1253. diakrisis

Lexicon

diakrisis: Discernment, distinguishing, judgment

Original Word: διάκρισις
Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine
Transliteration: diakrisis
Pronunciation: dee-AH-kree-sis
Phonetic Spelling: (dee-ak'-ree-sis)
Definition: Discernment, distinguishing, judgment
Meaning: distinguishing; hence: deciding, passing sentence on; the act of judgment, discernment.

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

discerning, disputation.

From diakrino; judicial estimation -- discern(-ing), disputation.

see GREEK diakrino

HELPS Word-studies

Cognate: 1253 diákrisis (from 1252 /diakrínō, see there) – properly, a thorough judgment, i.e. a discernment (conclusion) which distinguishes "look-alikes," i.e. things that appear to be the same. (Note the intensifying force of the prefix, dia.) See also 1252 (diakrínō).

Example: Heb 5:14: "But solid food relates to mature people (5046 /téleios), of those having the sense-faculties trained ('exercised,' Gk perfect tense) on account of the habit – [namely] for (4314 /prós) discernment (1253 /diákrisis), of both good ('in combination with,' 5037 /té] and [what is] miserably-bad."

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
from diakrinó
Definition
the act of judgment
NASB Translation
discern (1), distinguishing (1), passing judgment (1).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon

STRONGS NT 1253: διάκρισις

διάκρισις, διακρισεως, ἡ (διακρίνω), a distinguishing, discerning, judging: πνευμάτων, 1 Corinthians 12:10; καλοῦ τέ καί κακοῦ, Hebrews 5:14; μή εἰς διακρίσεις διαλογισμῶν, not for the purpose of passing judgment on opinions, as to which one is to be preferred as the more correct, Romans 14:1 (see διαλοσμος, 1). (Xenophon, Plato, others.)

Topical Lexicon

Word Origin: Derived from the Greek verb διακρίνω (diakrinō), which means "to distinguish," "to discern," or "to judge."

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: While διάκρισις is a Greek term, its concept can be related to several Hebrew words that convey similar meanings of discernment and judgment. These include:

- בִּין (bin) • Strong's Hebrew 995: To discern, understand, or perceive.
- שָׁפַט (shaphat) • Strong's Hebrew 8199: To judge, govern, or make decisions.
- נָבַן (naban) • Strong's Hebrew 995: To discern or understand.

These Hebrew terms reflect the Old Testament emphasis on discernment as a vital aspect of wisdom and leadership, paralleling the New Testament understanding of διάκρισις as a spiritual gift.

Usage: The word διάκρισις is used in the New Testament to describe the spiritual gift of discernment, particularly in distinguishing between true and false spirits or teachings. It appears in contexts where spiritual insight and judgment are necessary for the edification and protection of the Christian community.

Context: The Greek term διάκρισις is a noun that appears in the New Testament, specifically in the context of spiritual gifts. It is most notably found in 1 Corinthians 12:10, where it is listed among the gifts of the Spirit: "to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in various tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues" (BSB). Here, διάκρισις is translated as "distinguishing between spirits," highlighting its role in discerning the authenticity and origin of spiritual manifestations.

In the early Christian community, the gift of διάκρισις was crucial for maintaining doctrinal purity and spiritual integrity. It enabled believers to identify false prophets and teachings that could lead the church astray. This discernment was not merely a natural ability but was considered a supernatural endowment from the Holy Spirit, empowering individuals to perceive spiritual realities beyond human wisdom.

The concept of διάκρισις extends beyond mere intellectual judgment; it involves a deep spiritual insight that aligns with God's truth. It is closely related to wisdom and knowledge, as it requires an understanding of God's will and the ability to apply it in various situations. The exercise of this gift was essential for the early church as it navigated challenges from both within and outside its community.

Forms and Transliterations

διακρισεις διακρίσεις διακρισιν διάκρισιν διακύπτειν διακύψη διέκυπτε διέκυψαν διέκυψε διέκυψεν diakriseis diakríseis diakrisin diákrisin

Englishman's Concordance

Romans 14:1 N-AFP
GRK: μὴ εἰς διακρίσεις διαλογισμῶν
NAS: in faith, [but] not for [the purpose of] passing judgment on his opinions.
KJV: to doubtful disputations.
INT: not for decisions of thoughts

1 Corinthians 12:10 N-NFP
GRK: ἄλλῳ δὲ διακρίσεις πνευμάτων ἑτέρῳ
NAS: and to another the distinguishing of spirits,
KJV: to another discerning of spirits;
INT: to another moreover discerning of spirits and to a different one

Hebrews 5:14 N-AFS
GRK: ἐχόντων πρὸς διάκρισιν καλοῦ τε
NAS: trained to discern good
KJV: exercised to discern both good
INT: have for distinguishing good both

Strong's Greek 1253
3 Occurrences

διακρίσεις — 2 Occ.
διάκρισιν — 1 Occ.