διασπάω
diaspaō
to tear apart
Lexicon Entry
Lexicon data from STEPBible TIPNR, Tyndale House, Cambridge. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
What Original Readers Understood
ExploredThe Greek word διασπάω (diaspaō) is a verb that means "to tear apart." This physical action can be applied to various contexts, including the separation of objects or the breaking of bonds. With only two occurrences in the Bible, its usage is limited, but it provides insight into the intensity of the action described. In its limited biblical usage, διασπάω is used to convey a sense of forceful separation. Without more context, it is difficult to determine the full range of its application, but it is clear that it implies a significant and possibly violent action. This verb's significance lies in its ability to describe the intense physical action of tearing something apart, which can be a powerful metaphor for a range of abstract concepts.
Source data & methodology
Occurrences in Scripture
2 total occurrences across the text
because he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been torn apart by him, and the fetters broken in pieces. Nobody had the strength to tame him.
Acts 23:10When a great argument arose, the commanding officer, fearing that Paul would be torn in pieces by them, commanded the soldiers to go down and take him by force from among them, and bring him into the barracks.