διά ["written δἰ before a vowel, except in proper names and 2 Corinthians 5:7; Romans 8:10" Tdf. Proleg., p. 94], akin to δίς and Latin dis in composition, properly, denoting a division into two or more parts; a preposition taking the genitive and the accusative. In its use the biblical writers differ in no respect from the Greek; cf. Winer's Grammar, 377ff (353ff); 398 (372)f.
A. with the genitive: through;
I. of place;
1. properly, after verbs denoting an extension, or a motion, or an act, that occurs through any place: δἰ ἄλλης ὁδοῦ ἀναχωρεῖν, Matthew 2:12; δἰ ἀνύδρων τόπων, Matthew 12:43; διὰ τῆς Σαμαρείας, John 4:4; διὰ τῆς θύρας, John 10:1f; add, Matthew 19:24; Mark 2:23; Mark 10:25; Mark 11:16; Luke 4:30; Luke 5:19; Luke 18:25; 2 Corinthians 11:33; Hebrews 9:11; Hebrews 11:29, etc.; δἰ ὑμῶν, through your city, Romans 15:28; [on διὰ πάντων, Acts 9:32, see πᾶς, II. 1]; ὁ διὰ πάντων, diffusing his saving influence through all, Ephesians 4:6; σώζεσθαι διὰ πυρός, 1 Corinthians 3:15; διασώζ. δἰ ὕδατος, 1 Peter 3:20 (Evang. Nicod. c. 9, p. 568f, Thilo edition [p. 228, Tdf. edition] διὰ θαλάσσης ὡς διὰ ξηρᾶς); βλέλπειν δἰ ἐσόπτρου, 1 Corinthians 13:12 [cf. Winer's Grammar, 380 (356)]. Add the adverbial phrase δἰ ὅλου from top to bottom, throughout, John 19:23 (metaphorically, in every way, 1 Macc. 6:18). From this use of the preposition has come
2. its tropical use of state or condition in which (properly, passing through which as through a space) one does or suffers something, where we, with a different conception, employ with, in, etc. (German bei, unter, mit): ὁ διὰ γράμματος κ. περιτομῆς παραβάτης νόμου, Romans 2:27 [Winers Grammar, 380 (355)]; οἱ πιστεύοντες δἰ ἀκροβυστίας who believe, though uncircumcised (see ἀκροβυστία, a.), Romans 4:11; διὰ προσκόμματος ἐσθίειν, with offence, or so as to be an offence [cf. Winers Grammar, 380 (356), and see πρόσκομμα], Romans 14:20; διὰ πίστεως περιπατεῖν, οὐ διὰ εἴδους (see εἶδος, 1), 2 Corinthians 5:7; τὰ διὰ [Lachmann marginal reading (cf. Tr marginal reading) τὰ ἴδια (see Meyer at the passage)] τοῦ σώματος, done in the body (i. e. while we were clothed with our earthly body [others take διά here instrumentally; see III. 2 below]), 2 Corinthians 5:10; διὰ πολλῶν δακρύων, 2 Corinthians 2:4; διὰ δόξης, clothed with glory, 2 Corinthians 3:11; ἔρχεσθαι, εἰσέρχ. διά τινος with a thing, Hebrews 9:12; 1 John 5:6 [but cf. Winer's Grammar, 380 (355)]; δἰ ὑπομονῆς, Romans 8:25 (διὰ πένθους τὸ γῆρας διάγειν, Xenophon, Cyril 4, 6, 6; cf. Matthiae ii., p. 1353).
II. of Time [cf. Winer's Grammar, 380 (356); Ellicott or Meyer on Galatians 2:1; Fritzsche as below];
1. of continued time; hence,
a. of the time throughout (during) which anything is done: Matthew 26:61; Mark 14:58; δἰ ὅλης (τῆς R G) νυκτός, Luke 5:5; διὰ παντὸς τοῦ ζῆν, Hebrews 2:15; διὰ παντός [so L WH Tr (except Mark 5:5; Luke 24:53)], or written together διαπαντός [so G T (except in Matthew); cf. Winers Grammar, 46 (45); Lipsius, Gram. Unters., p. 125], continually, always: Matthew 18:10; Mark 5:5; Luke 24:53; Acts 2:25 (from Psalm 15:8 (Ps. 16:8)); Acts 10:2; 24:16; Romans 11:10 (from Psalm 68:24 (Ps. 69:24)); 2 Thessalonians 3:16; Hebrews 9:6; Hebrews 13:15 (often in Greek writings).
