Greek word · G1224

διαβαίνω

diabainō

to cross

Step across, cross over, usually a river, sea or boundary.

Appears 3 times in 3 verses of the Greek New Testament. ·

What it means

δια-βαίνω

[in LXX chiefly for עבר ;]

1. to make a stride.

2. to step across, cross over;

(a) trans.: τ. θάλασσαι, Hebrews 11:29;

(b) intrans.: before εἰς, Acts 16:9; πρός, Luke 16:26.†

(AS)

From G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament (1922), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

In depth

From the study of Acts 16:9

Range of meaning

Step across, cross over, usually a river, sea or boundary.

Against the English

'Come over' (BSB, NIV, KJV) is natural English but hides the picture of a crossing, here a sea crossing. YLT 'having passed through' keeps the participle form.

Used elsewhere in the period

In the Septuagint it is used often for crossing the Jordan into the land (e.g. Deut 4:21–22; Josh 1:2, 11). In the New Testament it appears only here, in Luke 16:26 (crossing the chasm) and in Heb 11:29 (crossing the Red Sea). Classical writers use it for armies crossing rivers or straits.

From the study of 1 Maccabees 5:40

Range of meaning

διαβαίνω: to step across, cross over (a river, a border). It translates Hebrew ʿabar, the key verb of crossing the Jordan in Joshua 1–4. πρότερος: 'first, earlier', 'before the other side does'.

Against the English

All versions render 'pass over / cross over first' accurately. What English cannot easily show is the echo of the 'crossing' vocabulary of Israel's entry into the land.

Used elsewhere in the period

ʿabar / διαβαίνω is used again and again for Israel crossing the Jordan (Josh 3–4). 1 Maccabees deliberately tells Judas's wars in the language of Joshua and Judges.

Where it appears

Luke · 1

  1. Luke 16:26 διαβῆναι to pass

    And besides all this, a great chasm has been fixed between us and you, so that even those who wish cannot cross from here to you, nor can anyone cross from there to us.’

Acts · 1

  1. Acts 16:9 διαβὰς Having passed over

    During the night, Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and pleading with him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.”

    Here: 'Having crossed over': a crossing of water, here the northern Aegean from Troas to the Macedonian coast. Joined to the command, it works as part of the command: 'Cross over… and help.'

Hebrews · 1

  1. Hebrews 11:29 διέβησαν they passed through

    By faith the people passed through the Red Sea as on dry land; but when the Egyptians tried to follow, they were drowned.

    Here: 'They crossed through.' The prefix dia- ('through') stresses going all the way from one side to the other. The past tense presents it as one completed event. The subject is left unnamed. After Moses alone in verses 23–28, the plural now covers the whole people.

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.