greek SBLGNT).

Aspect

completed 11 ongoing 9 prospective 2 imperative 1 background 15 subjunctive 4 infinitive 13 participle 25

Tense

present 45 aorist 18 imperfect 15 future 2

Voice

active 75 passive 5

Mood

indicative 37 participle 25 infinitive 13 subjunctive 4 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

Revelation Spirit Wisdom

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

1 John 2:24-27 teach didáskō Indicative · Present Active

To instruct or impart understanding.

Acts 15:30-35 Teaching didáskō

Instructing or imparting doctrine.

Additional Occurrences

Luke 12:8–12 διδαξεί didáskō

Will teach

Luke 4:14–15 ἐδίδασκεν didáskō

He was teaching

Appears In

Compound and idiomatic lexemes in which this word is a constituent. Follow a link to study the phrase and its other participating words.

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.

Acts 18 — The Lord Strengthens the Mission in Corinth and Beyond Acts 28 — Paul in Rome: The Kingdom Proclaimed Without Hindrance Colossians 3 — Raised with Christ: Putting Off the Old Life and Putting On the New John 14 — The Way, the Truth, and the Life, the Father Revealed in the Son, and the Promise of the Spirit Luke 19 — The Son of Man Seeks the Lost, Receives the Kingly Kingdom, and Weeps over Jerusalem Mark 6 — Rejected Prophet, Sending Lord, Wilderness Shepherd, and Divine Son on the Sea Matthew 11 — The Messiah Question, the Rejected Generation, and Rest for the Weary Matthew 28 — The Resurrection of Jesus and the Great Commission of the Risen King Matthew 4 — The Tested Son, the Kingdom Proclaimed, and the First Disciples Called Matthew 9 — Authority to Forgive, Mercy for Sinners, and Compassion for the Harvest Romans 12 — Living Sacrifices, Renewed Minds, Humble Service, and Love Without Hypocrisy

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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