διά ("written δἰ before a vowel, except in proper names and 2Co 5:7; Rom 8:10" Tdf. Proleg., p. 94), akin to δίς and Latindis in composition, properly, denoting a division into two or more parts; a preposition taking the genitive and the accusative. In its use the biblical writers differ in no respect from the Greek; cf. Winer’s Grammar, 377ff (353ff); 398 (372)f

A. with the genitive: through;

I. of place;

1. properly, after verbs denoting an extension, or a motion, or an act, that occurs through any place: δἰ ἄλλης ὁδοῦ ἀναχωρεῖν, Mat 2:12; δἰ ἀνύδρων τόπων, Mat 12:43; διά τῆς Σαμαρείας, Joh 4:4; διά τῆς θύρας, Joh 10:1 f; add, Mat 19:24; Mar 2:23; Mar 10:25; Mar 11:16; Luk 4:30; Luk 5:19; Luk 18:25; 2Co 11:33; Heb 9:11; Heb 11:29, etc.; δἰ ὑμῶν, through your city, Rom 15:28; (on διά πάντων, Act 9:32, see πᾶς, II. 1); ὁ διά πάντων, diffusing his saving influence through all, Eph 4:6; σῴζεσθαι διά πυρός, 1Co 3:15; διασῴζεσθαι δἰ ὕδατος, 1Pe 3:20 (Ev. Nicod. c. 9, p. 568f, Thilo edition (p. 228, Tdf. edition) διά θαλάσσης ὡς διά ξηρᾶς); βλέλπειν δἰ ἐσόπτρου, 1Co 13:12 (cf. Winer’s Grammar, 380 (356)). Add the adverbial phrase δἰ ὅλου from top to bottom, throughout, Joh 19:23 (metaphorically, in every way, 1Ma 6:18). From this use of the preposition has come

2. its tropical use of state or condition in which (properly, passing through which as through a space) one does or suffers something, where we, with a different conception, employ with, in, etc. (German bei, unter, mit): ὁ διά γράμματος καί περιτομῆς παραβάτης νόμου, Rom 2:27 (Winers Grammar, 380 (355)); οἱ πιστεύοντες :2di) ἀκροβυστίας who believe, though uncircumcised (see ἀκροβυστία, a.), Rom 4:11; διά προσκόμματος ἐσθίειν, with offence, or so as to be an offence (cf. Winers Grammar, 380 (356), and see πρόσκομμα), Rom 14:20; διά πίστεως περιπατεῖν, οὐ διά εἴδους (see εἶδος, 1), 2Co 5:7; τά διά (Lachmann marginal reading (cf. Tr marginal reading) τά ἰδίᾳ (see Meyer at the passage)) τοῦ σώματος;, done in the body (i. e. while we were clothed with our earthly body (others take διά here instrumentally; see III. 2 below)), 2Co 5:10; διά πολλῶν δακρύων, 2Co 2:4; διά δόξης, clothed with glory, 2Co 3:11; ἔρχεσθαι, ἐισέρχεσθαι διά τίνος with a thing, Heb 9:12; 1Jn 5:6 (but cf. Winer’s Grammar, 380 (355)); δἰ ὑπομονῆς, Rom 8:25 (διά πένθους τό γῆρας διάγειν, Xenophon, Cyril 4, 6, 6; cf. Mattiae ii., p. 1353).

