διώκω

imperfect ἐδίωκον; future διώξω (Mt 23:34; Lk 21:12; Jn 15:20; 2 Sam 22:38; Wis. 19:2; a rarer form for the more common Attic διώξομαι, cf. Alexander Buttmann (1873) Ausf. Spr: 2:154; Winers Grammar, 84 (80); (Buttmann, 53 (46); especially Veitch, under the word; Rutherford, New Phryn., p. 377)); 1 aorist ἐδίωξα; passive (present διώκομαι); perfect participle δεδιωγμενος; 1 future διωχθήσομαι; (from δίω, to flee); the Sept. commonly for רָדַף;
1. to make to run or flee, put to flight, drive away: (τινα) ἀπό πόλεως εἰς πόλιν, Mt 23:34, cf. 10:23 Griesbach
2. to run swiftly in order to catch some person or thing, to run after; absolutely (Homer, Iliad 23, 344; Sophocles El. 738, etc.; διώκειν δρόμῳ, Xenophon, an. 6, 5, 25; cf. 7, 2, 20), to press on: figuratively, of one who in a race runs swiftly to reach the goal, Phm 3:12 (where distinguished from καταλαμβάνειν (cf. Herodotus 9, 58; Lucian, Hermot. 77)), Phm 3:14. to pursue (in a hostile manner): τινα, Acts 26:11; Rev 12:13.
3. Hence, in any way whatever to harass, trouble, molest one; to persecute, (cf. Latinpersequor, German verfolgen): Mt 5:10-12, Mt 5:44; Mt 10:23; Lk 21:12; ( WH Tr marginal reading); Jn 5:16; Jn 15:20; Acts 7:52; Acts 9:4; Acts 22:4, Acts 22:7; Acts 26:14; Rom 12:14; 1 Cor 4:12; 1 Cor 15:9; 2 Cor 4:9; Gal 1:13, Gal 1:23; Gal 4:29; Gal 5:11; Phm 3:6; 2 Tim 3:12; passive with a dative denoting the cause, to be maltreated, suffer persecution on account of something, Gal 6:12 (here L marginal reading T read διωκονται (others, διώκωνται), see WHs Appendix, p. 169; on the dative see Winers Grammar, § 31, 6 c.; Buttmann, 186 (161)).
4. without the idea of hostility, to run after, follow after: someone, Lk 17:23.
5. metaphorically, with the accusative of thing, to pursue i. e. to seek after eagerly, earnestly endeavor to acquire: Rom 9:30 (distinguished here from καταλαμβάνειν); 1 Tim 6:11; 2 Tim 2:22 (in both passages opposed to φεύγειν); νόμον δικαιοσύνης, Rom 9:31 (Prov 15:9; τό δίκαιον, Deut 16:20; Sir. 27:8, where distinguished from καταλαμβάνειν); τήν φιλοξενίαν, Rom 12:13; τά τῆς εἰρήνης, Rom 14:19 (here L marginal reading Tr marginal reading WH marginal reading T read διώκομεν (for the διώκωμεν of others), see (WH's Appendix, p. 169); τήν ἀγάπην, 1 Cor 14:1; τό ἀγαθόν, 1 Thess 5:15; εἰρήνην, Heb 12:14; 1 Pet 3:11 (here joined with ζητεῖν τί); times without number in Greek writings (from Homer, Iliad 17, 75 διώκειν ἀκιχητα on; as τιμάς, ἀρετήν, τά καλά (cf. Winer's Grammar, 30.)). (Compare: ἐκδιώκω, καταδιώκω.)