Understanding διαλαλέω (dialaleó) Strong’s G1255: The Divine Communication that Spreads Throughout Communities

Pronunciation Guide: dee-ah-lah-LEH-oh

Basic Definition

Strong’s G1255: διαλαλέω (dialaleó) describes the act of conversing with others or discussing something thoroughly, with an emphasis on the spreading of information throughout a community. It carries the sense of news or a message being disseminated widely through conversation, often with a connotation of intensity or thoroughness. The word implies not just simple talking but communication that travels from person to person across a geographical area or social network.

Etymology and Morphology

• Part of Speech: Verb
• Root Words: Compound of διά (dia, “through, thoroughly”) + λαλέω (laleó, “to speak, talk”)
• Language Origin: Koine Greek
• Primary Usage: Narrative sections, particularly in Luke’s writings to depict the spread of significant news

διαλαλέω Morphology:

• διαλαλέω (present active indicative, 1st person singular) – I discuss thoroughly/spread by word of mouth
• διαλαλεῖς (present active indicative, 2nd person singular) – you discuss thoroughly/spread by word of mouth
• διαλαλεῖ (present active indicative, 3rd person singular) – he/she/it discusses thoroughly/spreads by word of mouth
• διελάλουν (imperfect active indicative, 3rd person plural) – they were discussing thoroughly/spreading by word of mouth
• διελαλεῖτο (imperfect passive indicative, 3rd person singular) – it was being discussed thoroughly/spread by word of mouth

Origin & History

The compound verb διαλαλέω combines the preposition διά (dia), which often carries the meaning of “through” or “thoroughly,” with the verb λαλέω (laleó), “to speak” or “to talk.” This combination creates the sense of speech that moves through a community or is thoroughly discussed among people. While not common in classical Greek literature, the concept of thorough communication is present in works like Plato’s dialogues, where discussion (διάλογος, dialogos) is emphasized as a means of discovering truth.

In the Septuagint (LXX), the Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible, διαλαλέω appears in 1 Samuel 2:24 where Eli confronts his sons about the reports that are being spread throughout the people of Israel concerning their misconduct. The spreading of information through conversation is a key component of the word’s usage in this context, carrying a sense of public knowledge that has become widespread through verbal transmission.

Expanded Definitions & Translation Options

• Discussing thoroughly or widely among a group
• Spreading news or information by word of mouth throughout a community
• Conversing with others about a matter of significance
• Talking through or about something in a way that extends to others

διαλαλέω Translation Options:

• Spread by word of mouth – This captures the sense of information moving through a community
• Discuss widely – Emphasizes the thorough nature of the communication
• Talk about everywhere – Highlights the geographical spread of the conversation
• Converse throughout – Conveys the interactive and extensive nature of the communication
• Disseminate through conversation – Reflects the transmission of information through verbal means

Biblical Usage

In the New Testament, διαλαλέω appears most notably in Luke’s Gospel, where it describes how news of significant events spread throughout communities. The first appearance of the word is in Luke 1:65, where news of Zechariah’s miraculous experience and the unusual naming of John the Baptist became a topic of conversation throughout the hill country of Judea. This usage demonstrates how divine interventions often become subjects of widespread discussion, reflecting the natural human tendency to share remarkable events.

The word’s usage in the New Testament consistently relates to the spreading of news about Messianic events or miraculous occurrences, suggesting a divine purpose in the dissemination of information. When God acts in history, people naturally talk about it, and this word captures that process of verbal transmission that builds awareness of יהוה’s (Yahweh’s) mighty deeds.

• “And fear came on all their neighbors. And all these things were talked about [διελαλεῖτο] through all the hill country of Judea.” Luke 1:65
• “But they, upon going out, spread the news about Him [διελάλουν] in all that land.” Matthew 9:31 (describing how the healed blind men spread word about Jesus)
• “And they began discussing [διελάλουν] with one another what they might do to Jesus.” Luke 6:11

Cultural Insights

In the ancient Near Eastern world, news traveled primarily through word of mouth, making the process described by διαλαλέω essential to community awareness and social cohesion. Village life centered around communal spaces like wells, markets, and synagogues where people would gather and share information. The “hill country of Judea” mentioned in Luke 1:65 consisted of numerous small, interconnected communities where news would travel from village to village along established trade and family networks.

