Understanding διασπείρω (diaspeirō) Strong’s G1289: The Scattering that Sparked Gospel Expansion Throughout the Ancient World

Pronunciation Guide: dee-as-pi’-ro (with emphasis on “pi”)

Basic Definition

Strong’s G1289: διασπείρω (diaspeirō) refers to the act of scattering thoroughly, as when seeds are dispersed widely by a farmer. In biblical context, it specifically describes the forceful scattering or dispersion of believers due to persecution, which paradoxically resulted in the widespread dissemination of the Gospel. The term carries the nuance of something being scattered for a divine purpose, not merely displaced.

Etymology and Morphology

• Part of Speech: Verb
• Root Words: Compound of διά (dia, “through, thoroughly”) and σπείρω (speirō, “to sow or scatter seed”)
• Language Origin: Classical Greek
• Primary Usage: Narrative sections, particularly in Acts
• Voice: Active, Passive
• Tense: Present, Aorist, Perfect
• Mood: Indicative, Participle

διασπείρω Morphology:

• διασπείρω (present active indicative, 1st person singular) – I scatter abroad
• διασπείρεις (present active indicative, 2nd person singular) – you scatter abroad
• διέσπειρα (aorist active indicative, 1st person singular) – I scattered abroad
• διεσπάρησαν (aorist passive indicative, 3rd person plural) – they were scattered abroad
• διεσπαρμένοι (perfect passive participle, nominative plural masculine) – having been scattered abroad

Origin & History

The term διασπείρω has deep roots in ancient Greek agricultural practice, where it described the deliberate scattering of seeds across a field to ensure proper growth. Xenophon used the term in his work “Oeconomicus” (c. 362 BCE) when discussing proper farming techniques, noting how seeds must be “thoroughly scattered” (διασπείρειν) to produce an abundant harvest.

In the Septuagint (LXX), the Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures, διασπείρω appears in passages like Ezekiel 36:19, where God says, “I scattered them (διέσπειρα αὐτοὺς) among the nations.” This usage established theological significance for the early Jewish believers, connecting the concept to divine judgment but also to God’s sovereignty over the nations. By New Testament times, the term had developed associations with both agricultural productivity and the Jewish experience of exile and dispersion.

Expanded Definitions & Translation Options

• To scatter thoroughly – To disperse widely and completely, leaving no concentration in the original location
• To sow abroad – To deliberately spread something (like seed or people) with the intention of future growth
• To disperse forcibly – To cause to flee in different directions under external pressure
• To disseminate – To spread something (particularly information or ideas) widely

διασπείρω Translation Options:

• Scatter abroad – Emphasizes the wide geographical distribution resulting from the action
• Disperse – Highlights the movement away from a central point to multiple directions
• Disseminate – Captures the spread of both people and the message they carried
• Sow widely – Maintains the agricultural metaphor inherent in the original Greek, suggesting future growth
• Drive asunder – Emphasizes the forceful nature of the action when used in passive voice (διεσπάρησαν)

Biblical Usage

The term διασπείρω appears most prominently in the book of Acts, where it describes the scattering of believers following Stephen’s martyrdom. This dispersion, while initially appearing as a setback for the early church, becomes a divine strategy for Gospel expansion. The passive voice used in Acts 8:1 (διεσπάρησαν) emphasizes that the believers didn’t scatter of their own volition but were forced by persecution.

Luke’s strategic use of διασπείρω creates a theological framework for understanding how apparent tragedy became the catalyst for mission. Acts 11:19 further develops this theme, showing how those who were scattered went as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, establishing new believing communities. This usage connects directly to Yeshua’s prophecy in Acts 1:8 that His followers would be witnesses in “Jerusalem, all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

• “And Saul approved of his execution. And there arose on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered [διεσπάρησαν] throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.” Acts 8:1
• “Now those who were scattered [διασπαρέντες] went about preaching the word.” Acts 8:4
• “Now those who were scattered [διασπαρέντες] because of the persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except Jews.” Acts 11:19
• “I will scatter [διασπερῶ] you among the nations and disperse you through the countries, and I will consume your uncleanness out of you.” Ezekiel 22:15 (LXX)
• “So I scattered [διέσπειρα] them among the nations, and they were dispersed through the countries.” Ezekiel 36:19 (LXX)

Cultural Insights

In the first-century Jewish context, “scattering” carried powerful cultural resonances of galut (exile) – a punishment from God for covenant unfaithfulness. For Jewish believers to experience διασπείρω would have initially seemed like divine judgment, yet Luke brilliantly reframes this concept. What appears as exile becomes mission; what seems like punishment becomes divine strategy.

