Lexical Definition

‎διά‎ diá (dee-ah') through/because of ^G:PREP
a primary preposition denoting the channel of an act

after, always, among, at, to avoid, because of (that), briefly, by, for (cause) … fore, from, in, by occasion of, of, by reason of, for sake, that, thereby, therefore, X though, through(-out), to, wherefore, with (-in).

• through (in very wide applications, local, causal, or occasional)

Abbott-Smith

διά (before a vowel δ’, exc. Ro 8:10, II Co 5:7, and in pr. names; Tdf., Pr., 94), prep. c. gen., acc, as in cl.;

1. c. gen., through;
(i) of Place, after verbs of motion or action: Mt 2:12 12:43, Mk 2:23, Lk 4:30, Jo 4:4, II Co 11:33, al.; σώζεσθαι (διας-) δ. πυρός, ὕδατος, I Co 3:15, I Pe 3:20; βλέπειν δ. ἐσόπτρου, I Co 13:12; metaph., of a state or condition: Ro 14:20, II Co 2:4 5:7, 10; δ. γράμματος, ἀκροβυστίας (Lft., Notes, 263, 279), Ro 2:27 4:11; δι’ ὑπομενῆς, Ro 8:25.
(ii) Of Time;
(a) during which: Mt 26:61, Mk 14:58, Lk 5:5; δ. παντὸς τοῦ ζῆν, He 2:15; δ. παντός (διαπαντός in Mk 5:5, Lk 24:53), always, continually, Mt 18:10, Ac 2:25 (LXX) 10:2 24:16, Ro 11:10 (LXX), II Th 3:16, He 9:6 13:15.
(b) within which: Ac 1:3; δ. νυκτός, Ac 5:19 16:9 17:10 23:31;
(c) after which (Field, Notes, 20; Abbott, JG, 255 f.): Mk 2:1, Ac 24:17, Ga 2:1.
(iii) Of the Means or Instrument;
(1) of the efficient cause (regarded also as the instrument): of God, Ro 11:36, I Co 1:9, Ga 4:7, He 2:10 7:21; of Christ, Ro 1:8 5:1, 17, I Co 15:21, I Pe 4:11, al.; δ. τ. ὑμῶν δεήσεως, Ro 1:12, II Co 1:4, Ga 4:23, al.;
(2) of the agent, instrument or means;
(a) c. gen. pers., Mt 11:2, Lk 1:70, Jo 1:17, Ac 1:16, Ro 2:16, I Co 1:21, Eph 1:5, He 2:14, Re 1:1, al.; ὑπὸ τ. κυρίου δ. τ. προφήτου (δ. τ. κυρίου, I Th 4:2 (M, Th., in l.); Lft., Rev., 121 f.), Mt 1:22 2:15, Ro 1:2; δ. ἐπιστολῆς ὡς δ. ἡμῶν (Field, Notes, 202), II Th 2:2; δ. Σ. (NTD, 22), I Pe 5:12;
(b) c. gen. rei (where often the simple dat. is used in cl.; Jannaris, Gr., 375), Jo 11:4, Ac 5:12; δ. τ. πίστεως, Ro 3:30; δ. λόγου θεοῦ, I Pe 1:23; δ. παραβολῆς, Lk 8:4; δουλεύειν δ. τ. ἀγάπης, Ga 5:13; δ. ἐπαγγελίας, Ga 3:18.
2. C. acc.;
(i) rarely, as c. gen., through (Hom), δ. μέσον Σαμαρίας (ICC, in l.; Bl., §42, 1; Robertson, Gr., 581), Lk 17:11.
(ii) by reason of, because of, for the sake of;
(a) c. acc pers. (M, Pr., 105), Mk 2:27, Jo 6:57 11:42, Ro 8:20;
(b) c. acc. rei, δ. φθόνον, Mt 27:18, Mk 15:10; δ. φόβον, Jo 7:13 20:19; δ. ἀγάπην, Eph 2:4; δ. τοῦτο, freq., for this cause, therefore, Mt 6:25, Mk 6:14, Lk 11:49, Jo 6:65, al.; id. seq. ὅτι, Jo 5:16 10:17, al.; δ. τί, why, Mt 9:11, 14, Mk 2:18, Jo 7:45, al.; δ. τό, c. inf., Mk 5:4, Lk 9:7, Ja 4:2.
3. In composition,
(1) through, as in διαβαίνω;
(2) of separation, asunder, as in διασπάω;
(3) of distribution, abroad, as in διαγγέλλω;
(4) of transition, as διαλλάσσω;
(5) of "perfective" action (M, Pr., 112 f., 115 f.), as διαφύγω, διακαθαρίζω.

