διαφέρω G1308
To carry through, differ, surpass in value; also to matter or be of concern
A remarkably versatile Greek verb, διαφέρω literally means 'carry through' but branches into several distinct uses in the New Testament. Jesus employs it memorably in the Sermon on the Mount: 'Are you not worth more than the birds?' (Matt 6:26) — here the verb measures comparative value. Acts uses it for the physical spreading of God's word through a region (13:49) and for a ship driven helplessly by a storm (27:27). Paul then deploys it for theological distinction (1 Cor 15:41, stars differing in glory) and for rhetorical dismissal — 'whatever they were makes no difference to me' (Gal 2:6).
Senses
1. be worth more, surpass — To be worth more than, to surpass or excel in value. This is the dominant New Testament sense, appearing in Jesus' comparisons of human worth against birds (Matt 6:26; 10:31; Luke 12:7, 24) and against sheep (Matt 12:12). Spanish 'valéis' ('you are worth') and German 'unterscheidet' capture the evaluative force. The rhetorical punch depends on the gap between what is compared: if God cares for sparrows, how much more — how greatly you 'surpass' them — does he care for you. 7×
AR["أَفضَلَ", "أَفضَلُ", "أَفْضَلُ", "أَفْضَلُ-أَنْتُمْ", "الأُمورَ-المُختَلِفَةَ", "الأُمورَ-المُمْتازَةَ", "يَفضُلُ"]·ben["উত্কৃষ্ট", "উত্তমগুলিকে", "প্রভেদ-করে", "ভিন্ন", "ভিন্ন,", "মূল্যবান"]·DE["sich-unterscheiden", "unterscheidet"]·EN["are-worth", "differing", "differs", "things-differing", "you-are-worth-more"]·FR["différer", "être-supérieur"]·heb["חֲשׁוּבִים", "מְעֻלִּים,", "מֻבְדָּלִים", "שׁוֹנִים", "שׁוֹנֶה"]·HI["अलग-हो", "उत्तम,", "उत्तम-बातें", "मूल्यवान-हो", "श्रेशथ-है"]·ID["berharga", "hal-hal yang penting", "kamu-lebih-berharga", "lebih-berharga", "yang-terpenting,"]·IT["diapheronta", "differire", "valere-di-più"]·jav["aji", "ingkang-langkung-saé", "langkung-aji", "panjenengan-langkung-aji", "penting,"]·KO["귀하냐", "귀하니", "귀하니까", "나은-것이냐", "너희가-귀하다", "다른-것들", "다른-것들,"]·PT["coisas-excelentes", "excelentes", "valeis", "valeis-mais"]·RU["лучше", "лучшего", "отличаетесь", "отличается", "различающееся", "ценны"]·ES["difiere", "que-difieren", "valéis", "valéis-más"]·SW["ana-tofauti", "mna-thamani-zaidi", "mna-tofauti-na", "ni-bora-kuliko", "yaliyo-bora"]·TR["daha-değerlidir", "daha-değerlisiniz", "değerlisiniz", "farkli-olanlari,", "ustun-olan-seyleri", "üstünsünüz"]·urd["بہتر-باتوں-کو", "بہتر-باتیں", "بہتر-ہو", "بہتر-ہے", "تم-بہتر-ہو", "قیمتی-ہو"]
2. carry through, spread abroad — The literal, physical sense: to carry or bear from one place to another, to be spread or driven along. In Mark 11:16 Jesus forbids anyone carrying vessels through the temple; Acts 13:49 describes the word of the Lord being 'carried through' the whole region; Acts 27:27 pictures a ship 'driven about' in the Adriatic. Spanish 'siendo llevados' ('being carried') and 'era difundida' ('was being spread') distinguish the passive dispersion (Acts) from the active prohibition against carrying (Mark). 3×
