διαπονέομαι

Pronunciation Guide: dee-ap-on-eh’-om-ahee

Basic Definition

Strong’s G1278: Διαπονέομαι (diaponeοmai) expresses being thoroughly grieved, deeply troubled, or greatly vexed to the point of indignation when confronted with something perceived as wrong. In biblical contexts, it often carries the connotation of being so disturbed by spiritual opposition that one is moved to action. The word conveys an emotional response that combines sorrow, anger, and zeal when witnessing falsehood contrary to divine truth.

Etymology and Morphology

• Part of Speech: Middle/Passive Deponent Verb
• Root Words: Compound of διά (dia, “through, thoroughly”) + πονέω (poneō, “to labor, toil, be distressed”)
• Language Origin: Koine Greek
• Primary Usage: Found in narrative sections, particularly in Acts
• Frequency: Rare (appears only twice in the New Testament)

Διαπονέομαι Morphology:

• διαπονέομαι (present indicative middle/passive 1st person singular) – I am thoroughly grieved
• διαπονούμαι (present indicative middle/passive 1st person singular, alternate form) – I am thoroughly grieved
• διεπονήθησαν (aorist indicative passive 3rd person plural) – they were thoroughly grieved
• διαπονούμενος (present middle/passive participle masculine nominative singular) – being thoroughly grieved
• διαπονηθέντες (aorist passive participle masculine nominative plural) – having been thoroughly grieved

Origin & History

The verb διαπονέομαι evolved from the more common πονέω (poneō), which originally referred to physical labor or toil in classical Greek literature. Xenophon used it in his “Memorabilia” to describe the exertion of labor and effort. The addition of the intensive prefix διά (dia) transformed the meaning to indicate thoroughness or intensity of the emotional distress.

In the Septuagint (LXX), forms of πονέω appear in contexts of suffering, pain, and grief, though διαπονέομαι itself is not found. This suggests that the compound form may have developed in Hellenistic Greek to express a more specific kind of emotional vexation. Early church father Origen, in his commentaries on Acts, interprets διαπονέομαι as reflecting the deep spiritual disturbance felt by religious authorities when their established teachings were challenged by apostolic preaching.

Expanded Definitions & Translation Options

• Deep, thorough grief or vexation in response to perceived wrongdoing
• Intense distress leading to indignation when confronted with spiritual opposition
• Being greatly annoyed or disturbed to the point of taking action
• Experiencing emotional turmoil that combines sorrow and anger

Διαπονέομαι Translation Options:

• Being deeply troubled – Emphasizes the emotional distress aspect of the word
• Being thoroughly grieved – Highlights the sorrow component while maintaining the intensity implied by διά
• Being greatly annoyed – Captures the irritation aspect that often leads to reaction
• Being indignant – Reflects the righteous anger dimension that motivates opposition
• Being greatly distressed – Conveys the overall emotional impact without specifying whether anger or sorrow predominates

Biblical Usage

Διαπονέομαι appears only twice in the New Testament, both times in the book of Acts, and both instances involve religious authorities reacting negatively to the apostles’ teaching. In Acts 4:2, the priests, temple captain, and Sadducees were “greatly disturbed” (διαπονούμενοι) because Peter and John were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. The term captures their theological opposition stemming from the Sadducees’ rejection of resurrection.

The second occurrence in Acts 16:18 describes Paul’s reaction to a slave girl with a spirit of divination who followed them for many days. The text states that Paul was “greatly annoyed” (διαπονηθείς), prompting him to cast out the spirit. In this case, the emotional response led to decisive spiritual action.

Biblical occurrences:

• “Being greatly disturbed [διαπονούμενοι] because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead.” Acts 4:2
• “But Paul, greatly annoyed [διαπονηθείς], turned and said to the spirit, ‘I command you in the name of Jesus the Messiah to come out of her.’ And it came out that very hour.” Acts 16:18

Cultural Insights

The religious leaders’ διαπονέομαι reaction in Acts 4:2 must be understood within the context of Second Temple Judaism’s theological divisions. The Sadducees, who held significant power in the Jerusalem Temple administration, explicitly rejected the concept of resurrection. This theological position was not merely academic but formed a cornerstone of their religious identity and authority structure. The apostles’ proclamation of Jesus’ resurrection directly challenged this fundamental tenet, making their διαπονέομαι response more than mere annoyance—it was an existential threat to their religious worldview.

Moreover, in Greco-Roman culture, public teaching was a regulated activity often reserved for recognized authorities. The apostles’ unauthorized teaching in the temple precincts represented a challenge to established hierarchies of knowledge transmission. This cultural context illuminates why the leaders’ response wasn’t simply disagreement but the deep vexation captured by διαπονέομαι—they perceived a threat to both theological doctrine and social order, prompting their subsequent actions to silence the apostles.

