What does διερμηνεύω (diermēneúō) mean in the Bible?
This Greek verb concerns making something understood by explanation or translation. Luke 24:27 describes Jesus explaining what the Scriptures say about Him.
Greek · G1329
διερμηνεύω
To explain thoroughly, by implication, to translate
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διερμηνεύωG1329
Pronunciationdiermēneúō
What does διερμηνεύω (diermēneúō) mean in the Bible?
This Greek verb concerns making something understood by explanation or translation. Luke 24:27 describes Jesus explaining what the Scriptures say about Him.
Reader summary
Full entry for διερμηνεύω (G1329) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render G1329?
The BSB source-word alignment has 6 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include He explained (1), he interprets (1), he may interpret (1), interpret (1), is translated (1).
Where does διερμηνεύω (diermēneúō) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Luke 24:27. Its strongest book concentrations include 1 Corinthians (4), Acts (1), Luke (1).
What This Word Actually Means
This Greek verb concerns making something understood by explanation or translation. Luke 24:27 describes Jesus explaining what the Scriptures say about Him. Acts 9:36 uses it when the name Tabitha is given as Dorcas, and First Corinthians uses it for interpretation that enables a gathered church to understand speech. The setting identifies what needs explanation and whom it is meant to serve.
In Luke, Jesus' explanation belongs to the account of the suffering and risen Messiah and the disciples' need to understand Scripture. It does not give later teachers permission to turn every incidental Old Testament detail into a hidden code. In First Corinthians 14, interpretation serves the church's strengthening and occurs within instructions about order and hearing. Neither impressive language nor a claim to special insight replaces intelligibility. Interpretation should help people attend to what is being communicated, rather than make them dependent on a speaker's unexplained authority.
source_lexiconPassage contextBook contextPastoral application
How the Bible Uses It
Jesus' scriptural explanation, a translated personal name, and interpretation within the gathered church share a concern for understanding while differing in object, setting, and authority.
- Luke.24.27
And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, He explained to them what was written in all the Scriptures about Himself.
Jesus begins with Moses and the Prophets and explains what concerns Himself in the Scriptures. The surrounding discussion of His suffering and glory supplies the account's direction, rather than an invitation to arbitrary allegory.
- Acts.9.36
In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (which is translated as Dorcas), who was always occupied with works of kindness and charity.
Luke gives Dorcas as the translated name of Tabitha before describing her good works and generosity. The name explanation assists the reader; it is not presented as a hidden prediction of her story.
- 1Cor.14.5
I wish that all of you could speak in tongues, but I would rather have you prophesy. He who prophesies is greater than one who speaks in tongues, unless he interprets so that the church may be edified.
Interpretation enables the church to be built up when a tongue is spoken. The comparison evaluates speech by its benefit to the gathered people rather than the speaker's apparent impressiveness.
- 1Cor.14.27
If anyone speaks in a tongue, two, or at most three, should speak in turn, and someone must interpret.
Paul places interpretation within instructions about a limited number of speakers and taking turns. The provision serves understandable, ordered participation rather than unrestricted simultaneous speech.
- 1Cor.12.30
Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret?
The rhetorical questions include whether all interpret, within a discussion of differing gifts in one body. Interpretation is not made a universal qualification that every believer must display.
