"to distort, turn away; met. to pervert, corrupt, Mt. 17:17; Lk. 9:41; to turn out of the way, cause to make defection, Lk. 23:2; Acts 13:8; διεστραμμένος, perverse, corrupt, erroneous"
Definition and meaning
to distort, turn away; met. to pervert, corrupt, Mt. 17:17; Lk. 9:41; to turn out of the way, cause to make defection, Lk. 23:2; Acts 13:8; διεστραμμένος, perverse, corrupt, erroneous
In the original Greek the word is written: διαστρέφω
Historical context
Rome had controlled Judea since 63 BC. Herod the Great rebuilt the Temple into one of the most magnificent structures in the ancient world — and simultaneously murdered members of his own family. The common people paid multiple layers of taxation and were politically powerless. Into that world a carpenter from Galilee began teaching that the kingdom of God had arrived.
The people who first heard this word were not reading a book — they were living through empires, oppression, exile, and covenant. Every word carried the weight of that reality. Understanding it changes how you read Scripture.
Scripture references
These are the most notable occurrences of diastrepho (G1294) across the King James Bible.
Then Jesus answered and said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him hither to me.
And Jesus answering said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you, and suffer you? Bring thy son hither.
And they began to accuse him, saying, We found this fellow perverting the nation, and forbidding to give tribute to Caesar, saying that he himself is Christ a King.
But Elymas the sorcerer(for so is his name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn away the deputy from the faith.
And said, O full of all subtilty and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?
Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.
That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;
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Common questions
Strong's G1294 (diastrepho) is a Greek word that means: to distort, turn away; met. to pervert, corrupt, Mt. 17:17; Lk. 9:41; to turn out of the way, cause to make defection, Lk. 23:2; Acts 13:8; διεστραμμένος, perverse, corrupt, erroneous It appears 7 times in the King James Bible.
The word diastrepho (G1294) appears 7 times in the original Greek text.
Strong's G1294 is diastrepho, a Greek word defined as: to distort, turn away; met. to pervert, corrupt, Mt. 17:17; Lk. 9:41; to turn out of the way, cause to make defection, Lk. 23:2; Acts 13:8; διεστραμμέ. James Strong catalogued this in his 1890 concordance to help English readers study the original languages of the Bible.
diastrepho is a Greek word found in the New Testament.