b. of the time within which a thing is done: διὰ τῆς νυκτός (L T Tr WH διὰ νυκτός), by night, Acts 5:19; Acts 16:9; Acts 17:10; Acts 23:31, (Palaephatus 1, 10); δἰ ἡμερῶν τεσσαράκοντα, repeatedly within the space of forty days, Acts 1:3; — (denying this use of the preposition, C. F. A. Fritzsche in Fritzschiorum Opuscc., p. 164f would refer these instances to the use noted under a. [see Winer's, Ellicott, Meyer as above]).
2. of time elapsed, and which has, so to say, been passed through: Galatians 2:1 [cf. Winer's Grammar, 380 (356)]; δἰ ἡμερῶν (some) days having intervened, after (some) days, Mark 2:1; δἰ ἐτῶν πλειόνων, Acts 24:17; examples from Greek authors in Fritzsche on Mark, p. 50; [Winers Grammar, 380 (356); Liddell and Scott, under the word, A. II. 2; Sophocles' Lexicon, under the word, 2; Field, Otium Norv. iii, p. 14].
III. of the means or instrument by which anything is effected; because what is done by means of a person or thing seems to pass as it were through the same [cf. Winer's Grammar, 378 (354)].
1. of one who is the author of the action as well as its instrument, or of the efficient cause: δἰ αὐτοῦ (i. e. τοῦ θεοῦ) τὰ πάντα namely, ἐστίν or ἐγένετο, Romans 11:36; also δἰ οὗ, Hebrews 2:10; δἰ οὗ ἐκλήθητε, 1 Corinthians 1:9; add [Galatians 4:7 L T Tr WH, see below]; Hebrews 7:21 (ἡ ἰατρικη πᾶσα διὰ τοῦ θεοῦ τούτου, i. e. Aesculapius, κυβερναται, Plato, symp., p. 186 e.; cf. Fritzsche on Romans, vol. i., p. 15 [and for examples Sophocles Lexicon, under the word, 1]); of him to whom that is due which anyone has or has done; hence equivalent to by the fault of anyone: δἰ οὗ τὸ σκάνδαλον ἔρχεται, Matthew 18:7; δἰ ἑνὸς ἀνθρ. ἡ ἁμαρτία... εἰσῆλθε, Romans 5:12, cf. Romans 5:16-19; ἠσθένει διὰ τῆς σαρκός, Romans 8:3; by the merit, aid, favor of anyone: ἐν ζωῇ βασιλεύσουσι διά, etc. Romans 5:17, cf. Romans 5:18; 1 Corinthians 15:21; διὰ τοῦ Χριστοῦ, and the like: Romans 5:1f; Romans 5:11; Acts 10:43; Galatians 4:7 [Rec., but see above]; δοξάζειν τ. θεὸν διὰ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, 1 Peter 4:11, and εὐχαριστεῖν τῷ θεῷ διά Ἰησ. Χρ. Romans 1:8; Romans 7:25 (where L T Tr WH text χάρις τῷ θεῷ); Colossians 3:17 — because the possibility both of glorifying God and of giving thanks to him is due to the kindness of Christ: καυχᾶσθαι ἐν τῷ θεῷ διὰ Ἰησ. Χρ. Romans 5:11; ἀναπαύεσθαι διά τινος, Philemon 1:7; οἱ πεπιστευκότες διὰ τῆς χάριστος, Acts 18:27; πολλῆς εἰρήνης τυγχάνοντες διὰ σοῦ... διὰ τῆς σῆς προνοίας, Acts 24:2 (3); ὑπερνικᾶν διὰ τοῦ ἀγαπήσαντος ἡμᾶς, Romans 8:37; περισσεύειν διά τινος, by the increase which comes from one, Philippians 1:26; 2 Corinthians 1:5; 2 Corinthians 9:12; διὰ τῆς ὑμῶν δεήσεως, Philippians 1:19; add, Philemon 1:22 Romans 1:12; 2 Corinthians 1:4; Galatians 4:23; 1 Peter 1:5.
