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διακρίνω

diakrínō

G1252 verb

SILEX Entry

Definition

To distinguish or differentiate by making a judgment, evaluate, consider carefully so as to reach a decision or draw a distinction; in passive or middle forms, to be uncertain or to doubt, to hesitate or waver in judgment. Contextually, it may mean: to separate one thing from another (literally or mentally), to discern between options or persons, to make a legal or ethical judgment, or (involuntarily) to be uncertain or divided in mind.

Semantic Range

to separate or distinguish, to discern, to judge, to decide, to evaluate, to make a distinction, to hesitate, to doubt, to waver, to oppose, to contend

Root / Etymology

From διά ('through, thoroughly') + κρίνω ('to judge, decide, separate'), forming a compound with the sense of 'to judge through,' that is, to distinguish or discern by thorough examination or separation.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In classical Greek, διακρίνω commonly meant 'to separate,' 'to distinguish,' or 'to decide.' In Hellenistic and Koine Greek, including the Septuagint and New Testament, it retained these meanings but is frequently extended to mental acts: discerning, judging, or evaluating. When middle or passive, especially from the first century BCE onward, it often means 'to doubt' or 'to hesitate,' indicating inner uncertainty or wavering. Legal and ethical connotations are present where one is to 'render a verdict' or 'make a distinction' between right and wrong or between people. In the New Testament, the word can denote both making a right discernment (e.g., 1 Corinthians 11:29: discerning the body) and, in the middle/passive, being divided or uncertain, often translated as 'doubt' (e.g., James 1:6). The semantic overlap between active discrimination and internal doubt reflects the underlying idea of separatedness, either between options or within the person. English translations often collapse the nuance between 'discern' and 'doubt,' depending on context.

Translation Consistency

primary "distinguish" 6 occurrences

διακρίνω primarily means to separate or discern—make a distinction or evaluate/decide between things or people. 'Distinguish' is a natural, neutral English verb that fits the dominant sense (separate/discern/judge) better than more loaded options like 'judge' or the narrower 'doubt.' Passive/middle senses (be uncertain, hesitate) can be rendered using inflected or periphrastic forms while keeping the same base verb for consistency.

Alternatives (13 occurrences):
"doubting" (3x) "doubt" (2x) "wavering in judgment" (2x) "contending" (1x) "doubted" (1x) "judge" (1x) "judged" (1x) "made distinctions" (1x) "those who are doubting" (1x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from διά and κρίνω; to separate thoroughly, i.e. (literally and reflexively) to withdraw from, or (by implication) oppose; figuratively, to discriminate (by implication, decide), or (reflexively) hesitate:--contend, make (to) differ(-ence), discern, doubt, judge, be partial, stagger, waver.

Root Family

διακρίν- (diakrínō) — to distinguish, to judge, to separate, to discern, to doubt

Root διακρίν- to distinguish, to judge, to separate, to discern, to doubt
Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
G1253 διάκρισις critical distinctions

Word Forms

15 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
G1252-06 διακρινόμενος diakrinomenos V PRS MID PTCP NOM M SG disputing one wavering in judgment doubting 5
G1252-01 διακρῖναι diakrinai V AOR ACT INF to judge to distinguish to judge 1
G1252-02 διακρίναντα diakrinanta V AOR ACT PTCP ACC M SG doubting having distinguished doubting 1
G1252-03 διακρίνει diakrinei V PRS ACT IND 3P SG makes-distinct distinguishes distinguishes 1
G1252-04 διακρίνειν diakrinein V PRS ACT INF to discern to distinguish to distinguish 1
G1252-05 διακρινέτωσαν diakrinetosan V PRS ACT IMP 3P PL judge let them distinguish let them distinguish 1
G1252-07 διακρινομένους diakrinomenous V PRS MID PTCP ACC M PL who are doubting those who are wavering those who are doubting 1
G1252-08 διακρίνων diakrinon V PRS ACT PTCP NOM M SG discerning distinguishing distinguishing 1
G1252-09 διακριθῇ diakrithe V AOR PASS SUBJ 3P SG doubts may be divided in judgment may doubt 1
G1252-10 διακριθῆτε diakrithete V AOR PASS SUBJ 2P PL doubt you all might be divided in judgment doubt 1

Occurrences in Scripture

19 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
G1252-04 Matthew 16:3 διακρίνειν diakrinein V PRS ACT INF to discern to distinguish to distinguish
G1252-10 Matthew 21:21 διακριθῆτε diakrithete V AOR PASS SUBJ 2P PL doubt you all might be divided in judgment doubt
G1252-09 Mark 11:23 διακριθῇ diakrithe V AOR PASS SUBJ 3P SG doubts may be divided in judgment may doubt
G1252-06 Acts 10:20 διακρινόμενος diakrinomenos V PRS MID PTCP NOM M SG doubting one wavering in judgment doubting
G1252-13 Acts 11:2 διεκρίνοντο diekrinonto V IMPF MID IND 3P PL contended they were wavering they were contending
G1252-02 Acts 11:12 διακρίναντα diakrinanta V AOR ACT PTCP ACC M SG doubting having distinguished doubting
G1252-11 Acts 15:9 διέκρινεν diekrinen V AOR ACT IND 3P SG distinguished he/she distinguished he distinguished
G1252-14 Romans 4:20 διεκρίθη diekrithe V AOR PASS IND 3P SG waver was distinguished doubted
G1252-06 Romans 14:23 διακρινόμενος diakrinomenos V PRS MID PTCP NOM M SG who doubts one wavering in judgment one doubting
G1252-03 1 Corinthians 4:7 διακρίνει diakrinei V PRS ACT IND 3P SG makes-distinct distinguishes distinguishes
G1252-01 1 Corinthians 6:5 διακρῖναι diakrinai V AOR ACT INF to judge to distinguish to judge
G1252-08 1 Corinthians 11:29 διακρίνων diakrinon V PRS ACT PTCP NOM M SG discerning distinguishing distinguishing
G1252-12 1 Corinthians 11:31 διεκρίνομεν diekrinomen V IMPF ACT IND 1P PL we judged we were distinguishing we judged
G1252-05 1 Corinthians 14:29 διακρινέτωσαν diakrinetosan V PRS ACT IMP 3P PL judge let them distinguish let them distinguish
G1252-06 James 1:6 διακρινόμενος diakrinomenos V PRS MID PTCP NOM M SG wavering one wavering in judgment wavering in judgment
G1252-06 James 1:6 διακρινόμενος diakrinomenos-2 V PRS MID PTCP NOM M SG one who wavers one wavering in judgment one wavering in judgment
G1252-15 James 2:4 διεκρίθητε diekrithete V AOR PASS IND 2P PL made distinctions you were divided you made distinctions
G1252-06 Jude 1:9 διακρινόμενος diakrinomenos V PRS MID PTCP NOM M SG disputing one wavering in judgment one distinguishing himself in judgment
G1252-07 Jude 1:22 διακρινομένους diakrinomenous V PRS MID PTCP ACC M PL who are doubting those who are wavering those who are doubting
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