The Roman Empire inadvertently facilitated this “scattered seed” approach to Gospel expansion through its extensive road system and emphasis on urban centers. The persecution that caused believers to be διασπαρέντες (scattered) actually placed them along Roman communication routes, positioning them perfectly for maximum Gospel impact. This demonstrates how Yahweh sovereignly uses even the empires that oppose Him to advance His purposes.

Additionally, the agricultural metaphor inherent in διασπείρω would have resonated deeply with first-century hearers familiar with Yeshua’s parable of the sower. The believers scattered from Jerusalem became the seeds falling on various soils throughout the Mediterranean world, multiplying the harvest beyond what could have occurred had they remained concentrated in Jerusalem.

Theological Significance

The divine paradox embedded in διασπείρω reveals Yahweh’s sovereignty and wisdom. What Satan intended for evil – the persecution and scattering of believers – God transformed into the primary vehicle for Gospel expansion. This pattern reflects God’s consistent character throughout Scripture: bringing life from death, victory from apparent defeat, and expansion from contraction.

Theologically, διασπείρω also demonstrates the unstoppable nature of God’s redemptive plan. Human opposition cannot thwart divine purposes; it often unwittingly advances them. The scattering in Acts 8:1 fulfills Yeshua’s commission in Acts 1:8, showing how even apparent setbacks serve as setup for greater Kingdom advancement. This reveals God’s omnipotence – His ability to weave human free choices, even sinful ones, into His sovereign design.

Furthermore, διασπείρω illustrates how suffering functions within God’s economy. The early believers experienced genuine hardship when scattered from homes and community, yet this suffering became the seedbed for spiritual fruitfulness. This pattern points toward the Messiah Himself, whose suffering and death produced immeasurable spiritual harvest, fulfilling His own teaching: “Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit” (John 12:24).

Personal Application

When we experience seasons of unwanted “scattering” in our lives – disruption, displacement, or suffering – we can draw comfort from understanding διασπείρω. What feels like painful dispersion may actually be divine positioning. The question isn’t whether we’re scattered, but whether we’ll bear witness where we’re scattered. Like the early believers, our discomfort often becomes God’s strategic placement for Kingdom impact.

Consider your own experiences of disruption or “scattering.” Have you been relocated, changed jobs, or faced circumstances that separated you from community? Rather than merely lamenting these changes, ask: “Lord, where are You positioning me as scattered seed? Who needs to hear the Gospel in this new territory?” Embracing a διασπείρω perspective transforms our understanding of life’s disruptions from random hardships to divine appointments.

Related Words

• σπείρω (speirō) (spay’-ro) – The simple verb meaning “to sow seed,” focusing on the act of planting rather than the dispersal aspect. Used in Yeshua’s parable of the sower. See G4687
• διασπορά (diaspora) (dee-as-por-ah’) – The noun form, referring to “a scattering” or “dispersion,” particularly used of Jews living outside Israel. While διασπείρω is the action, διασπορά is the resulting state. See G1290
• σκορπίζω (skorpizō) (skor-pid’-zo) – Another verb meaning “to scatter,” but often carries a more negative connotation of wasteful scattering or violent dispersion. See G4650
• λικμάω (likmaō) (lik-mah’-o) – To winnow, scatter, or crush to powder. More forceful than διασπείρω, often implying judgment. See G3039
• συνάγω (synago) (soon-ag’-o) – The opposite action: “to gather together,” bringing people from scattered locations into one place. See G4863

Did you Know?

• Did you know that the English word “diaspora” comes directly from the Greek noun form (διασπορά) related to our word διασπείρω? Today, it’s used to describe any ethnic population dispersed from their homeland, particularly in scholarly discussions about cultural identity. The concept began with the Jewish experience but has expanded to describe many scattered people groups who maintain cultural connections despite geographical separation.
• Did you know that the scattering (διασπείρω) described in Acts 8:1 led directly to the first major cross-cultural evangelism in Acts? Philip, one of those scattered, went to Samaria (Acts 8:5-25) and later to the Ethiopian eunuch (Acts 8:26-40), while others reached Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch (Acts 11:19-21). This pattern of persecution-scattering-evangelism-church planting became the normative cycle for early church expansion throughout the book of Acts.
• Did you know that in ancient farming practices, the process of διασπείρω (scattering seed) was considered an art form? Skilled farmers knew exactly how to scatter seeds with the right density and pattern across their fields. The farmer would carry seeds in a fold of his garment and, with rhythmic movements, cast them in sweeping arcs across the prepared soil. This agricultural background gives rich texture to the metaphorical use of διασπείρω in describing how believers spread the Gospel.

Remember This

διασπείρω reminds us that in God’s Kingdom, scattering is not defeat but deployment—what appears as disruption is divine strategy for Gospel advancement.