2. of the instrument used to accomplish a thing, or of the instrumental cause in the stricter sense: — with the genitive of person by the service, the intervention of, anyone; with the genitive of thing, by means of, with the help of, anything;
a. in passages where a subject expressly mentioned is said to do or to have done a thing by some person or by some thing: Mark 16:20 (τοῦ κυρίου τὸν λόγον βεβαιοῦντος διὰ τ. σημείων); Luke 1:70; Acts 1:16; Acts 2:22 (τέρασι κ. σημείοις, οἷς ἐποίησε δἰ αὐτοῦ ὁ θεός); Acts 8:20; Acts 10:36; Acts 15:23 (γράψαντες διὰ χειρὸς αὐτῶν); Acts 20:28; Acts 21:19; Acts 28:25; Romans 2:16; Romans 3:31; Romans 7:13; [Romans 8:11 Rec.^{bez elz} L edition min. T WH text]; Romans 15:18; Romans 16:18; 1 Corinthians 1:21 [cf. Winer's Grammar, 381 (357)]; 1 Corinthians 2:10; 1 Corinthians 4:15; 1 Corinthians 6:14; 1 Corinthians 14:9, 19 [R G]; 1 Cor 15:57; 2 Corinthians 1:4; 2 Corinthians 4:14 R G; 2 Cor 5:18, 20; 9:13 [cf. Winer's Grammar, 381 (357)]; 2 Cor 10:9; 12:17; Ephesians 1:5; Ephesians 2:16; Colossians 1:20, 22; Colossians 2:8; 1 Thessalonians 4:14; 2 Thessalonians 2:14; Titus 3:5; Hebrews 1:2, 3 [R G]; Heb 2:14; 6:12; 7:19; 9:26; 13:2, 12, 15, 21; Revelation 1:1; γῆ ἐξ ὕδατος (material cause) κ. δἰ ὕδατος συνεστῶσα τῷ τοῦ θεοῦ λόγῳ, 2 Peter 3:5 [Winers Grammar, 419 (390) cf. 217 (204)].
b. in passages in which the author or principal cause is not mentioned, but is easily understood from the nature of the case, or from the context: Romans 1:12; 1 Corinthians 11:12 [cf. Winer's Grammar, 381 (357)]; Philippians 1:20; 1 Thessalonians 3:7; 2 Thessalonians 2:2, 15; Hebrews 11:39 [cf. Winer's Grammar, as above, also § 50, 3]; Heb 12:11,15; 1 Peter 1:7; διὰ πολλῶν μαρτύρων, by the mediation (intervention) of many witnesses, they being summoned for that purpose [cf. Winers Grammar, 378 (354); A. V. among], 2 Timothy 2:2. Where it is evident from the religious conceptions of the Bible that God is the author or first cause: John 11:4; Acts 5:12; Ephesians 3:10; Ephesians 4:16; Colossians 2:19; 2 Timothy 1:6; Hebrews 10:10; 2 Peter 3:6; σώζεσθαι διὰ τ. πίστεως, Ephesians 2:8; συνεγείρεσθαι διὰ τ. πίστ., Colossians 2:12; δικαιοῦσθαι διά τῆς πίστεως, Galatians 2:16, cf. Romans 3:30; in the phrases διὰ τοῦ Ἰησ. Χριστοῦ, and the like: John 1:17; John 3:17; Acts 13:38; Romans 1:5; Romans 5:9; 1 Corinthians 15:57; 1 John 4:9; Philippians 1:11; διὰ τοῦ εὐαγγελίου, 1 Corinthians 15:2; Ephesians 3:6; διὰ λόγου θεοῦ, 1 Peter 1:23, cf. 1 Peter 1:3; διὰ νόμου, Romans 3:27; Romans 4:13; δἰ ἀποκαλύψεως Ἰησ. Χρ. Galatians 1:12, cf. Galatians 1:15f; διὰ τοῦ (ἁγίου) πνεύματος, Romans 5:5; 1 Corinthians 12:8; Ephesians 