διώκω

διώκω — diṓkō

διώκω; imperfect ἐδίωκον; future διώξω (Mat 23:34; Luk 21:12; Joh 15:20; 2Sa 22:38; Wis 19:2; a rarer form for the more common Attic διώξομαι, cf. Alexander Buttmann (1873) Ausf. Spr: 2:154; Winers Grammar, 84 (80); (Buttmann, 53 (46); especially Veitch, under the word; Rutherford, New Phryn., p. 377)); 1 aorist ἐδίωξα; passive (present διώκομαι); perfect participle δεδιωγμενος; 1 future διωχθήσομαι; (from δίω, to flee); the Sept. commonly for רָדַף;

1. to make to run or flee, put to flight, drive away: (τινα) ἀπό πόλεως εἰς πόλιν, Mat 23:34; cf. Mat 10:23 Griesbach

2. to run swiftly in order to catch some person or thing, to run after; absolutely (Homer, Iliad 23, 344; Sophocles El. 738, etc.; διώκειν δρόμῳ, Xenophon, an. 6, 5, 25; cf. 7, 2, 20), to press on: figuratively, of one who in a race runs swiftly to reach the goal, Php 3:12 (where distinguished from καταλαμβάνειν (cf. Herodotus 9, 58; Lucian, Hermot. 77)), Php 3:14. to pursue (in a hostile manner): τινα, Act 26:11; Rev 12:13.

3. Hence, in any way whatever to harass, trouble, molest one; to persecute, (cf. Latinpersequor, German verfolgen): Mat 5:10-12; Mat 5:44; Mat 10:23; Luk 21:12; ( WH Tr marginal reading); Joh 5:16; Joh 15:20; Act 7:52; Act 9:4; Act 22:4; Act 22:7; Act 26:14; Rom 12:14; 1Co 4:12; 1Co 15:9; 2Co 4:9; Gal 1:13; Gal 1:23; Gal 4:29; Gal 5:11; Php 3:6; 2Ti 3:12; passive with a dative denoting the cause, to be maltreated, suffer persecution on account of something, Gal 6:12 (here L marginal reading T read διωκονται (others, διώκωνται), see WHs Appendix, p. 169; on the dative see Winers Grammar, § 31, 6 c.; Buttmann, 186 (161)).

4. without the idea of hostility, to run after, follow after: someone, Luk 17:23.

5. metaphorically, with the accusative of thing, to pursue i. e. to seek after eagerly, earnestly endeavor to acquire: Rom 9:30 (distinguished here from καταλαμβάνειν); 1Ti 6:11; 2Ti 2:22 (in both passages opposed to φεύγειν); νόμον δικαιοσύνης, Rom 9:31 (Pro 15:9; τό δίκαιον, Deu 16:20; Sir 27:8, where distinguished from καταλαμβάνειν); τήν φιλοξενίαν, Rom 12:13; τά τῆς εἰρήνης, Rom 14:19 (here L marginal reading Tr marginal reading WH marginal reading T read διώκομεν (for the διώκωμεν of others), see (WH's Appendix, p. 169); τήν ἀγάπην, 1Co 14:1; τό ἀγαθόν, 1Th 5:15; εἰρήνην, Heb 12:14; 1Pe 3:11 (here joined with ζητεῖν τί); times without number in Greek writings (from Homer, Iliad 17, 75 διώκειν ἀκιχητα on; as τιμάς, ἀρετήν, τά καλά (cf. Winer's Grammar, 30.)). (Compare: ἐκδιώκω, καταδιώκω.)