διέρχομαι

I pass through, spread a report

Definition

The verb διέρχομαι (dierchomai) primarily means 'to pass through' or 'to go through' a physical space, such as a needle's eye (Matthew 19:24) or a region (Luke 8:22). It can also describe the movement of people, like shepherds going to Bethlehem (Luke 2:15) or Jesus passing through a crowd (Luke 4:30). In a figurative sense, it means for something like a report or news to 'spread' or 'go through' an area, as seen when the news about Jesus spread widely (Luke 5:15). A more abstract usage describes something 'passing through' the human heart, like a sword of sorrow (Luke 2:35).

Biblical Usage

This verb is used 39 times in the New Testament, appearing in the Gospels and Acts most frequently. It describes literal travel or movement through geographical areas (Mark 4:35, Acts 13:14). It is also used for the spreading of reports or fame (Luke 5:15). In parables and teachings, it illustrates impossibility (the camel passing through a needle's eye in Matthew 19:24) and spiritual movement (an unclean spirit passing through waterless places in Matthew 12:43).

Etymology

Derived from the preposition διά (dia, G1223), meaning 'through,' and the common verb ἔρχομαι (erchomai, G2064), meaning 'to come' or 'to go.' The compound literally means 'to go through' or 'to come through,' emphasizing motion that traverses from one side to another.

Semantic Range

This word enriches understanding of Jesus's ministry as itinerant—He literally 'passed through' towns and regions, embodying the active spread of the Gospel. The imagery in Matthew 19:24 of passing through a needle's eye underscores the human impossibility of salvation apart from God's grace. In Luke 2:35, the sword 'passing through' Mary's soul foreshadows the piercing cost of redemption, connecting Jesus's birth directly to His sacrificial death.

In a culture where travel was difficult and news spread by word of mouth, the idea of 'passing through' a region or a report 'going through' an area conveyed significant movement and impact. The 'needle's eye' (Matthew 19:24) likely refers to a small gate in Jerusalem's wall, making a camel's passage a vivid, proverbial image of extreme difficulty understood by Jesus's listeners.

παρέρχομαι (parerchomai, G3928) — emphasizes passing by or alongside, often with a sense of transience. πορεύομαι (poreuomai, G4198) — a more general term for going or journeying, without the inherent 'through' component. διαπορεύομαι (diaporeuomai, G1279) — a strengthened form with similar meaning, used less frequently.

Word Details

Scripture References