II. of Time (cf. Winer’s Grammar, 380 (356); Ellicott or Meyer on Gal 2:1; Fritzsche as below);

1. of continued time; hence,

a. of the time throughout (during) which anything is done: Mat 26:61; Mar 14:58; δἰ ὅλης (τῆς R G) νυκτός, Luk 5:5; διά παντός τοῦ ζῆν, Heb 2:15; διά παντός (so L WH Tr (except Mar 5:5; Luk 24:53)), or written together διαπαντός (so G T (except in Matt.); cf. Winers Grammar, 46 (45); Lipsius, Gram. Unters., p. 125), continually, always: Mat 18:10; Mar 5:5; Luk 24:53; Act 2:25 (from Psalm 15:8 ()); ; Rom 11:10 (from Psa 68:24 ()); 2Th 3:16; Heb 9:6; Heb 13:15 (often in Greek writings).

b. of the time within which a thing is done: διά τῆς νυκτός (L T Tr WH διά νυκτός), by night, Act 5:19; Act 16:9; Act 17:10; Act 23:31, (Palaeph. 1, 10); δἰ ἡμερῶν τεσσαράκοντα, repeatedly within the space of forty days, Act 1:3; — (denying this use of the preposition, C. F. A. Fritzsche in Fritzschiorum Opuscc., p. 164f would refer these instances to the use noted under a. (see Winer’s, Ellicott, Meyer as above)).

2. of time elapsed, and which has, so to say, been passed through: Gal 2:1 (cf. Winer’s Grammar, 380 (356)); δἰ ἡμερῶν (some) days having intervened, after (some) days, Mar 2:1; δἰ ἐτῶν πλειόνων, Act 24:17; examples from Greek authors in Fritzsche on Mark, p. 50; (Winers Grammar, 380 (356); Liddell and Scott, under the word, A. II. 2; Sophocles’ Lexicon, under the word, 2; Field, Otium Norv. iii, p. 14).

III. of the Means or Instrument by which anything is effected; because what is done by means of person or thing seems to pass as it were through the same (cf. Winer’s Grammar, 378 (354)).

1. of one who is the author of the action as well as its instrument, or of the efficient cause: δἰ αὐτοῦ (i. e. τοῦ Θεοῦ) τά πάντα namely, ἐστιν or ἐγένετο, Rom 11:36; also δἰ οὗ, Heb 2:10; δἰ οὗ ἐκλήθητε, 1Co 1:9; add (Gal 4:7 L T Tr WH, see below); Heb 7:21 (ἡ ἰατρικη πᾶσα διά τοῦ Θεοῦ τούτου, i. e. Aesculapius, κυβερναται, Plato, symp., p. 186 e.; cf. Fritzsche on Romans, vol. i., p. 15 (and for examples Sophocles Lexicon, under the word, 1)); of him to whom that is due which anyone has or has done; hence equivalent to by the fault of anyone: δἰ οὗ τό σκάνδαλον ἔρχεται, Mat 18:7; δἰ ἑνός ἀνθρώπου ἡ ἁμαρτία ... εἰσῆλθε, Rom 5:12, cf. Rom 5:16-19; ἠσθένει διά τῆς σαρκός, Rom 8:3; by the merit, aid, favor of anyone: ἐν ζωή βασιλεύσουσι διά, etc. Rom 5:17, cf. Rom 5:18; 1Co 15:21; διά τοῦ Χριστοῦ, and the like: Rom 5:1 f Rom 5:11; Act 10:43; Gal 4:7 (Rec., but see above); δοκάζειν τόν Θεόν διά Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, 1Pe 4:11, and εὐχαριστεῖν τῷ Θεῷ διά Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, Rom 1:8; Rom 7:25 (where L T Tr WH text χάρις τῷ Θεῷ); Col 3:17 — because the possibility both of glorifying God and of giving thanks to him is due to the kindness of Christ: καυχᾶσθαι ἐν τῷ Θεῷ διά Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, Rom 5:11; ἀναπαύεσθαι διά τίνος, Phm 1:7; οἱ πεπιστευκότες διά τῆς χαριστος, Act 18:27; πολλῆς εἰρήνης τυγχάνοντες διά σου ... διά τῆς σής προνοίας, Act 24:2 (3); ὑπερνικαν διά τοῦ ἀγαπήσαντος ἡμᾶς, Rom 8:37; περισσεύειν διά τίνος, by the increase which comes from one, Php 1:26; 2Co 1:5; 2Co 9:12; διά τῆς ὑμῶν δεήσεως, Php 1:19; add, Phm 1:22 Rom 1:12; 2Co 1:4; Gal 4:23; 1Pe 1:5.