3:16; πιστεύειν διά τινος (see πιστεύω, 1 b. γ.), John 1:7; 1 Corinthians 3:5; σημεῖον γέγονε δἰ αὐτῶν, Acts 4:16; ὁ λόγος δἰ ἀγγέλων λαληθείς, Hebrews 2:2, cf. Galatians 3:19; ὁ νόμος διὰ Μωϋσέως ἐδόθη, John 1:17; in passages in which something is said to have been spoken through the O. T. prophets, or some one of them [cf. Lightfoot Fresh Revision etc., p. 121f]: Matthew 2:5, 17 L T Tr WH, Matthew 2:23; [Matthew 3:3 L T Tr WH]; Matthew 4:14; Matthew 8:17; Matthew 12:17; Matthew 21:4; Matthew 24:15; Matthew 27:9; Acts 2:16; or to have been so written: Luke 18:31; with the added mention of the first cause: ὑπὸ τοῦ κυρίου διὰ τοῦ προφ., Matthew 1:22; Matthew 2:15, cf. Luke 1:70; Acts 1:16; Acts 28:25; Romans 1:2; in passages relating to the Logos: πάντα δἰ αὐτοῦ (i. e., through the Divine Logos [cf. Winer's Grammar, 379 (355)]) ἐγένετο or ἐκτίσθη: John 1:3; 1 Corinthians 8:6 (where he is expressly distinguished from the first cause: ἐξ αὐτοῦ [Winer's Grammar, 419 (391)]); Colossians 1:16 [Winer's Grammar, the passage cited], cf. Hebrews 1:2 (Philo de cherub. § 35). The instrumental cause and the principal are distinguished in 1 Corinthians 11:12 (διὰ τῆς γυναικός... ἐκ τοῦ θεοῦ); Galatians 1:1 (ἀπ’ ἀνθρώπων... δἰ ἀνθρώπου [cf. Winer's Grammar, 418 (390)]).
3. with the genitive of a thing διά is used to denote the manner in which a thing is done, or the formal cause: εἶπε διὰ παραβολῆς, Luke 8:4; εἶπε δἰ ὁράματος, Acts 18:9; ἀπαγγέλλειν διὰ λόγου, by word of mouth, Acts 15:27; τῷ λόγῳ δἰ ἐπιστολῶν, 2 Corinthians 10:11, cf. 2 Thessalonians 2:15; πίστις ἐνεργουμένη δἰ ἀγάπης, Galatians 5:6; κεχάρισται δἰ ἐπαγγελίας, Galatians 3:18; δουλεύειν διὰ τῆς ἀγάπης, Galatians 5:13; ἐπιστέλλειν διὰ βραχέων, Hebrews 13:22; γράφειν δἰ ὀλίγων, 1 Peter 5:12 (Plato, Gorgias, p. 449 b. διὰ μακρῶν λόγους ποιεῖσθαι [see ὀλίγος, at the end; cf. Winer's Grammar, § 51, 1 b.]); διὰ χάρτου καὶ μέλανος, 2 John 1:12; διὰ μέλανος κ. καλάμου, 3 John 1:13, (Plutarch, Sol. 17, 3). To this head I should refer also the use of διά τινος in exhortations etc. where one seeks to strengthen his exhortation by the mention of a thing or a person held sacred by those whom he is admonishing (διά equivalent to by an allusion to, by reminding you of [cf. Winer's Grammar, 381 (357)]): Romans 12:1; 15:30; 1 Corinthians 1:10; 2 Corinthians 10:1; 1 Thessalonians 4:2 [yet cf. Winer's Grammar, 379 (355) note]; 2 Thessalonians 3:12 R G.
B. with the accusative [Winer's Grammar, 398f (372f)].
I. of place; through; often so in the Greek poets, once in the N. T. according to L T Tr WH viz. Luke 17:11 διὰ μέσον Σαμαρείας, for R G διὰ μέσου Σαμ. [but see μέσος, 2].