This pattern of information spreading is reflective of the Jewish concept of “shemu’ah” (שְׁמוּעָה) or “report/news” that travels through a community. In rabbinic tradition, the sharing of important teachings and interpretations was considered a sacred duty, and the oral transmission of Torah was paramount in preserving Jewish identity and faith. The διαλαλέω process in Luke 1:65 indicates that the community recognized something of divine significance in the events surrounding John’s birth, prompting them to ensure others heard about it as well.

Theological Significance

The use of διαλαλέω in the context of spreading news about divine interventions reveals an important theological principle: God’s actions in history are meant to be shared and discussed among His people and beyond. When Zechariah’s voice was restored and he named his son John, the subsequent spreading of this news throughout the Judean countryside served as divine preparation for John’s future ministry. The word highlights how יהוה (Yahweh) often works through human communication networks to prepare people’s hearts for His message.

This pattern points to the way God’s redemptive plan unfolds—not in isolation but in community, with each divine act becoming a topic of conversation that prepares the way for the next stage of revelation. The Messiah’s coming was preceded by a network of testimonies and discussions that created anticipation and receptivity. In this sense, διαλαλέω represents an essential component of God’s communication strategy, using human relationships and conversations to extend the knowledge of His mighty deeds.

The fact that this word appears at the beginning of Luke’s Gospel in connection with John’s birth narratively parallels the end of Luke’s Gospel and the book of Acts, where the good news of Jesus spreads outward from Jerusalem to the ends of the earth. Divine revelation begins with localized events that become widely discussed, eventually transforming communities and nations through the power of transmitted testimony.

Personal Application

When we encounter God’s work in our lives or witness His intervention in someone else’s life, we naturally want to tell others. This impulse to “διαλαλέω” – to spread the news through conversation – is a God-given means of extending His influence. Consider how your own testimony of God’s faithfulness or power might spread through your community, bringing encouragement and building faith in others who hear it.

In our digital age, we have unprecedented opportunities for “διαλαλέω” across vast distances and diverse communities. Yet the principle remains the same: personal communication about God’s mighty deeds creates ripples of influence that can prepare hearts to receive Him. As you share your encounters with the Divine, whether around a dinner table or through modern communication channels, you participate in this ancient pattern of spreading God’s fame through faithful testimony.

Related Words

• λαλέω (laleó) [lah-LEH-oh] – “to speak, talk” – The base verb from which διαλαλέω is formed, focusing on the act of speaking itself rather than the distribution of information through a community. See G2980
• διαλέγομαι (dialegomai) [dee-ah-LEG-oh-my] – “to discuss, reason, argue” – While similar in construction to διαλαλέω, this term emphasizes rational discourse or debate rather than the spread of news. See G1256
• διαγγέλλω (diaggellō) [dee-ang-GEL-lo] – “to proclaim, declare abroad” – More formal proclamation compared to the conversational nature of διαλαλέω. See G1229
• διαφημίζω (diaphēmizō) [dee-ah-fay-MEE-zo] – “to spread abroad a report, publish” – Similar to διαλαλέω but with greater emphasis on publicity and widespread fame. See G1310
• κηρύσσω (kēryssō) [kay-ROOS-so] – “to proclaim, preach” – More formal public announcement as opposed to the informal conversations implied by διαλαλέω. See G2784

Did you Know?

• Did you know that the pattern of news spreading described by διαλαλέω in Luke 1:65 could take as little as a few days to reach throughout the Judean hill country? Archaeological studies of ancient communication patterns suggest that news could travel approximately 15-20 miles per day along established routes, meaning that within a week, most communities in the region would have heard about significant events through this word-of-mouth network.
• Did you know that Jewish communities maintained a sophisticated oral tradition that made the process of διαλαλέω remarkably accurate? Professional memorizers called “tannaim” could recite vast portions of oral teaching verbatim, and traditional Jewish educational methods emphasized precise repetition. This cultural context helps us understand how the events surrounding John’s birth could be transmitted with reliability throughout the hill country of Judea.
• Did you know that the διαλαλέω process described in the New Testament has a modern parallel in the phenomenon sociologists call “diffusion of innovations”? This theory describes how new ideas spread through social networks via personal conversations and relationships—precisely the kind of communication described by this ancient Greek term. The gospel itself spread through early communities following this pattern of personal testimonies shared conversationally from person to person.

Remember This

διαλαλέω reminds us that God’s mighty works are meant to be discussed, shared, and spread throughout communities, creating ripples of testimony that prepare hearts for Divine encounter.