Understanding διαταράσσω (diatarasso) Strong’s G1298: The Divine Disturbance that Reveals Hearts and Invites Transformation

Pronunciation Guide: dee-ah-tah-RAS-so (διαταράσσω)

Basic Definition

Strong’s G1298: Διαταράσσω (diatarasso) fundamentally means to agitate thoroughly, disturb greatly, or trouble deeply. It describes an intense inner disturbance that completely disrupts one’s emotional or mental state. This rare and powerful term indicates not a mere startling, but a profound disruption that penetrates to the core of a person’s being, often leading to serious reflection or reorientation.

Etymology and Morphology

• Compound word from διά (dia, “through/thoroughly”) + ταράσσω (tarasso, “to trouble/disturb”)
• Verb (Present, Active, Indicative)
• Koine Greek origin
• Used in narrative literature to describe significant emotional responses
• Intensified form of the more common ταράσσω
• Only appears once in the New Testament

Διαταράσσω Morphology:

• διαταράσσω (present active indicative, 1st person singular) – I thoroughly disturb
• διαταράσσεις (present active indicative, 2nd person singular) – you thoroughly disturb
• διαταράσσει (present active indicative, 3rd person singular) – he/she/it thoroughly disturbs
• διεταράχθη (aorist passive indicative, 3rd person singular) – he/she/it was thoroughly disturbed
• διαταραχθῆναι (aorist passive infinitive) – to be thoroughly disturbed

Origin & History

The verb διαταράσσω has ancient roots in classical Greek literature, where it was used to describe severe agitation, such as waters being stirred up violently or armies thrown into disarray. Herodotus employed similar terminology when describing the confusion of Persian forces at the Battle of Salamis. In medical writings attributed to Hippocrates, forms of the word described internal physiological disturbances that affected the whole body.

In the Septuagint (LXX), the root ταράσσω appears frequently to translate Hebrew terms expressing deep disturbance, though the intensified διαταράσσω is rare. When the intensified form does appear, it typically conveys profound emotional upheaval in response to divine encounters or life-altering news. This linguistic heritage prepares the way for its significant usage in Luke’s Gospel, where it describes Mary’s response to the angelic visitation.

Expanded Definitions & Translation Options

• A thorough agitation that penetrates one’s entire being
• A profound disruption of one’s normal emotional or mental state
• A deeply troubling reaction to unexpected, life-altering information
• A state of being greatly perplexed when confronted with divine revelation
• A complete disturbance that invites reorientation or new understanding

Διαταράσσω Translation Options:

• Greatly disturbed – Emphasizes the intensity beyond normal disturbance by adding the διά prefix, which intensifies the regular “tarasso”
• Thoroughly troubled – Captures the comprehensive nature of the disturbance, affecting the whole person
• Deeply perplexed – Focuses on the cognitive dimension of the disturbance, suggesting confusion that demands resolution
• Completely agitated – Highlights the emotional turmoil that the word conveys, with the notion of being stirred up entirely
• Profoundly shaken – Conveys the sense of having one’s foundations moved, requiring reestablishment

Biblical Usage

The term διαταράσσω appears only once in the New Testament, in Luke 1:29, where it describes Mary’s response to the angel Gabriel’s announcement. The intensity of the word perfectly captures the magnitude of the moment—this wasn’t merely surprise but a deep, existential disturbance that penetrated Mary’s entire being. The angel’s greeting suggested a destiny so profound that it shook the foundations of her self-understanding and life expectations.

While the intensified form διαταράσσω is rare, the root word ταράσσω appears more frequently in significant New Testament contexts, often describing reactions to divine presence or revelation. The intensified form in Mary’s case indicates an especially profound disruption, befitting the unprecedented nature of the angelic annunciation and the world-changing implications of the message she received.

• “But she was greatly troubled [διεταράχθη] at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be.” Luke 1:29
• “Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover. And when he was twelve years old, they went up according to custom. And when the feast was ended, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents did not know it… And when they saw him, they were amazed [ἐξεπλάγησαν].” Luke 2:41-43, 48 (Showing a similar parental reaction using a different Greek term)
• “But when Zechariah saw him, he was troubled [ἐταράχθη, from the unintensified ταράσσω].” Luke 1:12
• “When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled [ἐταράχθη, from the unintensified ταράσσω].” Matthew 2:3
• “Let not your hearts be troubled [ταρασσέσθω, from the unintensified ταράσσω].” John 14:1

Cultural Insights

In the ancient Mediterranean world, unexpected angelic visitations were understood to be potentially life-threatening encounters with the divine realm. The Jewish tradition contained numerous accounts of people fearing for their lives when confronted with heavenly messengers. This cultural context helps explain the depth of Mary’s διαταράσσω—her reaction wasn’t merely surprise but encompassed appropriate fear, awe, and the recognition that her life was about to change irrevocably.