II. of the ground or reason on account of which anything is or is not done; by reason of, because of (German aus Grund).
1. of the reason for which a thing is done, or of the efficient reason, when for greater perspicuity it may be rendered by [cf. Kühner, § 434 Anm.];
a. with the accusative of the thing: δἰ ἥν, viz. τὴν τοῦ Θεοῦ ἡμέραν (properly, by reason of which day, i. e. because it will come [cf. Winer's Grammar, 400 (373)]), 2 Peter 3:12; διὰ τ. λόγον (properly, by reason of the word, i. e. because the word has cleansing power), John 15:3; διὰ τὸ θέλημά σου (Vulg. proptar voluntatem tuam, i. e. because thou didst will it), Revelation 4:11; add, Revelation 12:11; Revelation 13:14 (ἀναβιώσκεται διὰ τὴν τοῦ πατρὸς φύσιν, Plato, symp., p. 203 e.); cf. Grimm on 2 Macc. 3:1.
b. with the accusative of the person, by whose will, agency, favor, fault, anything is or is done: διὰ τὸν πατέρα... δἰ ἐμέ (properly, because the father lives... because I live [cf. Winer's Grammar, 399 (373)]), John 6:57; διὰ τὸν ὑποτάξαντα, by the will of him who subjected it, opposed to οὐχ ἑκοῦσα, Romans 8:20 [cf. Winer's 399 (373) note]; μὴ εἴπῃς ὅτι διὰ κύριον ἀπέστην, Sir. 15:11; so too in the Greek writings of every age; cf. Krüger, § 68, 23; Grimm on 2 Macc. 6:25. Much more often
2. of the reason or cause on account of which anything is or is done, or ought to be done; on account of, because of;
a. in the phrases διὰ τοῦτο, for this cause; for this reason; therefore; on this account; since this is so: Matthew 6:25; Matthew 12:27, 31; Matthew 13:13, etc.; Mark 6:14; Mark 11:24; Luke 11:49; Luke 14:20; John 6:65; John 9:23; Acts 2:26; Romans 1:26; Romans 4:16; Romans 5:12; Romans 13:6; Romans 15:9; 1 Corinthians 4:17; 1 Corinthians 11:10, 30; 2 Corinthians 4:1; Ephesians 1:15; Ephesians 5:17; Ephesians 6:13; Colossians 1:9; 1 Thessalonians 2:13; 1 Thessalonians 3:5, 7; 2 Thessalonians 2:11; 2 Timothy 2:10; Hebrews 1:9; Hebrews 2:1; 1 John 4:5; 3 John 1:10; Revelation 7:15; Revelation 12:12; Revelation 18:8. followed by ὅτι, for this cause... because, therefore... because: John 5:16, 18; John 8:47; John 10:17; John 12:18, 39; 1 John 3:1; cf. Tholuck edition 7 on John 10:17 [he questions, at least for John 10:17 and John 12:39, the canon of Meyer (on John 12:39), Luthardt (on John 10:17), others, that in this phrase in John the τοῦτο always looks backwards] in the opposite order (when the words that precede with ὅτι are to be emphasized): John 15:19. It indicates the end and purpose, being followed either by ἵνα, 2 Corinthians 13:10; 1 Timothy 1:16; Philemon 1:15, (in the opposite order, John 1:31); or by ὅπως, Hebrews 9:15. διὰ τί [so L Tr WH] and written together διατί [so G T; cf. Winers Grammar, 45; Lipsius, Gram. Unters., p. 126], why? wherefore? Matthew 9:11, 14; Matthew 13:10; Matthew 17:19; Mark 2:18; Luke 5:30; John 7:45; Acts 5:3; Romans 9:32; 1 Corinthians 6:7; Revelation 17:7. δἰ ἥν αἰτίαν, see αἰτία, 1. τίς ἡ αἰτία, δἰ ἥν, Acts 10:21; Acts 23:28; διὰ ταύτην τὴν αἰτίαν, Acts 28:20; διὰ ταῦτα, Ephesians 5:6, etc.