2. of the instrument used to accomplish a thing, or of the instrumental cause in the stricter sense: — with the genitive of person by the service, the intervention of, anyone; with the genitive of thing, "by means of with the help of, anything;

a. in passages where a subject expressly mentioned is said to do or to have done a thing by some person or by some thing: Mar 16:20 (τοῦ κυρίου τόν λόγον βεβαιοῦντος διά τῶν σημείων); Luk 1:70; Act 1:16; Act 2:22 (τέρασι καί σημείοις, οἷς ἐποίησε δἰ αὐτοῦ ὁ Θεός); Act 8:20; Act 10:36; Act 15:28 (γράψαντες διά χειρός αὐτῶν); Act 20:28; Act 21:19; Act 28:25; Rom 2:16; Rom 3:31; Rom 7:13; ( Rec.bez elz L edition min. T WH text); Rom 15:18; Rom 16:18; 1Co 1:21 (cf. Winer’s Grammar, 381 (357)); 1Co 2:10; 1Co 4:15; 1Co 6:14; 1Co 14:9; 1Co 14:19 (R G); ; 2Co 1:4; 2Co 4:14 R G; (cf. Winer’s Grammar, 381 (357)); ; Eph 1:5; Eph 2:16; Col 1:20; Col 1:22; Col 2:8; 1Th 4:14; 2Th 2:14; Tit 3:5; Heb 1:2-3 (R G); ; Rev 1:1; γῆ ἐξ ὕδατος (material cause) καί δἰ ὕδατος συνεστῶσα τῷ τοῦ Θεοῦ λόγῳ, 2Pe 3:5 (Winers Grammar, 419 (390) cf. 217 (204)).

b. in passages in which the author or principal cause is not mentioned, but is easily understood from the nature of the case, or from the context: Rom 1:12; 1Co 11:12 (cf. Winer’s Grammar, 381 (357)); Php 1:20; 1Th 3:7; 2Th 2:2; 2Th 2:15; Heb 11:39 (cf. Winer’s Grammar, as above, also § 50, 3); ; 1Pe 1:7; διά πολλῶν μαρτύρων, by the mediation (intervention) of many witnesses, they being summoned for that purpose (cf. Winers Grammar, 378 (354); A. V. among), 2Ti 2:2. Where it is evident from the religious conceptions of the Bible that God is the author or first cause: Joh 11:4; Act 5:12; Eph 3:10; Eph 4:16; Col 2:19; 2Ti 1:6; Heb 10:10; 2Pe 3:6; σῴζεσθαι διά πίστεως, Eph 2:8; συνεγείρεσθαι διά τῆς πίστεως, Col 2:12; δικαιοῦσθαι διά τῆς πίστεως, Gal 2:16, cf. Rom 3:30; in the phrases διά τοῦ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, and the like: Joh 1:17; Joh 3:17; Act 13:38; Rom 1:5; Rom 5:9; 1Co 15:57; 1Jn 4:9; Php 1:11; διά τοῦ εὐαγγελίου, 1Co 15:2; Eph 3:6; διά λόγου Θεοῦ, 1Pe 1:23, cf. 1Pe 1:3; διά νόμου, Rom 3:27; Rom 4:13; δἰ ἀποκαλύψεως Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, Gal 1:12, cf. Gal 1:15 f; διά τοῦ (ἁγίου) πνεύματος, Rom 5:5; 1Co 7:8; Eph 3:16; πιστεύειν διά τίνος (see πιστεύω, 1 b. γ), Joh 1:7; 1Co 3:5; σημεῖον γέγονε δἰ αὐτῶν, Act 4:16; ὁ λόγος δἰ ἀγγέλων λαληθείς, Heb 2:2, cf. Gal 3:19; ὁ νόμος διά Μωϋσέως ἐδόθη, Joh 1:17; in passages in which something is said to have been spoken through the O. T. prophets, or some one of them (cf. Lightfoot Fresh Revision etc., p. 121f): Mat 2:5; Mat 2:17 L T Tr WH, Mat 2:23; (Mat 3:3 L T Tr WH); Mat 4:14; Mat 8:17; Mat 12:17; Mat 21:4; Mat 24:15; Mat 27:9; Act 2:16; or to have been so written: Luk 18:31; with the added mention of the first cause: ὑπό τοῦ κυρίου διά τοῦ προφήτου, Mat 1:22; Mat 2:15, cf. Luk 1:70; Act 1:16; Act 28:25; Rom 1:2; in passages relating to the Logos: πάντα δἰ αὐτοῦ (i. e., through the Divine Logos (cf. Winer’s Grammar, 379 (355))) ἐγένετο or ἐκτίσθη: Joh 1:3; 1Co 8:6 (where he is expressly distinguished from the first cause: ἐξ αὐτοῦ (Winer’s Grammar, 419 (391))); Col 1:16 (Winer’s Grammar, the passage cited), cf. Heb 1:2 (Philo de cherub. § 35). The instrumental cause and the principal are distinguished in 1Co 11:12 (διά τῆς γυναικός ... ἐκ τοῦ Θεοῦ); Gal 1:1 (ἀπ’ ἀνθρώπων ... δἰ ἀνθρώπου (cf. Winer’s Grammar, 418 (390))).

