Lexical Summary dioper: therefore, for this reason Original Word: διόπερ 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 Originfrom dio and per Definition for which very reason NASB Translation therefore (2). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 1355: διόπερδιόπερ, 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); Topical Lexicon Summary of the Conjunction's FunctionStrong’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 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. Pastoral and Ministry Applications 1. Preaching: Use doctrinal exposition that naturally arrives at a διόπερ moment—clear, compelling application. 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). 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: 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 dióperLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts |
    |