Greek · G1308 · unreviewed

διαφέρω

To spread/surpass

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διαφέρω G1308

Pronunciation diaphérō

What does διαφέρω (diaphérō) mean in the Bible?

διαφέρω (diaphérō) is a Greek word meaning "to spread/surpass". δια-φέρω [in LXX for שְׁנָא (שְׁנָא (Dan.

Full entry for διαφέρω (G1308) · Browse the biblical lexicon

Meaning

to spread/surpass

Extended definition

To surpass or excel; also to matter or make a difference in significance or value.

1trans.,

ato carry through: before διά, Mrk.11:16;

bto carry about, spread abroad: pass., Act.13:49 27:27.

2Intrans.,

ato differ: τὰ διαφέροντα, Rom.2:18, Php.1:10 (R, mg., but see infr.); impers., διαφέρει, it makes a difference, it matters: Gal.2:6;

bto excel: with genitive Mat.6:26 10:31 12:12, Luk.12:7, 24, 1Co.15:41, Gal.4:1; τὰ διαφέροντα, Rom.2:18, Php.1:10 (R, txt.; for discussion and reff. see ICC on Ro, Phi, ll. with).

Source: STEPBible TBESG + Abbott-Smith

Grammatical Forms

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

Tenses

Present Aorist Imperfect

Voices

Active Passive

Indicative states a fact or reality 9×

Present Active Matt 6:26 · Matt 10:31 · Luke 12:7 · Luke 12:24 · Matt 12:12 · 1 Cor 15:41 · Gal 2:6 · Gal 4:1 8×

Imperfect Passive Acts 13:49 1×

Participle verbal adjective — the action as a modifying quality 3×

Present Active Rom 2:18 · Phil 1:10 2×

Present Passive Acts 27:27 1×

Subjunctive possibility, probability, or purpose 1×

Aorist Active Mark 11:16 1×

Discourse Aspect

How this verb appears across 13 occurrences in the NT discourse index (MACULA Greek SBLGNT).

Aspect

ongoing 8 background 1 subjunctive 1 participle 3

Tense

present 11 imperfect 1 aorist 1

Voice

active 11 passive 2

Mood

indicative 9 participle 3 subjunctive 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)

Biblical Occurrences

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

Biblical Witnesses

Matthew 6:26 surpass diaphérō

birds of the air surpass in value or importance over human concerns

Matthew 10:31 differ diaphérō

humans differ from or excel beyond many sparrows in worth

Romans 2:18 excel diaphérō

discerning things that excel or matter in moral and spiritual understanding

Galatians 2:6 makes a difference diaphérō

impersonal usage expressing whether someone's status matters or signifies anything

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.

Mark 11 — The King Comes to Jerusalem: Fig Tree, Temple Judgment, Faith, Forgiveness, and Authority Matthew 10 — The Mission of the Twelve, Costly Witness, and Allegiance to Christ Matthew 6 — Hidden Righteousness, the Father’s Reward, and Seeking First the Kingdom

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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