Understanding διαγίνομαι (diaginomai) Strong’s G1230: The Passage of Time in God’s Perfect Plan

Pronunciation Guide: dee-ag-in’-om-ahee

Basic Definition

Strong’s G1230: The Greek verb διαγίνομαι (diaginomai) fundamentally conveys the concept of “passing through” or “elapsing,” particularly in reference to time. It signifies the completion of a specified interval or duration, emphasizing not merely time’s passage but the fulfillment of an appointed period. In biblical contexts, this word often carries theological significance beyond mere chronology, suggesting divine timing and the unfolding of God’s purposes through the progression of events.

Etymology and Morphology

• Part of Speech: Verb
• Root Components: Formed from the preposition διά (dia, “through”) + γίνομαι (ginomai, “to become, to come into being”)
• Language Origin: Koine Greek
• Primary Usage: Primarily found in narrative sections, especially in historical accounts marking temporal transitions between significant events

διαγίνομαι Morphology:

• διαγίνομαι (present infinitive) – to elapse, to pass through completely
• διαγενομένου (aorist participle, genitive singular masculine) – having elapsed
• διαγενομένων (aorist participle, genitive plural) – of those having elapsed
• διαγένηται (aorist subjunctive, 3rd person singular) – it might elapse

Origin & History

The verb διαγίνομαι has ancient roots in classical Greek literature, where it functioned as a temporal marker denoting the complete passage of a defined period. In works such as Herodotus’ “Histories,” the term appears when describing chronological sequences between significant historical events, often with implications of completion or fulfillment. This usage established its primary semantic function of marking a full interval of time that has run its course.

In the Septuagint (LXX), διαγίνομαι appears in several passages, including Leviticus 25:22, where it marks the duration until the new harvest, underscoring God’s provision throughout a complete agricultural cycle. This usage in the Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures reinforced the word’s association with divinely appointed periods and seasons, adding theological weight to what might otherwise be considered merely chronological notation. Early patristic literature, such as Clement of Alexandria’s “Stromata,” continued this tradition by employing διαγίνομαι when discussing the fulfillment of prophetic time frames, suggesting the completion of God’s predetermined seasons.

Expanded Definitions & Translation Options

• The complete passage or elapsing of a specified time period
• The interval between significant events, particularly when marking a transition
• The fulfillment of an appointed time with emphasis on completion
• The duration of a process from beginning to conclusion

διαγίνομαι Translation Options:

• “Had elapsed” – Emphasizes completion of a defined interval, capturing the perfective aspect inherent in the διά (through) prefix which suggests thoroughness
• “Had passed” – Slightly less formal option that maintains the temporal emphasis while being more accessible to modern readers
• “Was completed” – Highlights the fulfillment aspect, particularly appropriate in contexts where the time period has theological significance
• “Had gone by” – More colloquial rendering that still preserves the core meaning of temporal progression
• “Was fulfilled” – Translation option that emphasizes the theological implications of appointed times reaching their divinely ordained conclusion

Biblical Usage

In the New Testament, διαγίνομαι occurs rarely but significantly, with its first appearance in Mark 16:1, where it marks the transition between the Sabbath and the first day of the week—a crucial chronological note framing the discovery of Yeshua’s empty tomb. This usage highlights the theological significance of time in the resurrection narrative, marking not merely the passing of hours but the transition between the old covenant (represented by the Sabbath) and the new reality inaugurated by the Messiah’s resurrection.

The term appears again in Acts 25:13 and Acts 27:9, both instances referring to significant intervals in Paul’s ministry journey. In these contexts, διαγίνομαι serves to advance the narrative while simultaneously suggesting divine orchestration of events. The word functions not merely as a chronological marker but as an indication that appointed times are being fulfilled according to God’s purposes, particularly as Paul’s ministry unfolds in accordance with Yeshua’s prophetic words about witness being borne “to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8).

• “When the Sabbath was past [διαγενομένου τοῦ σαββάτου], Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, bought spices, that they might come and anoint Him.” Mark 16:1
• “Now when some days had passed [Ἡμερῶν δὲ διαγενομένων], King Agrippa and Bernice arrived at Caesarea and greeted Festus.” Acts 25:13
• “When considerable time had passed [Ἱκανοῦ δὲ χρόνου διαγενομένου] and the voyage was now dangerous because even the Fast was already over, Paul began to admonish them.” Acts 27:9

Cultural Insights

In the ancient Mediterranean world, time was conceptualized differently than in our modern, chronologically precise culture. Rather than measuring time by abstract numerical units, ancient peoples often marked time through significant events, seasonal patterns, and liturgical observances. The use of διαγίνομαι in Mark 16:1 (“when the Sabbath was past”) reflects this event-based temporal orientation, marking time not by hours and minutes but by the completion of a sacred observance.