b. used, with the accusative of any noun, of the mental affection by which one is impelled to some act [English for; cf. Winer's Grammar, 399 (372)] διὰ φθόνον, because prompted by envy, for envy, Matthew 27:18; Mark 15:10; διὰ τὸν φόβον τινός, John 7:13; John 19:38; John 20:19; Revelation 18:10, 15; διὰ τὴν πολλὴν ἀγάπην, Ephesians 2:4. of any other cause on account of which one is said to do or to have done something — as in Matthew 14:3, 9; Matthew 15:3, 6; John 4:39, 41; John 12:11; John 14:11; Acts 28:2; Romans 3:25 (διὰ τὴν πάρεσιν τῶν προγεγ. ἁμαρτημ. because of the pretermission etc., i. e. because he had left the sins unpunished); Romans 6:19; Romans 15:15; 2 Corinthians 9:14; Galatians 4:13 (δἰ ἀσθένειαν τῆς σαρκός, on account of an infirmity of the flesh, i. e. detained among you by sickness; cf. Wieseler [or Bp. Lightfoot] at the passage); — or to suffer or have suffered something, Matthew 24:9; Matthew 27:19; Luke 23:19, 25; Acts 21:35; 2 Corinthians 4:11; Colossians 3:6; 1 Peter 3:14; Revelation 1:9; Revelation 6:9; — or to have obtained something, Hebrews 2:9; Hebrews 5:14; 1 John 2:12; — or to be or to become something, Romans 8:10; 11:28; Ephesians 4:18; Hebrews 5:12 [Winer's Grammar, 399 (373)]; Hebrews 7:18. of the impeding cause, where by reason of some person or thing something is said to have been impossible: Matthew 13:58; Matthew 17:20; Mark 2:4; Luke 5:19; Luke 8:19; Acts 21:34; Hebrews 3:19; Hebrews 4:6. διά with the accusative of a person is often equivalent to for the benefit of, [English for the sake of]: Mark 2:27; John 11:42; John 12:30; 1 Corinthians 11:9; Hebrews 1:14; Hebrews 6:7; διὰ τούς ἐκλεκτούς, Matthew 24:22; Mark 13:20; 2 Timothy 2:10; διὰ Χριστόν for Christ's sake, to promote his cause, 1 Corinthians 4:10; δἰ ὑμᾶς, John 12:30; 2 Corinthians 4:15; 2 Corinthians 8:9; Philippians 1:24; 1 Thessalonians 1:5. διὰ τινα, because of the example set by one: 2 Corinthians 2:10; Romans 2:24; 2 Peter 2:2; διὰ τὸν Χριστόν, for Christ, to become a partner of Christ, Philippians 3:7 (equivalent to ἵνα Χριστὸν κερδήσω, Philippians 3:8).
c. διὰ τό, because that, for that, is placed before the infinitive — either standing alone, as Luke 9:7; Hebrews 7:23; — or having a subject accusative expressed, as Matthew 24:12; Mark 5:4; Luke 2:4; Luke 19:11; Acts 4:2; Acts 12:20; Acts 18:2; Acts 27:4, 9; Acts 28:18; Philippians 1:7; Hebrews 7:24; Hebrews 10:2; James 4:2; — or with its subject accusative evident from the context, as Matthew 13:6; Mark 4:6; Luke 11:8; Luke 18:5; Luke 23:8; Acts 8:11; Acts 18:3.
C. In Composition διά indicates:
1. a passing through space or time, through, (διαβαίνω, διέρχομαι, διϋλίζω, etc.); hence,
2. continuity of time (διαμένω, διατελέω, διατηρέω), and completeness of action (διακαθαρίζω, διαζώννυμι).
3. distribution (διαδίδωμι, διαγγέλλω, διαφημίζω).
4. separation (διαλύω, διαιρέω).
5. rivalry and endeavor (διαπίνω, διακατελέγχομαι; cf. Herm. ad Vig., p. 854; [Winer. as below, p. 6]).
6. transition from one state to another (διαλλάσσω, διορθόω). [Cf. Winer, De verb. comp. etc. Part v.; Valckenaer on Herodotus 5, 18; Cattier. Gazophyl. edition Abresch, Cant. 1810, p. 39; A. Rieder, Ueb. d. mit mehr als ein. prap. zusammeng. verba im N. T., p. 17f] No one of the N. T. writers makes more frequent use of verbs compounded with διά than Luke, [see the list in Winer, as above, p. 3 note; on their construction Winers Grammar, § 52, 4, 8].

BLB Scripture Index of Thayer's