STRONGS NUMBER G1252

Original Word: διακρίνω
Transliteration: diakrinō
Phonetic Spelling: (dee-ak-ree'-no)
Part of Speech: Verb
Short Definition: to distinguish, to judge
Meaning: to distinguish, to judgecontend, discern, doubt, judge, be partial.

From dia and krino; 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.

see GREEK dia

see GREEK krino

STRONGS NT 1252: διακρίνω

διακρίνω; imperfect διεκρινον; 1 aorist διεκρινα; middle (present διακρίνομαι); imperfect διεκρινομην; 1 aorist διεκρίθην (in secular authors in a passive sense, to be separated; cf. Winers Grammar, § 39, 2; (Buttmann, 52 (45))); in Greek writings from Homer down; in the Sept. chiefly for שָׁפַט, also for הֵדִין etc.

1. "to separate, make a distinction, discriminate (cf. διά, C. 4): οὐδέν διέκρινε μεταξύ ἡμῶν τέ καί αὐτῶν, Acts 15:9; μηδέν διακρίναντα, making no difference, namely, between Jews and Gentiles, Acts 11:12 L T Tr WH; like the Latindistinguo, used emphatically: to distinguish or separate a person or thing from the rest, in effect equivalent to to prefer, yield to him the preference or honor: τινα, 1 Corinthians 4:7 (cf. Winer's Grammar, 452 (421)); τό σῶμα (τοῦ κυρίου), 1 Corinthians 11:29.

2. to learn by discrimination, to try, decide: Matthew 16:3 (T brackets WH reject the passage); 1 Corinthians 14:29; ἑαυτόν, 1 Corinthians 11:31; to determine, give judgment, decide a dispute: 1 Corinthians 6:5. Passive and middle to be parted, to separate oneself from;

1. to withdraw from one, desert him (Thucydides 1, 105; 3, 9); of heretics withdrawing from the society of true Christians (Sozom. 7, 2 (p. 705, Vales. edition) ἐκ τούτου οἱ μέν διακριθεντες ἰδίᾳ ἐκκλησιαζον): Jude 1:22 according to the (preferable) reading of L T Tr text ἐλέγχετε διακρινομένους, those who separate themselves from you, i. e. who apostatize; instead of the Rec. ἐληιτε διακρινομένοι, which is to be rendered, making for yourselves a selection; cf. Huther at the passage; (others though adopting the reading preferred above, refer διακρίνω to the following head and translate it while they dispute with you; but WH (see their Appendix) Tr marginal reading follow manuscripts א B and a few other authorities in reading ἐλεᾶτε διακρινομένους, according to which διακρίνω is probably to be referred to signification 3: R. V. text on some have mercy, who are in doubt).

2. to separate oneself in a hostile spirit, to oppose, strive with, dispute, contend: with the dative of person Jude 1:9 (Polybius 2, 22,11 (cf. Winers Grammar, § 31, 1 g.; Buttmann, 177 (154)); πρός τινα, Acts 11:2 (Herodotus 9, 58).

3. in a sense not found in secular authors, to be at variance with oneself, hesitate, doubt: Matthew 21:21; Romans 14:23; James 1:6; ἐν τῇ καρδία αὐτοῦ, Mark 11:23; ἐν ἑαυτῷ (i. e., ἑαυτοῖς), James 2:4 (others refer this to 1: do ye not make distinctions among yourselves); μηδέν διακρινόμενος, nothing doubting, i. e. wholly free from doubt, James 1:6; without any hesitation as to whether it be lawful or not, Acts 10:20 and according to R G in ; οὐ διεκρίθη τῇ ἀπιστία, he did not hesitate through lack of faith, Romans 4:20.