Greek word · G1254

διακωλύω

diakōlyō

to hinder

To prevent, stop, or block something completely. The prefix dia- ("through") strengthens the simple verb kōlyō ("hinder, forbid"), much like English "stop dead" or "flatly block." In ordinary Greek it is used of officials, guards or circumstances keeping someone from doing something.

Appears once in the Greek New Testament. ·

What it means

δια-κωλεύω

[in LXX: Judith 4:7 * ;]

to hinder, prevent: with accusative, Matthew 3:14.†

(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 Matthew 3:14

Range of meaning

To prevent, stop, or block something completely. The prefix dia- ("through") strengthens the simple verb kōlyō ("hinder, forbid"), much like English "stop dead" or "flatly block." In ordinary Greek it is used of officials, guards or circumstances keeping someone from doing something.

Against the English

KJV "forbad" and YLT "was forbidding" suggest a ruling or command, as if John had the authority to refuse and did. The Greek past tense used here (the imperfect) often describes an action that is attempted or under way but not completed, and verse 15 confirms that John gave way. So BSB and NASB "tried to prevent," WEB "would have hindered," and NLT's "tried to talk him out of it" catch the sense better. What most English loses is the strength of the compound verb: this was not a polite hesitation but a determined effort to stop Jesus.

How it drifted

In 1611 "forbid" could mean "try to prevent," but modern readers hear an issued prohibition. The KJV wording now suggests more finality than the Greek has.

Used elsewhere in the period

The verb occurs only here in the New Testament. In the Greek Old Testament it appears in Judith 12:7, where Judith tells Holofernes' guards not to stop her going out at night. Josephus and other writers of the period use it for blocking or preventing an action.

Where it appears

Matthew · 1

  1. Matthew 3:14 διεκώλυεν was hindering

    But John tried to prevent Him, saying, “I need to be baptized by You, and do You come to me?”

    Here: A strengthened form of "hinder" in a past tense that pictures an ongoing or attempted action: John kept trying to stop him, in earnest, but did not succeed (v.15 says he finally let him). The only use of this verb in the New Testament.

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