3. with the genitive of a thing διά is used to denote the manner in which a thing is done, or the formal cause: εἶπε διά παραβολῆς, Luk 8:4; εἶπε δἰ ὁρματος, Act 18:9; ἀπαγγέλλειν διά λόγου, by word of mouth, Act 15:27; τῷ λόγῳ δἰ ἐπιστολῶν, 2Co 10:11, cf. 2Th 2:15; πίστις ἐνεργουμένη δἰ ἀγάπης, Gal 5:6; κεχάρισται δἰ ἐπαγγελίας, Gal 3:18; δουλεύειν διά τῆς ἀγάπης, Gal 5:13; ἐπιστέλλειν διά βραχέων, Heb 13:22; γράφειν δἰ ὀλίγων, 1Pe 5:12 (Plato, Gorgias, p. 449 b. διά μακρῶν λόγους ποιεῖσθαι (see ὀλίγος, at the end; cf. Winer’s Grammar, § 51, 1 b.)); διά χάρτου καί μέλανος, 2Jn 1:12; διά μέλανος καί καλάμου, 3Jn 1:13 (Plutarch, Sol. 17, 3). To this head I should refer also the use of διά τίνος in exhortations etc. where one seeks to strengthen his exhortation by the mention of a thing or a person held sacred by those whom he is admonishing (διά equivalent to by an allusion to, by reminding you of (cf. Winer’s Grammar, 381 (357))): Romans 12:1 15:30; 1Co 1:10; 2Co 10:1; 1Th 4:2 (yet cf. Winer’s Grammar, 379 (355) note); 2Th 3:12 R G.

B. with the accusative (Winer’s Grammar, 398f (372f)).

I. of place; through; often so in the Greek poets, once in the N. T. according to L T Tr WH viz. Luk 17:11 διά μέσον Σαμαρείας, for R G διά μέσου Σαμαρείας (but see μέσος, 2).

