διαλέγομαι
To dispute
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Canonical witness: The witness passages show where this word is used in context. Click any to open the study page for that passage.
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What does διαλέγομαι (dialégomai) mean in the Bible?
διαλέγομαι (dialégomai) is a Greek word meaning "to dispute". δια-λέγομαι (mid. Shows gospel proclamation engages the mind through Scripture.
Full entry for διαλέγομαι (G1256) · Browse the biblical lexicon
Meaning
To converse, discuss, or reason together with someone through dialogue and debate.
(mid. of διαλέγω, to pick out, distinguish, as depon.), [in LXX: Exo.6:27, Isa.63:1 (דּבר pi.), Jdg.8:1 (ריב), 1Es.8:46, Est.5:2, Sir.14:20, 2Ma.11:20 * ;] to converse with, discourse (see Cl. Rev., i, 45), discuss, argue: Act.18:4 19:8,9 20:9; with dative of person(s), Act.17:17 18:19 20:7, Heb.12:5; before πρός, Mrk.9:34, Act.17:17 24:12; περί Act.24:25, Ju 9; ἀπὸ τ. γραφῶν, Act.17:2.
Why This Word Matters
Shows gospel proclamation engages the mind through Scripture. Acts 17:1-9
Shows gospel proclamation involves thoughtful engagement. Acts 17:16-21
Highlights Scripture-centered persuasion. Acts 18:1-4
Grammatical Forms
How mood, tense, and voice shift the force of this verb in context.
Indicative states a fact or reality 8×
Participle verbal adjective — the action as a modifying quality 5×
Discourse Aspect
How this verb appears across 12 occurrences in the NT discourse index (MACULA Greek SBLGNT).
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)
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
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.
A.T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament (1930–31) — public domain