Moreover, for a young Jewish woman in first-century Nazareth, being addressed as “highly favored” and told that “the Lord is with you” would have carried tremendous weight. Such language echoed Yahweh’s commissioning of major figures in Israel’s history—Moses, Gideon, Jeremiah—individuals called to nation-changing roles. The cultural expectation was that when God singled someone out this way, radical obedience and difficult pathways lay ahead. Mary’s thorough disturbance reflects this awareness, as well as her humble recognition of her seemingly ordinary status in a small Galilean village.

Theological Significance

The use of διαταράσσω in the annunciation narrative reveals an important pattern in God’s redemptive work: divine intervention often begins with holy disruption. Before Mary could embrace her role in salvation history, her normal understanding of herself and her future had to be thoroughly unsettled. This pattern appears repeatedly throughout Scripture—Abraham, Moses, David, the disciples, Paul—all experienced profound disturbance before stepping into their divine calling.

This disturbance is not arbitrary but purposeful. The διά prefix intensifies the action, suggesting that God’s disturbance penetrates through every layer of human complacency, self-sufficiency, and limited vision. It indicates that the Messiah’s advent requires not merely adjustments to our plans but a fundamental reorientation of our entire being. Mary’s thoroughly troubled state became the necessary preparation for her magnificent “Let it be to me according to your word”—her disturbance created the space for her surrender.

Moreover, διαταράσσω reveals the paradoxical nature of divine encounter: the same visitation that deeply troubles also brings the highest blessing. This reflects Yahweh’s consistent pattern—His holiness simultaneously disturbs and attracts, terrifies and invites. In Mary’s case, the troubling was the prelude to becoming the theotokos, the God-bearer, showing how divine disturbance is often the precursor to extraordinary privilege in the kingdom.

Personal Application

When we experience seasons of being διαταράχθη—thoroughly disturbed—we may be encountering not divine punishment but divine preparation. Mary’s experience teaches us that disorientation often precedes new orientation in God’s economy. The very areas where we feel most unsettled may be precisely where Yahweh is preparing to birth something new, something that requires the breaking up of our settled patterns and expectations.

Consider your own moments of deep disturbance—times when foundations were shaken, assumptions challenged, or comfortable patterns disrupted. Rather than merely seeking to escape these troubling seasons, we might ask what the angel might be announcing in our διαταράσσω moments. Like Mary, our “greatly troubled” state may be the soil in which Yahweh plants extraordinary calling, unexpected blessing, or deeper surrender. The question becomes not “How can I return to comfort?” but “What is being conceived in this holy disruption?”

Related Words

• ταράσσω (tarasso, pronounced tah-RAS-so) – The root word meaning “to trouble or disturb,” lacking the intensification of διαταράσσω. Used more frequently in the New Testament for various kinds of disturbances. See G5015
• ἐκταράσσω (ektarasso, pronounced ek-tah-RAS-so) – To throw into great trouble or confusion, with the prefix ἐκ suggesting movement outward or completion of the action. See G1613
• θορυβέω (thorybeo, pronounced thor-oo-BEH-o) – To disturb, trouble, or throw into confusion, often with connotations of external noise or commotion rather than internal disturbance. See G2350
• σαλεύω (saleuo, pronounced sah-LEU-o) – To shake, cause to waver, or agitate, often describing physical movement but also applied metaphorically to emotional states. See G4531
• ἀδημονέω (ademoneo, pronounced ah-day-mo-NEH-o) – To be troubled, distressed, or in anguish, often describing deep inner disquiet or anxiety. See G85

Did you Know?

• Did you know that the only person in Scripture described as experiencing διαταράσσω is Mary, the mother of Jesus? This unique linguistic choice by Luke (himself a careful historian and language user) suggests the unprecedented nature of her experience—no one else in biblical history received exactly this announcement or carried exactly this calling. The Holy Spirit inspired a rare word to capture a unique moment in salvation history.
• Did you know that modern psychology has identified a phenomenon called “productive discomfort” that bears striking resemblance to the concept of διαταράσσω? Researchers have found that periods of disorientation and cognitive dissonance often precede significant personal growth and paradigm shifts. What ancient biblical writers captured in this term, contemporary science is rediscovering—that being “thoroughly troubled” is often the precursor to transformation.
• Did you know that many great Jewish and Christian mystics throughout history have described a spiritual stage they called “the dark night of the soul” or “holy disruption” that mirrors the experience of διαταράσσω? From Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel to St. John of the Cross, spiritual guides have recognized that profound disturbance often precedes deeper intimacy with God. These teachers might have recognized in Mary’s διαταράχθη moment not just personal distress but a universal pattern of spiritual formation.

Remember This

Διαταράσσω reminds us that divine disruption is often the first labor pain of divine destiny—what thoroughly troubles you today may be birthing the Messiah’s purpose in your life tomorrow.