Greek word · G1294

διαστρέφω

diastrephō

to pervert

To twist or bend out of shape, distort; to turn someone aside or mislead them; in the passive, to be warped or corrupt. Used in Luke 9:41 ('twisted generation'), Luke 23:2 ('misleading our nation'), Acts 20:30 ('speaking twisted things'), and Phil 2:15.

Appears 7 times in 7 verses of the Greek New Testament. ·

What it means

δια-στρέφω

[in LXX for הָפַךְ, עָקַשׁ, etc. ;]

to distort, twist; metaphorically, to distort, pervert: Luke 23:2, Acts 13:8, 10; διεστραμμένος, perverse: Matthew 17:17, Luke 9:41, Acts 20:30, Philippians 2:15.†

(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 Acts 13:10

Range of meaning

To twist or bend out of shape, distort; to turn someone aside or mislead them; in the passive, to be warped or corrupt. Used in Luke 9:41 ('twisted generation'), Luke 23:2 ('misleading our nation'), Acts 20:30 ('speaking twisted things'), and Phil 2:15.

Against the English

BSB, NIV and NLT 'perverting'; KJV and WEB 'pervert'; ESV and NASB 'make crooked'. 'Make crooked' keeps the picture of a road. 'Pervert' is correct in older English, but today it has a strong sexual sense that is entirely absent here.

How it drifted

From the late 19th century, 'pervert' (especially as a noun) became attached to sexual deviance, and many readers now hear that first.

Used elsewhere in the period

Proverbs 10:9 (Septuagint): 'he who twists (ho diastrephōn) his ways will be found out'. Deuteronomy 32:5 (Septuagint) calls Israel a 'crooked and twisted (diestrammenē) generation'. In Acts 13:8 Elymas tries 'to twist away' (diastrepsai) the proconsul from the faith.

From the study of Acts 13:8

Range of meaning

To twist or bend out of shape. Figuratively, to distort or pervert (truth, a person, a path), to mislead, or to turn someone aside from the right course.

Against the English

BSB and NIV "turn from" and KJV, ESV and NASB "turn away" give the direction but lose the twisting. YLT's "pervert" keeps the sense of distortion, though modern ears may hear "pervert" in a sexual sense. "Twist" or "divert" is closer.

Used elsewhere in the period

Deuteronomy 32:5 LXX describes Israel as "a crooked and twisted (diestrammenē) generation", echoed by Jesus in Luke 9:41 and by Paul in Philippians 2:15. Luke 23:2 has Jesus accused of "misleading (diastrephonta) our nation". In Acts 20:30 men will speak "twisted things" to draw disciples away. Proverbs 10:9 and 11:20 LXX set crooked ways against straight ones.

From the study of Luke 23:2

Range of meaning

Literally 'to twist apart, distort'. Figuratively: to make crooked, to turn someone from the right path, to mislead, corrupt or subvert. Used of people, it means leading them away from proper loyalty or conduct, often with a sense of causing unrest.

Against the English

KJV/WEB/YLT 'perverting', BSB/NIV 'subverting', ESV/NASB 'misleading', NLT 'leading astray'. 'Subverting' brings out the political edge. 'Misleading' brings out the religious and moral edge. The Greek can carry both.

How it drifted

The KJV's 'perverting' meant 'turning aside, corrupting' in 1611. Today 'pervert' leans strongly toward a sexual sense, which plays no part here.

Used elsewhere in the period

In the Greek Old Testament (LXX), Ahab calls Elijah the one 'troubling/twisting Israel' (3 Kingdoms [1 Kings] 18:17–18). Deut 32:5 LXX speaks of a 'crooked and twisted (diestrammenē) generation', which Jesus echoes in Luke 9:41. In Acts 13:8–10 Elymas tries to 'turn away' the proconsul and 'twists the straight ways of the Lord'. In Luke 23:14 Pilate restates the charge with a near-synonym: 'turning away (apostrephonta) the people'. Later Jewish and Christian sources keep a memory of Jesus being labelled one who 'led Israel astray' (b. Sanhedrin 43a; compare Justin, Dialogue 69.7, 'deceiver of the people').

Where it appears

Matthew · 1

  1. Matthew 17:17 διεστραμμένη, perverted,

    “O unbelieving and perverse generation!” Jesus replied. “How long must I remain with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring the boy here to Me.”

    Here: 'Having been twisted out of shape'. The Greek tense (the perfect) describes a settled, bent condition, not a single act. The phrase quotes Moses' song about rebellious Israel in Deuteronomy 32:5.

Luke · 2

  1. Luke 9:41 διεστραμμένη, perverted,

    “O unbelieving and perverse generation!” Jesus replied. “How long must I remain with you and put up with you? Bring your son here.”

    Here: Literally 'having been twisted out of shape'. The perfect participle describes a settled state: bent and warped, no longer straight. The wording comes from Moses' song (Deut 32:5 in the Greek Old Testament). It means moral crookedness, not sexual perversion.

  2. Luke 23:2 διαστρέφοντα misleading

    And they began to accuse Him, saying, “We found this man subverting our nation, forbidding payment of taxes to Caesar, and proclaiming Himself to be Christ, a King.”

    Here: Literally 'twisting apart'. It means turning people from the right way and so destabilising them. The present tense shows an ongoing activity: a habitual troublemaker, not one slip.

Acts · 3

  1. Acts 13:8 διαστρέψαι to turn away

    But Elymas the sorcerer (for that is what his name means) opposed them and tried to turn the proconsul from the faith.

    Here: Literally to twist something out of line. Paul throws the word back at him in v. 10: "will you not stop twisting (diastrephōn) the straight ways of the Lord?"

  2. Acts 13:10 διαστρέφων perverting

    and said, “O child of the devil and enemy of all righteousness, you are full of all kinds of deceit and trickery! Will you never stop perverting the straight ways of the Lord?

    Here: 'Twisting out of shape'. The present tense marks an ongoing habit. It is the same verb as v. 8, where Elymas tried 'to turn aside' (diastrepsai) the proconsul from the faith. He twists the roads and he twists people off them.

  3. Acts 20:30 διεστραμμένα perverted [things]

    Even from your own number, men will rise up and distort the truth to draw away disciples after them.

    Here: Perfect passive participle used as a noun: 'things that have been twisted', things bent out of their true shape. What they say is crooked, a warped version of what they were taught, not a wholly foreign message.

Philippians · 1

  1. Philippians 2:15 διεστραμμένης perverted

    so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and perverse generation, in which you shine as lights in the world

    Here: A perfect participle, describing a lasting condition that results from a past action: 'having been twisted out of shape, and staying that way'. It refers to moral distortion in general, not specifically to sexual matters.

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