A prolonged (and causative) form of a primary verb dio (to flee; compare the base of deilos and diakonos); to pursue (literally or figuratively); by implication, to persecute -- ensue, follow (after), given to, (suffer) persecute(-ion), press forward.

see GREEK deilos

see GREEK diakonos

1. to make to run or flee, put to flight, drive away: (τινα) ἀπό πόλεως εἰς πόλιν, Matthew 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, Philippians 3:12 (where distinguished from καταλαμβάνειν (cf. Herodotus 9, 58; Lucian, Hermot. 77)), Philippians 3:14. to pursue (in a hostile manner): τινα, Acts 26:11; Revelation 12:13.

3. Hence, in any way whatever to harass, trouble, molest one; to persecute, (cf. Latinpersequor, German verfolgen): Matthew 5:10-12, 44; Matthew 10:23; Luke 21:12; ( WH Tr marginal reading); John 5:16; John 15:20; Acts 7:52; Acts 9:4; Acts 22:4, 7; Acts 26:14; Romans 12:14; 1 Corinthians 4:12; 1 Corinthians 15:9; 2 Corinthians 4:9; Galatians 1:13, 23; Galatians 4:29; Galatians 5:11; Philippians 3:6; 2 Timothy 3:12; passive with a dative denoting the cause, to be maltreated, suffer persecution on account of something, Galatians 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, Luke 17:23.

5. metaphorically, with the accusative of thing, to pursue i. e. to seek after eagerly, earnestly endeavor to acquire: Romans 9:30 (distinguished here from καταλαμβάνειν); 1 Timothy 6:11; 2 Timothy 2:22 (in both passages opposed to φεύγειν); νόμον δικαιοσύνης, Romans 9:31 (Proverbs 15:9; τό δίκαιον, Deuteronomy 16:20; Sir. 27:8, where distinguished from καταλαμβάνειν); τήν φιλοξενίαν, Romans 12:13; τά τῆς εἰρήνης, Romans 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 Corinthians 14:1; τό ἀγαθόν, 1 Thessalonians 5:15; εἰρήνην, Hebrews 12:14; 1 Peter 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.)