II. of the Ground or Reason on account of which anything is or is not done; by reason of because of (German aus Grund).

1. of the reason for which a thing is done, or of the efficient reason, when for greater perspicuity it may be rendered by (cf. Kühner, § 434 Anm.);

a. with the accusative of the thing: δἰ ἥν, viz. τήν τοῦ Θεοῦ ἡμέραν (properly, by reason of which day, i. e. because it will come (cf. Winer’s Grammar, 400 (373))), 2Pe 3:12; διά τόν λόγον (properly, by reason of the word, i. e. because the word has cleansing power), Joh 15:3; διά τό θέλημα σου (Vulg.proptar voluntatem tuam, i. e. because thou didst will it), Rev 4:11; add, Rev 12:11; Rev 13:14 (ἀναβιώσκεται διά τήν τοῦ πατρός φύσιν, Plato, symp., p. 203 e.); cf. Grimm on 2Ma 3:1.

b. with the accusative of the person, by whose will, agency, favor, fault, anything is or is done: διά τόν πατέρα ... δἰ ἐμέ (properly, because the father lives ... because I live (cf. Winer’s Grammar, 399 (373))), Joh 6:57; διά τόν ὑπταξαντα, by the will of him who subjected it, opposed to οὐχ ἑκοῦσα, Rom 8:20 (cf. Winer’s 399 (373) note); μή εἴπῃς ὅτι διά κύριον ἀπέστην, Sir 15:11; so too in the Greek writings of every age; cf. Krüger, § 68, 23; Grimm on 2Ma 6:25. Much more often

2. of the reason or cause on account of which anything is or is done, or ought to be done; on account of, because of;

a. in the phrases διά τοῦτο, for this cause; for this reason; therefore; on this account; since this is so: Mat 6:25; Mat 12:27; Mat 12:31; Mat 13:13, etc.; Mar 6:14; Mar 11:24; Luk 11:49; Luk 14:20; Joh 6:65; Joh 9:23; Act 2:26; Rom 1:26; Rom 4:16; Rom 5:12; Rom 13:6; Rom 15:9; 1Co 4:17; 1Co 11:10; 1Co 11:30; 2Co 4:1; Eph 1:15; Eph 5:17; Eph 6:13; Col 1:9; 1Th 2:13; 1Th 3:5; 1Th 3:7; 2Th 2:11; 2Ti 2:10; Heb 1:9; Heb 2:1; 1Jn 4:5; 3Jn 1:10; Rev 7:15; Rev 12:12; Rev 18:8. followed by ὅτι, for this cause ... because, therefore ... because: Joh 5:16; Joh 5:18; Joh 8:47; Joh 10:17; Joh 12:18; Joh 12:39; 1Jn 3:1; cf. Tholuck edition 7 on Joh 10:17 (he questions, at least for Joh 10:17 and Joh 12:39, the canon of Meyer (on 12:39), Luthardt (on Joh 10:17), others, that in this phrase in John the τοῦτο always looks backward) in the opposite order (when the words that precede with ὅτι are to be emphasized): Joh 15:19. It indicates the end and purpose, being followed either by ἵνα, 2Co 13:10; 1Ti 1:16; Phm 1:15, (in the opposite order, Joh 1:31); or by ὅπως, Heb 9:15. διά τί (so L Tr WH) and written together διατί (so G T; cf. Winers Grammar, 45; (Lipsius, Gram. Unters., p. 126), why? wherefore? Mat 9:11; Mat 9:14; Mat 13:10; Mat 17:19; Mar 2:18; Luk 5:30; Joh 7:45; Act 5:3; Rom 9:32; 1Co 6:7; Rev 17:7. δἰ ἥν αἰτίαν, see αἰτία, 1. τίς ἡ αἰτία, δἰ ἥν, Act 10:21; Act 23:28; διά ταύτην τήν αἰτίαν, Act 28:20; διά ταῦτα, Eph 5:6, etc.

