1353. diodeuó

Lexical Summary

diodeuó: To travel through, to journey through

Original Word: διοδεύω
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: diodeuó
Pronunciation: dee-od-yoo'-o
Phonetic Spelling: (dee-od-yoo'-o)
KJV: go throughout, pass through
NASB: going around, traveled through
Word Origin: [from G1223 (διά - through) and G3593 (ὁδεύω - journey)]

1. to travel through

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

go throughout, pass through.

From dia and hodeuo; to travel through -- go throughout, pass through.

see GREEK dia

see GREEK hodeuo

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
from dia and hodeuó
Definition
to travel through
NASB Translation
going around (1), traveled through (1).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon

STRONGS NT 1353: διοδεύω

διοδεύω: imperfect διωδευον; (1 aorist διώδευσα);

1. to pass or travel through: τόπον τινα, Acts 17:1; (the Sept., Polybius, Plutarch, others).

2. to travel hither and thither, go about: with κατά πόλιν καί κώμην added, through city and village, Luke 8:1.

Topical Lexicon

Meaning and Scope of the Term

The verb δῐῳδεύω (Strong’s 1353) depicts purposeful, continuous movement “through” or “across” a region. More than simple locomotion, it implies a deliberate circuit that links successive places in a connected itinerary. In Scripture it describes the strategic advance of the saving message—first in the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ and then in the missionary endeavors of His apostles.

Occurrences in the New Testament

1. Luke 8:1 records Jesus “traveling from one town and village to another, preaching and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God”.
2. Acts 17:1 speaks of Paul and Silas, who “passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia” before arriving in Thessalonica.

Although the term appears only twice, these two scenes frame the gospel movement from its Galilean beginnings to its Macedonian expansion, underscoring divine intentionality in salvation history.

The Itinerant Ministry of Jesus

Luke sets the pattern: after teaching in synagogues (Luke 4:15) and healing crowds, Jesus adopts a mobile strategy. “I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns also,” He declares, “because that is why I was sent” (Luke 4:43). By Luke 8:1 this resolve becomes a systematic circuit. The verb conveys:

• Breadth – “town and village,” embracing urban centers and rural hamlets alike.
• Continuity – an ongoing tour rather than a single trip.
• Proclamation priority – the journey is defined by preaching, not sightseeing.

Thus δῐῳδεύω highlights Christ’s compassion to reach the overlooked and His determination to saturate Galilee with truth before turning toward Jerusalem.

Apostolic Expansion

Acts 17:1 mirrors Luke 8:1. Paul’s second missionary journey moves deliberately through Macedonian cities. Each stop—Amphipolis, Apollonia, Thessalonica—lies on the Via Egnatia, Rome’s east-west highway. The verb stresses:

• Strategic routing – selecting hubs that connect farther regions.
• Perseverance – covering roughly 100 miles despite previous persecution (Acts 16).
• Gospel continuity – the same kingdom message Jesus preached now storms the Gentile world.

What Jesus modeled, His servants imitate: access every center, keep moving, leave churches behind, and press onward (compare Acts 13:6; Acts 14:21-22).

Theology of “Passing Through”

1. Missional Urgency. δῐῳδεύω assumes limited time and vast fields. The harvest is ready (Luke 10:2); the herald cannot linger.
2. Sovereign Guidance. Both circuits unfold under divine direction—Jesus “must” go (Luke 4:43); Paul is “compelled by the Spirit” (Acts 20:22). Though travelers choose roads, God orders steps (Proverbs 16:9).
3. Universality of Grace. Moving “through” successive locales dramatizes that no town is too small, no culture too distant. The gospel advances until it reaches “the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8).
4. Discipleship Pattern. Believers are saved to become messengers in motion (Matthew 28:19-20). δῐῳδεύω embodies the Great Commission’s outward thrust.

Historical Background

Greco-Roman road systems (e.g., the Via Egnatia) enabled rapid travel. Jewish itinerant rabbis and Cynic philosophers were familiar sights. Jesus and Paul re-purpose this cultural phenomenon, transforming ordinary transit into redemptive mission. Their circuits contrast with pagan wanderers by centering on divine revelation rather than rhetorical showmanship (1 Corinthians 2:1-5).

Practical Implications for Ministry Today

• Strategic Mobility – Churches should consider how to move the gospel along modern “highways” (digital platforms, trade routes, urban corridors).
• Balanced Perseverance – Like Jesus, workers must stay long enough for clear proclamation yet move on before ministry becomes insular.
• Inclusive Reach – Intentional circuits prevent favoritism toward large or affluent populations; villages matter as much as cities.
• Dependence on Divine Timing – Plans are submitted to God’s leading; open and closed doors alike are acknowledged as providential (Acts 16:6-10).

Conclusion

Strong’s 1353, though rare, furnishes a vivid snapshot of redemptive momentum. From Galilean lanes to Macedonian highways, δῐῳδεύω traces the purposeful progress of the kingdom of God. By emulating this pattern—grounded in Scripture, guided by the Spirit, and governed by love—the church continues the circuit until Christ returns.

Forms and Transliterations

διοδεύειν διοδεύεσθαι διοδεύοντες διοδεύοντος διοδεύουσι Διοδευσαντες Διοδεύσαντες διόδευσον διοδεύων διόδοις δίοδος διόδους διόδω διόδων διοικηταίς διοικοδομήσωμεν διόλου διώδευε διωδευεν διώδευεν διώδευσεν diodeuen diōdeuen diṓdeuen Diodeusantes Diodeúsantes

Englishman's Concordance

Luke 8:1 V-IIA-3S
GRK: καὶ αὐτὸς διώδευεν κατὰ πόλιν
NAS: Soon afterwards, He [began] going around from one city
KJV: that he went throughout every city
INT: that he journeyed throughout city

Acts 17:1 V-APA-NMP
GRK: Διοδεύσαντες δὲ τὴν
NAS: Now when they had traveled through Amphipolis
KJV: Now when they had passed through Amphipolis
INT: having journeyed through moreover

Strong's Greek 1353
2 Occurrences

διώδευεν — 1 Occ.
Διοδεύσαντες — 1 Occ.