Greek word · G1315

διαχειρίζω

diacheirizō

to kill

From 'through' + 'hand': to handle or manage. In the middle voice it became a strong word for 'lay violent hands on, kill, make away with.'

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

What it means

δια-χειρίζω

(χείρ),

to have in hand, conduct, manage. Mid.

(a) = act.;

(b) in late writers (Polyb., FlJ, al.), to lay hands on, kill: with accusative, Acts 5:30 26:21.†

(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 26:21

Range of meaning

From 'through' + 'hand': to handle or manage. In the middle voice it became a strong word for 'lay violent hands on, kill, make away with.'

Against the English

'Kill' (BSB, ESV, WEB) is right. 'Put to death' (NASB) can sound like a legal execution. The Greek suggests hands-on violence.

Used elsewhere in the period

Used for killing in Hellenistic historians such as Polybius and Diodorus, and in Josephus (per BDAG). The only other New Testament use is Acts 5:30, 'Jesus, whom you killed by hanging him on a tree.'

From the study of Acts 5:30

Range of meaning

Literally 'to take in hand, to handle'. In the active it means to manage or administer affairs. In the middle voice, as here, it means 'to lay violent hands on, to do away with, to murder' (BDAG).

Against the English

'Killed' and 'slew' are accurate but weaker. The Greek is more physical and more pointed, close to 'you laid hands on him and finished him off'.

Used elsewhere in the period

In the New Testament it appears only here and at Acts 26:21, where the Jews tried 'to kill' Paul. In Hellenistic historians such as Polybius and Diodorus the middle voice is used for killing or murder.

Where it appears

Acts · 2

  1. Acts 5:30 διεχειρίσασθε killed

    The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you had killed by hanging Him on a tree.

    Here: A blunt, physical word, roughly 'you did away with him'. It assigns the killing to the council even though Roman soldiers carried it out.

  2. Acts 26:21 διαχειρίσασθαι. to kill.

    For this reason the Jews seized me in the temple courts and tried to kill me.

    Here: Literally 'to handle with the hands,' and in use 'to kill, murder.' It suggests killing by direct violence, which fits a mob beating a man (Acts 21:31–32). The only other New Testament use is Acts 5:30, where it describes Jesus' death.

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