Abbott-Smith References

Liddell-Scott-Jones

διά,

poetry διαί (Aeolic dialect ζά, which see), preposition governing genitive and accusative — Rad. sense, through; never anastrophic [Prop. δῐᾰ: but [Refs 8th c.BC+] uses ῑ at the beginning of a line, [Refs 8th c.BC+]: also ᾱ, for the sake of meter, frequently in [Refs 8th c.BC+] uses διαί in Lyric poetry, [Refs]

__A WITH GEN.
__A.I of Place or Space:
__A.I.1 of motion in a line, from one end to the other, right through, in [Refs 8th c.BC+] frequently of the effect of weapons, διὰ μὲν ἀσπίδος ἦλθε.. ἔγχος καὶ διὰ θώρηκος.. [διά 12.183; δι᾽ ὤμου.. ἔγχος ἦλθεν 4.481; in Prose, τιτρώσκειν διὰ τοῦ θώρακος 5th-6th c.BC: Xenophon Historicus “Anabasis” 1.8.26; διὰ τοῦ ὀρόφου ἐφαίνετο πῦρ [prev. work] 7.4.16: also of persons, διὰ Σκαιῶν πεδίονδ᾽ ἔχον ὠκέας ἵππους">Refs 8th c.BC+] out through the Scaean gate, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; δι᾽ ἠέρος αἰθέρ᾽ ἵκανεν quite through the lower air even to the ether, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; διὰ Τρώων πέτετο straight through them,[Refs 5th c.BC+]: also in Compos. with πρό and ἐκ, see at {διαπρό},{διέκ}: in adverbial phrases, διὰ πασῶν (i.e. χορδῶν), see at {διαπασῶν}:from beginning to end,_ [Refs 5th c.BC+]continually, [Refs 4th c.BC+]; δι᾽ ὀλίγου for a short time, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__A.I.2 of the interval which has passed between two points of Time, δ. χρόνου πολλοῦ or δ. πολλοῦ χρ. after a long time, [Refs 5th c.BC+] adjective, δ. χρόνου after a time, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; δι᾽ ἡμερῶν after several days, [NT]; and with adjectives alone, δι᾽ ὀλίγου [Refs 5th c.BC+] till the seventh day, [Refs 2nd c.AD+] time after time, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__A.I.3 of successive Intervals, δ. τρίτης ἡμέρης every other day, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; δ. πεντετηρίδος every four years (with inclusive reckoning), [Refs]; δι᾽ ἔτους πέμπτου, of the Olympic games, [Refs 5th c.BC+] in the course of the eleventh year, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__A.III causal, through, by,
__A.III.a of the Agent, δι᾽ ἀλλέλων or -ου ἐπικηρυκεύεσθαι, ποιεῖσθαι, by the mouth of.., [NT+5th c.BC+]; πεσόντ᾽ ἀλλοτρίας διαὶ γυναικός by her doing, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; δι᾽ ἑαυτοῦ ποιεῖν τι of oneself, not by another's agency, [Refs], etc.; but also, by oneself alone, unassisted, [Refs 4th c.BC+]
__A.III.b of the Instrument or Means, δ. χειρῶν by hand (properly by holding between the hands), δι᾽ ὁσίων χ. θιγών [Refs 5th c.BC+]; also δ. χερῶν λαβεῖν, δ. χειρὸς ἔχειν in the hand, [Refs] to keep a firm hand on, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; δ. λόγων συγγίγνεσθαι to hold intercourse by word, [NT+5th c.BC+]
__A.III.c of Manner (where διά with its Noun frequently serves as an adverb), δ. μέθης ποιήσασθαι τὴν συνουσίαν [Refs 5th c.BC+]; παίω δι᾽ ὀργῆς through passion, in passion, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; δ. τάχους, ={ταχέως}, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; δ. σπουδῆς in haste, hastily, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; δι᾽ αἰδοῦς with reverence, respectfully, [Refs]; δ. ψευδῶν ἔπη lying words, [Refs]; αἱ δ. καρτερίας ἐπιμέλειαι long-continued exertions, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; δι᾽ ἀκριβείας, δ. πάσης ἀκρ., [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__A.III.2 in later Prose, of Material out of which a thing is made, κατασκευάζειν εἴδωλα δι᾽ ἐλέφαντος καὶ χρυσοῦ [Refs 1st c.BC+]
__A.IV διά τινος ἔχειν, εἶναι, γίγνεσθαι, to express conditions or states, ἀγὼν διὰ πάσης