Greek word · G1255

διαλαλέω

dialaleō

to discuss

To talk something over, discuss back and forth, spread talk around.

Appears 2 times in 2 verses of the Greek New Testament. ·

What it means

δια-λαλέω, -ῶ

[in Sm.: Psalm 51:16, and al. ;]

1. to talk with: πρός, Luke 6:11.

2. to talk over: pass., Luke 1:65.†

(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 Luke 6:11

Range of meaning

To talk something over, discuss back and forth, spread talk around.

Against the English

'Discussed' (BSB, ESV, NASB), 'talked with one another' (WEB), 'communed one with another' (KJV), 'were speaking with one another' (YLT). All are accurate. The KJV's 'communed' just means 'conferred' in older English. Only BSB ('began to discuss') and YLT ('were speaking') clearly show that the talk went on and on.

Used elsewhere in the period

In the New Testament only Luke uses it: 1:65, where news about John's birth is 'talked about' through the hill country, and here. In Greek generally it is a neutral word for conversation.

Where it appears

Luke · 2

  1. Luke 1:65 διελαλεῖτο were being talked about

    All their neighbors were filled with awe, and people throughout the hill country of Judea were talking about these events.

  2. Luke 6:11 διελάλουν were discussing

    But the scribes and Pharisees were filled with rage and began to discuss with one another what they might do to Jesus.

    Here: The imperfect tense shows ongoing action: they kept talking it through among themselves. The prefix dia- suggests talk passing back and forth. In the New Testament only Luke uses this word (also 1:65).

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