AR["انتَشَرَت", "مُنْجَرِفِينَ", "يَحْمِلَ"]·ben["ছড়িয়ে-পড়ছিল", "বহন-করে", "বহিয়া-বেড়াইতেছিলাম"]·DE["sich-unterscheiden", "unterscheidet"]·EN["being-driven", "should-carry", "was-being-carried"]·FR["différer", "être-supérieur"]·heb["יַעֲבִיר", "נִסְחֲפִים", "נִשָּׂא"]·HI["फैलता-था", "बहतेहुए", "ले-जाए"]·ID["membawa", "terbawa", "tersebar"]·IT["differire", "valere-di-più"]·jav["Sumebar", "kabeta", "mbeta"]·KO["떠도는", "운반하도록", "펴졌다"]·PT["Espalhava-se", "sendo-levados"]·RU["Распространялось", "носимых", "пронёс"]·ES["era-difundida", "llevara", "siendo-llevados"]·SW["apitishe", "likaenea", "tulipokuwa-tukisukumwa"]·TR["sürüklenirken", "taşısın", "yayılıyordu"]·urd["بہتے-ہوئے", "لے-جائے", "پھیلتا-تھا"]
3. differ, be different — To differ, be distinct, or vary from something else. Paul uses this in 1 Corinthians 15:41 — 'star differs from star in glory' — and in Galatians 4:1, where an heir who is a child 'differs nothing' from a slave. The sense is qualitative distinction without necessarily implying superiority. French 'différer' and German 'sich unterscheiden' ('to distinguish oneself') map this meaning precisely, emphasizing distinguishable characteristics rather than ranked value. 2×
AR["لا-يَفرِقُ", "يَختَلِفُ"]·ben["পার্থক্য-করে", "প্রভেদ"]·DE["sich-unterscheiden"]·EN["differs", "he-differs"]·FR["différer", "être-supérieur"]·heb["שׁוֹנֶה"]·HI["फ़रक", "भिन्न-होता-है"]·ID["berbeda"]·IT["diapherei", "differire"]·jav["bèda", "bédanipun"]·KO["다르니라", "다르지-않노라"]·PT["difere"]·RU["отличается"]·ES["difiere"]·SW["inatofautiana", "tofauti"]·TR["fark-etmez", "farklıdır"]·urd["فرق-رکھتا-ہے", "فرق-کرتا"]
4. matter, be of concern — To matter, be of importance or concern. Galatians 2:6 provides the sole New Testament instance: 'whatever they were makes no difference to me — God shows no partiality.' Spanish 'importa' ('it matters') captures the impersonal construction. This sense develops naturally from the comparative meaning: if something 'differs' enough to warrant attention, it 'matters.' Paul's pointed use dismisses human credentials as irrelevant before God's impartial judgment. 1×
AR["يُفرِقُ"]·ben["প্রভেদ,"]·DE["sich-unterscheiden"]·EN["it-matters"]·FR["être-supérieur"]·heb["מְשַׁנֶּה"]·HI["फ़रक-पदत,"]·ID["berarti"]·IT["diapherei"]·jav["béda,"]·KO["다르지-않으니,"]·PT["faz-diferença"]·RU["различия"]·ES["importa"]·SW["linanihusu"]·TR["fark-etmez"]·urd["فرق-پڑتا"]
Related Senses
H5414 1. give, bestow (1855×)H3947 1. take, seize, grasp (Qal) (940×)G2192 1. possess / have (680×)G1325 1. give, bestow (336×)H5159 1. inherited land or property (170×)G2983 1. receive, obtain (134×)H3423 1. Qal: take possession of land (130×)G2983 2. take, take up (113×)G2398 1. one's own, belonging to oneself (91×)G3860 1. hand over, deliver to custody (78×)H7998 1. spoil, plunder, booty (74×)G1325 2. be given, be granted (70×)H5414 2. put, place, set (68×)H7999a 1. pay, repay, recompense (63×)H7069 1. Buy, purchase (59×)H1892 1. vanity, futility, absurdity (58×)H5159 2. heritage as covenant portion (52×)H6299 1. redeem or ransom (Qal active) (49×)H4376 1. Sell (Qal active) (47×)H1350a 1. Redeem, buy back (46×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
διαφέρω, future διοίσω Refs 5th c.BC+aorist 1 διήνεγκα, Ionic dialect διήνεικα: aorist 2 διήνεγκον:—carry over or across, δ. ναῦς τὸν Ἰσθμόν Refs 5th c.BC+; carry from one to another, διαφέρεις κηρύγματα Refs 5th c.BC+ will put the tongue in motion, will speak, Refs 5th c.BC+ __2 of Time, δ. τὸν αἰῶνα, τὸν βίον, go through life, Refs 5th c.BC+:—middle, live, continue, ὑγιηροὶ τἄλλα διαφέρονται…