1355. dioper
Lexical Summary
dioper: therefore, for this reason

Original Word: διόπερ
Part of Speech: Conjunction
Transliteration: dioper
Pronunciation: dee-o'-per
Phonetic Spelling: (dee-op'-er)
KJV: wherefore
NASB: therefore
Word Origin: [from G1352 (διό - therefore) and G4007 (πέρ - about)]

1. on which very account

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
for this reason, therefore, wherefore.

From dio and per; on which very account -- wherefore.

see GREEK dio

see GREEK per

HELPS Word-studies

1355 dióper (a conjunction, derived from 1352 /dió, "because-therefore" and 4007 (per), an emphatic particle meaning "indeed") – properly, "it emphatically follows that . . . ".

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
from dio and per
Definition
for which very reason
NASB Translation
therefore (2).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon
STRONGS NT 1355: διόπερ

διόπερ, conjunction (from διό and the enclitic particle περ (which see)) (from Thucydides down); on which very account (A. V. wherefore): 1 Corinthians 8:13 (Treg. διό περ); where L T Tr WH διό.

Topical Lexicon
Summary of the Conjunction's Function

Strong’s Greek 1355 (διόπερ) introduces an emphatic inference. It gathers prior reasoning into a decisive conclusion and then urges a specific course of action. Though rare—appearing only twice—its force resembles a hinge that swings theological truth into visible obedience.

Occurrences in the New Testament Canon

1 Corinthians 8:13

1 Corinthians 10:14

In both places Paul uses διόπερ to close an argument about food offered to idols and to set before the Corinthians an unmistakable ethical imperative.

Paul's Deliberate Use in 1 Corinthians

1. The conscience of weaker believers (1 Corinthians 8). After tracing the danger of wounding a brother for whom Christ died, Paul writes, “Therefore, if what I eat causes my brother to stumble, I will never eat meat again” (1 Corinthians 8:13). The conjunction intensifies the personal resolve that flows from Christ-centered love.

2. The peril of idolatry (1 Corinthians 10). Having rehearsed Israel’s wilderness failures, Paul warns, “Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry” (1 Corinthians 10:14). Here διόπερ compresses the historical lesson into a timeless command.

In each instance, doctrinal reflection (knowledge, covenant history) precedes the conjunction; practical holiness follows it.

Moral and Doctrinal Conclusions Signaled by διόπερ

• Love limits liberty. Knowledge without love puffs up, but knowledge that culminates in διόπερ safeguards the conscience of others.
• Historical example demands present obedience. Israel’s downfall is not mere narrative; διόπερ converts it into an urgent warning.
• Personal responsibility is non-negotiable. Paul’s first-person resolve (“I will never”) and second-person appeal (“flee”) show that the conjunction applies equally to self-discipline and congregational exhortation.

Pastoral and Ministry Applications

1. Preaching: Use doctrinal exposition that naturally arrives at a διόπερ moment—clear, compelling application.
2. Counseling: When guiding believers through matters of conscience (diet, culture, entertainment), show how love leads to voluntary restraint.
3. Discipleship: Teach new Christians to read Scripture until they reach the “therefore” that demands response, modelling Romans 12:1 and Ephesians 4:1.
4. Church discipline: Paul’s pattern links past mercies and warnings with present commands, providing a biblical framework for corrective action motivated by love.

Insights from Early Christian Writers

John Chrysostom highlighted how Paul moves from theological argument to personal sacrifice, calling διόπερ “the seal of his affection.” Tertullian cited 1 Corinthians 10:14 when urging believers to shun pagan festivals, stressing that διόπερ carries apostolic weight not open to negotiation.

Relation to Hebrew Thought Patterns

Hebrew narrative often places conclusion before cause (“Because you have done this… therefore…”). Paul, steeped in both Hebrew Scripture and Greco-Roman rhetoric, reverses the order: he lays out the cause, then signals the therefore. The result melds Jewish moral seriousness with Greek logical precision.

Correlation with Other Pauline Conjunctions

• διόπερ is stronger than the simple διό (therefore) and more personal than ὥστε (so that).
• Together they create a rhythm: teaching (διότι, “because”) → reasoning (οὖν, “then”) → decisive call (διόπερ, “therefore indeed”). The heightened form underlines finality.

Practical Reflection for Today's Church

Modern believers live amid comparable pressures—liberty-versus-stumbling debates and omnipresent idolatry. Recovering Paul’s διόπερ mindset helps congregations:
• Evaluate cultural practices through the lens of brotherly love.
• Treat biblical history as present warning, not distant lore.
• Translate every sermon, study, and prayer into concrete obedience.

Whenever Scripture’s logic reaches its culmination, διόπερ invites each disciple to answer, not merely to admire, the Word of God.

Forms and Transliterations
διοπερ διόπερ dioper dióper
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Interlinear GreekInterlinear HebrewStrong's NumbersEnglishman's Greek ConcordanceEnglishman's Hebrew ConcordanceParallel Texts
Englishman's Concordance
1 Corinthians 8:13 Conj
GRK: διόπερ εἰ βρῶμα
NAS: Therefore, if food
KJV: Wherefore, if meat
INT: Therefore if food

1 Corinthians 10:14 Conj
GRK: Διόπερ ἀγαπητοί μου
NAS: Therefore, my beloved, flee
KJV: Wherefore, my dearly beloved,
INT: Therefore beloved of me

Strong's Greek 1355
2 Occurrences


διόπερ — 2 Occ.

1354
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