Theological Significance

Διαπονέομαι illuminates an important spiritual principle regarding opposition to truth. In both biblical occurrences, we see a pattern: what deeply troubles or vexes a person reveals their spiritual allegiances. The religious leaders were διαπονούμενοι by resurrection truth because it threatened their theological paradigm, while Paul was διαπονηθείς by demonic counterfeiting of spiritual authority. This reveals how our deepest vexations often expose what we truly value and serve.

The word also highlights the inevitable conflict between the Kingdom of God and spiritual opposition. When Yahweh’s truth advances through His servants, those aligned with contrary spiritual forces experience διαπονέομαι—not merely intellectual disagreement but a profound disturbance that provokes action. This teaches us that genuine spiritual breakthrough often triggers heightened opposition precisely because truth disturbs entrenched spiritual strongholds. The Messiah warned His followers to expect such resistance: “If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you” (John 15:20). Διαπονέομαι captures the deeper spiritual dynamics beneath this persecution.

Personal Application

When we encounter διαπονέομαι reactions to our witness, we should recognize this as potential confirmation we’re touching spiritual nerve points. Rather than being discouraged by opposition, we can understand it as evidence that truth is penetrating darkness. The religious leaders’ διαπονέομαι response didn’t stop God’s purposes; in fact, Acts 4:4 immediately notes that “many of those who had heard the word believed, and they numbered about five thousand men.”

Similarly, we must examine our own διαπονέομαι moments—what deeply vexes or troubles us? Do we, like Paul, experience godly διαπονέομαι when confronted with spiritual counterfeits, moving us to appropriate action? Or do we, like the Sadducees, feel διαπονέομαι when our theological comfort zones are challenged? Our moments of deep vexation often reveal where our hearts truly reside and which kingdom we’re actually serving. Through honest self-examination, we can invite the Holy Spirit to purify our emotional reactions, ensuring our διαπονέομαι responses align with God’s heart rather than our self-protection.

Related Words

• λυπέω (lypeō, pronounced loo-PEH-oh) – to grieve or cause pain, but generally lacks the intensity and indignation of διαπονέομαι. While διαπονέομαι often prompts action, λυπέω frequently describes a more passive emotional state. See G3076
• ἀγανακτέω (aganakteō, pronounced ah-gan-ak-TEH-oh) – to be indignant or greatly displeased, emphasizing the anger component more strongly than διαπονέομαι, which balances grief with indignation. See G23
• παροξύνομαι (paroxynomai, pronounced par-ox-OO-no-mai) – to be provoked or stirred to anger, focusing more on the stimulation to action than the underlying emotional distress that characterizes διαπονέομαι. See G3947
• ταράσσω (tarassō, pronounced tar-AS-so) – to trouble, disturb, or agitate, often with fear or anxiety rather than the moral indignation suggested by διαπονέομαι. See G5015
• βαρέω (bareō, pronounced bar-EH-o) – to burden or weigh down, which can describe emotional heaviness but lacks the specific connotation of being troubled by wrongdoing or falsehood found in διαπονέομαι. See G916

Did You Know?

• Did you know that διαπονέομαι represents a specific type of emotional response that was recognized in ancient medical writings? Greek physician Galen described similar emotional states where grief and indignation combined to produce physical effects on the body, particularly affecting what he called the “vital spirits.” This understanding would have informed how the original readers of Acts interpreted the responses of both the religious leaders and Paul, seeing their διαπονέομαι as not merely mental but as affecting their entire being.
• Did you know that in modern Greek, derivatives of the root word πόνος still refer to pain, labor, and suffering? The modern Greek expression “με πονάει η καρδιά” (my heart hurts me) carries emotional connotations similar to διαπονέομαι, reflecting how this ancient concept of deep, action-provoking distress remains embedded in Greek emotional vocabulary today.
• Did you know that Paul’s διαπονηθείς reaction in Acts 16:18 occurred only after several days of the slave girl following them? This detail reveals an important aspect of the word’s meaning—διαπονέομαι often represents not an immediate reaction but a building emotional response that reaches a tipping point, prompting decisive action. This teaches us about the progressive nature of spiritual discernment, where recognition of certain situations may require time and accumulated evidence.

Remember This

Διαπονέομαι reveals that our deepest vexations are spiritual barometers, exposing either our alignment with God’s truth or our entrenchment in human traditions—what thoroughly grieves us ultimately unveils what truly governs us.