b. used, with the accusative of any noun, of the mental affection by which one is impelled to some act (English for; cf. Winer’s Grammar, 399 (372) διά φθόνον, because prompted by envy, for envy, Mat 27:18; Mar 15:10; διά τόν φόβον τίνος, Joh 7:13; Joh 19:38; Joh 20:19; Rev 18:10; Rev 18:15; διά τήν πολλήν ἀγάπην, Eph 2:4. of any other cause on account of which one is said to do or to have done something — as in Mat 14:3; Mat 14:9; Mat 15:3; Mat 15:6; Joh 4:39; Joh 4:41; Joh 12:11; Joh 14:11; Act 28:2; Rom 3:25 (διά τήν πάρεσιν τῶν προγεγονότων ἁμαρτημάτων because of the pretermission etc., i. e. because he had left the sins unpunished); Rom 6:19; Rom 15:15; 2Co 9:14; Gal 4:13 (δἰ ἀσθένειαν τῆς σαρκός, on account of an infirmity of the flesh, i. e. detained among you by sickness; cf. Wieseler (or Lightfoot) at the passage); — or to suffer or have suffered something, Mat 24:9; Mat 27:19; Luk 23:19; Luk 23:25; Act 21:35; 2Co 4:11; Col 3:6; 1Pe 3:14; Rev 1:9; Rev 6:9; — or to have obtained something, Heb 2:9; Heb 5:14; 1Jn 2:12; — or to be or to become something, Romans 8:10 11:28; Eph 4:18; Heb 5:12 (Winer’s Grammar, 399 (373)); Heb 7:18. of the impeding cause, where by reason of some person or thing something is said to have been impossible: Mat 13:58; Mat 17:20; Mar 2:4; Luk 5:19; Luk 8:19; Act 21:34; Heb 3:19; Heb 4:6. διά with the accusative of a person is often equivalent to for the benefit of (English for the sake of): Mar 2:27; Joh 11:42; Joh 12:30; 1Co 11:9; Heb 1:14; Heb 6:7 διά τούς ἐκλεκτούς, Mat 24:22; Mar 13:20; 2Ti 2:10; διά Χριστόν for Christ’s sake, to promote his cause, 1Co 4:10; δἰ ὑμᾶς, Joh 12:30; 2Co 4:15; 2Co 8:9; Php 1:24; 1Th 1:5. διά τινα, because of the example set by one: 2Co 2:10; Rom 2:24; 2Pe 2:2; διά τόν Χριστόν, for Christ, to become a partner of Christ, Php 3:7 (equivalent to ἵνα Χριστόν κερδήσω, Php 3:8).

c. διά τό, because that, for that, is placed before the infinitive — either standing alone, as Luk 9:7; Heb 7:23; — or having a subject accusative expressed, as Mat 24:12; Mar 5:4; Luk 2:4; Luk 19:11; Act 4:2; Act 12:20; Act 18:2; Act 27:4; Act 27:9; Act 28:18; Php 1:7; Heb 7:24; Heb 10:2; Jas 4:2; — or with its subject accusative evident from the context, as Mat 13:6; Mar 4:6; Luk 11:8; Luk 18:5; Luk 23:8; Act 8:11; Act 18:3.

C. In Composition διά indicates:

1. a passing through space or time, through, (διαβαίνω, διέρχομαι, διϋλίζω, etc.); hence,

2. continuity of time (διαμένω, διατελέω, διατηρέω), and completeness of action (διακαθαρίζω, διαζώννυμι).

3. distribution (διαδίδωμι, διαγγέλλω, διαφημίζω).

4. separation (διαλύω, διαιρέω).

5. rivalry and endeavor (διαπίνω, διακατελέγχομαι; cf. Herm. ad Vig., p. 854; (Winer. as below, p. 6)).

6. transition from one state to another (διαλλάσσω, διορθόω). (Cf. Winer, De verb. comp. etc. Part v.; Valckenaer on Herodotus 5, 18; Cattier. Gazophyl. edition Abresch, Cant. 1810, p. 39; A. Rieder, Ueb. d. mit mehr als ein. prap. zusammeng. verba im N. T., p. 17f) No one of the N. T. writers makes more frequent use of verbs compounded with διά than Luke, (see the list in Winer, as above, p. 3 note; on their construction Winers Grammar, § 52, 4, 8).