ἀγωνίης ἔχων extending through every kind of contest, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; δι᾽ ὄχλου εἶναι to be troublesome, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__A.IV.b with Verbs of motion, δ. μάχης ἐλεύσονται will engage in battle, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; δ. παντὸς πολέμου, δ. φιλίας ἰέναι τινί, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; δ. δίκης ἰέναι τινί go to law with.., [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἐμαυτῷ δ. λόγων ἀφικόμην I held converse with myself, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; δ. λόγων, δ. γλώσσης ἰέναι come to open speech, [Refs]; δ. φιλημάτων ἰέναι come to kissing, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; δ. πυρὸς ἰέναι (see. πῦρ): in passive sense, δι᾽ ἀπεχθείας ἐλθεῖν τινι to be hated by.., [Refs 4th c.BC+]
__A.IV.c with transitive Verbs, δι᾽ αἰτίας ἔχειν or ἄγειν τινά hold in fault, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; δι᾽ οἴκτου ἔχειν τινά, δι᾽ αἰσχύνης ἔχειν τι, [διάγειν 5th-6th c.BC: Xenophon Historicus “Institutio Cyri (Cyropaedia)” 4.6.6; δι᾽ οὐδενὸς ποιεῖσθαί τι 5th c.BC: Sophocles Tragicus “Oedipus Coloneus” 584. ">Refs 5th c.BC+]
__B WITH Acc.
__B.I of Place, only poetical, in same sense as διά with genitive:
__B.I.1 through, ἓξ δὲ δ. πτύχας ἦλθε.. χαλκός [Refs 8th c.BC+]; δ. τάφρον ἐλαύνειν across it,[Refs 5th c.BC+]
__B.I.2 through, among, in, οἴκεον δι᾽ ἄκριας [Refs 8th c.BC+] through his mouth,[Refs 8th c.BC+]
__B.II of Time, also poetical, δ. νύκτα [Refs 8th c.BC+]; δ. γλυκὺν ὕπνον during sweet sleep, [Refs 2nd c.BC+]
__B.III causal:
__B.III.1 of persons, thanks to, by aid of, νικῆσαι δ... Ἀθήνην [Refs 8th c.BC+]; δ. σε by thy fault or service, [Refs 5th c.BC+]: in Prose, by reason of, on account of, δ᾽ ἡμᾶς [Refs 5th c.BC+]; so εἰ μὴ διά τινα if it had not been for.., εἰ μὴ δι᾽ ἄνδρας ἀγαθούς [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__B.III.2 of things, to express the Cause, Occasion, or Purpose, δι᾽ ἐμὴν ἰότητα because of my will, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; δι᾽ ἀφραδίας for, through want of thought,[Refs]; δι᾽ ἔνδειαν by reason of poverty, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; δ. καῦμα, δ. χειμῶνα,[Refs 5th c.BC+]: frequently also with neuter adjectives, δ. τ; wherefore?; δ. τοῦτο, δ. ταῦτα on this account; δι᾽ ὅ, δι᾽ ἅ on which account; δ. πολλά for many reasons, etc.
__B.III.3 ={ἕνεκα}, to express Purpose, δἰ ἀχθηδόνα for the sake of vexing, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; δ. τὴν τούτου σαφήνειαν with a view to clearing this up, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; αὐτή δι᾽ αὑτήν for its own sake, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__C WITHOUT CASE as adverb throughout, δ. πρό (see. supr. A.I.I); δ. δ᾽ ἀμπερές [Refs 8th c.BC+]
__D IN COMPOSITION (joined with other words),
__D.I through, right through, of Space, διαβαίνω, διέχω, διιππεύω.
__D.II in different directions, as in διαπέμπω, διαφορέ; of separation, asunder, διαιρέω, διαλύ; of difference or disagreement, at variance, διαφωνέω, διαφέρ; or simply mutual relation, one with another, διαγωνίζομαι, διάδω, διαθέω, διαπίνω, διαφιλοτιμέομαι.
__D.III pre-eminence, διαπρέπω, διαφέρω.
__D.IV completion, to the end, utterly, διεργάζομαι, διαμάχομαι, διαπράττω, διαφθείρω: of Time, διαβιόω.
__D.V to add strength, thoroughly, out and out, διαγαληνίζω, etc.; compare ζά.
__D.VI of mixture, between, partly, especially in adjective, as διάλευκος, διάχρυσος, διάχλωρος, etc.
__D.VII of leaving an interval or breach, διαλείπω, διαναπαύω. (Cogn. with δύο, δίς.)

_{LSJ Scripture Refs: Mark.2.1 ☩ Matt.1.22 ☩ Acts.15.27 ☩ 2Cor.10.9}