This cultural perspective illuminates why διαγίνομαι carries weight beyond mere chronology. For Jewish readers of the first century, the phrase “διαγενομένου τοῦ σαββάτου” (when the Sabbath was past) in Mark’s resurrection account would have evoked the entire theological framework of Sabbath observance—rest, completion, and divine ordering. The women’s inability to anoint Yeshua’s body until after the Sabbath observance demonstrates how religious law structured time itself, creating boundaries between sacred and ordinary periods. When Mark employs διαγίνομαι to mark this transition, he signals not merely a chronological fact but a theologically significant boundary-crossing between the time of waiting (Sabbath) and the time of discovery (first day of the week), mirroring the larger transition between death and resurrection.

Theological Significance

The strategic placement of διαγίνομαι in the New Testament narrative underscores a profound theological truth: God works within time while transcending it. In Mark 16:1, the word marks the necessary interval between Yeshua’s death and the discovery of His resurrection—a period that, though brief in human reckoning, encompasses the cosmic victory over death itself. The women could not approach the tomb until “the Sabbath was past” (διαγενομένου τοῦ σαββάτου), suggesting that even the revelation of resurrection adhered to the divine ordering of time established at creation.

This usage reveals how Yahweh’s redemptive work honors the very temporal boundaries He established. Just as creation unfolded in a divinely ordered sequence culminating in Sabbath rest, so too does new creation emerge following the completion of Sabbath—a theological symmetry highlighted by διαγίνομαι’s precise placement. Moreover, the word’s appearance in Acts (25:13, 27:9) reminds believers that what might appear as mere waiting or delay in human terms often serves divine purposes. Paul’s extended imprisonment and perilous voyage—both marked by διαγίνομαι—ultimately advanced the gospel in ways that direct paths might not have accomplished, demonstrating that God’s timing, though often mysterious to human perception, unfolds with perfect precision toward His appointed ends.

Personal Application

When we encounter periods of waiting in our spiritual journey—times when God seems silent or progress appears stalled—the concept embedded in διαγίνομαι offers profound reassurance. Just as the interval between Yeshua’s burial and the women’s discovery of the empty tomb was not empty time but rather the crucible of resurrection power, our seasons of apparent inactivity may be the very spaces in which God is working most powerfully. The passing time marked by διαγίνομαι is never wasted time in God’s economy.

Consider how you might reframe your perspective on waiting periods in your life. Rather than viewing them merely as delays to be endured, can you recognize them as divinely appointed intervals—each one pregnant with purpose and preparation for what lies ahead? When the text says “the Sabbath was past” (διαγενομένου τοῦ σαββάτου), it reminds us that God’s perfect timing often requires the completion of one season before the glory of the next can be revealed. Your current waiting period may be the necessary prelude to your next revelation of God’s faithfulness.

Related Words

• χρονίζω (chronizo, khron-id’-zo) – to spend time, delay, tarry; focuses on the extension of time rather than its completion. This term emphasizes duration while διαγίνομαι emphasizes passage through a complete interval. See G5549
• διατρίβω (diatribo, dee-at-ree’-bo) – to spend time, continue, remain; shares the διά prefix but emphasizes staying rather than passing through. While διαγίνομαι marks time’s progression, διατρίβω focuses on remaining in a place during that time. See G1304
• παρέρχομαι (parerchomai, par-er’-khom-ahee) – to pass by, pass away, elapse; emphasizes movement past a point rather than through an interval. Unlike διαγίνομαι, which suggests fulfillment, παρέρχομαι often carries connotations of transience. See G3928
• πληρόω (pleroo, play-ro’-o) – to fulfill, complete, accomplish; while not specifically temporal, it shares with διαγίνομαι the concept of completion or fulfillment. Where διαγίνομαι emphasizes the passage through time, πληρόω focuses on the accomplishment of purpose. See G4137
• μένω (meno, men’-o) – to remain, abide, stay; presents almost the opposite concept to διαγίνομαι, emphasizing continuance rather than passage. This contrast highlights διαγίνομαι’s focus on progression toward completion. See G3306

Did you Know?

• In ancient maritime contexts, διαγίνομαι was sometimes used by sailors to describe completing a voyage across dangerous waters, metaphorically suggesting not just the passage of time but successful navigation through perilous circumstances. This maritime connection makes its appearance in Acts 27:9 particularly significant, as Paul’s literal sea voyage becomes emblematic of spiritual perseverance through divinely appointed trials.
• The Jewish concept of appointed times (מועדים, moedim) finds a fascinating parallel in the New Testament use of διαγίνομαι. Just as the Torah established specific times for sacred observances, the strategic placement of διαγίνομαι in the resurrection narrative suggests that the timing of Yeshua’s resurrection fulfilled a divinely appointed moment, occurring precisely when the Sabbath had fully passed—not a moment too early or too late.
• Modern Greek has retained διαγίνομαι primarily in literary contexts, where it maintains its classical sense of elapsed time. However, in contemporary Greek Orthodox liturgical language, forms of the word occasionally appear in reference to the progression through liturgical seasons, preserving its ancient connection to sacred time. This ongoing usage bridges ancient and modern conceptions of how divine purposes unfold through the ordered progression of time.

Remember This

διαγίνομαι reminds us that in God’s sovereign calendar, appointed times must fully elapse before divine purposes are revealed—not because God is constrained by time, but because His perfect wisdom unfolds through it.