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders ItHe explained1×Luke 24:27
he interprets1×1 Corinthians 14:5
he may interpret1×1 Corinthians 14:13
interpret1×1 Corinthians 12:30
is translated1×Acts 9:36
must interpret1×1 Corinthians 14:27
Show sample aligned rows
Luke 24:27διερμήνευσενtoHe explainedVerb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingularActs 9:36διερμηνευομένηtois translatedVerb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Nominative Feminine Singular1 Corinthians 12:30διερμηνεύουσινtointerpretVerb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural1 Corinthians 14:5διερμηνεύῃtohe interpretsVerb - Present Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person Singular1 Corinthians 14:13διερμηνεύῃtohe may interpretVerb - Present Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person Singular1 Corinthians 14:27διερμηνευέτωtomust interpretVerb - Present Imperative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned rowLuke 24:27
Aligned rows6
Books represented3
Luke1Acts11 Corinthians4
Source forms
διερμηνεύῃ2xdiermēneuē1 Corinthians 14:5, 1 Corinthians 14:13
διερμηνευέτω1xdiermēneuetō1 Corinthians 14:27
διερμηνευομένη1xdiermēneuomenēActs 9:36
διερμηνεύουσιν1xdiermēneuousin1 Corinthians 12:30
διερμήνευσεν1xdiermēneusenLuke 24:27
Parsing patterns
Verb - Present Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person Singular2x1 Corinthians 14:5, 1 Corinthians 14:13
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular1xLuke 24:27
Verb - Present Imperative Active - 3rd Person Singular1x1 Corinthians 14:27
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural1x1 Corinthians 12:30
Verb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Nominative Feminine Singular1xActs 9:36
Using This Word Well
Be careful not to...
- Show the textual reasons for an interpretation and welcome careful questions rather than demanding dependence on the teacher.
- Prefer explanations listeners can follow without dismissing those who need unfamiliar terms translated or clarified.
Avoid claiming...
- Do not claim that interpretation guarantees correctness; the verb describes explanation and translation without validating every later interpreter.
- Do not claim that all believers must interpret tongues; First Corinthians 12:30 places that question within the body's differing gifts.
Evidence Summary
Messiah
Greek word. Thorough exposition or translation; in Corinthians, interpreting tongues requires explaining meaning to the congregation.
Strong'sG1329
Lexical occurrences6 versesGreek text appearances6 timesWord forms4 forms6 referencesVerse guides0 guides
Study linkLuke 24:13–35Source Gloss
to explain thoroughly, by implication, to translate
Extended definitionSource: STEPBible TBESG + Abbott-Smith
Thorough exposition or translation; in Corinthians, interpreting tongues requires explaining meaning to the congregation.
intensive of ἐρμηνεύω, to interpret;
bto translate: Act.9:36.
Greek Text Appearances
Textus Receptus witness, full corpusGreek token appearances from Scrivener 1894 Textus Receptus in the full New Testament corpus.
6 Greek text appearances shown. Linked morphology labels have verse guides.
Luke 24:27Verb Third Person Singular Imperfect Active Indicative
διηρμήνευενdihrmhneuen
I translate, interpret, explain
Read verseActs 9:36Verb Present Passive Participle Nominative Singular Feminine
διερμηνευομένηdiermhneuomenh
I translate, interpret, explain
Read verse1 Corinthians 12:30Verb Third Person Plural Present Active Indicative
διερμηνεύουσι;diermhneuousin
I translate, interpret, explain
Read verse1 Corinthians 14:5Verb Third Person Singular Present Active Subjunctive
διερμηνεύῃ,diermhneuh
I translate, interpret, explain
Read verse1 Corinthians 14:13Verb Third Person Singular Present Active Subjunctive
διερμηνεύῃ.diermhneuh
I translate, interpret, explain
Read verse1 Corinthians 14:27Verb Third Person Singular Present Active Imperative
διερμηνευέτω·diermhneuetw
I translate, interpret, explain
Read verseFull New Testament corpus: 260 chapters, 7,957 verses, 140,628 tokens. Data source: honza/textus-receptus (data only), with authority check against byztxt/greektext-textus-receptus.
Grammatical Forms
How mood, tense, and voice shift the force of this verb in context.
This verb appears through different tense, voice, mood, or stem patterns. Those forms help readers see how the action is presented in context.
Form groups4Aligned forms6TensesPresent, AoristVoicesActive, Passive
Verse guides are not available for this word yet, so verse references remain plain evidence markers.
Tenses
Voices
Subjunctivepossibility, probability, or purpose2×
Present Active1 Cor 14:5 · 1 Cor 14:132×
Indicativestates a fact or reality2×
Aorist ActiveLuke 24:271×
Present Active1 Cor 12:301×
Participleverbal adjective — the action as a modifying quality1×
Present PassiveActs 9:361×
Imperativecommand or strong request1×
Present Active1 Cor 14:271×
Discourse Aspect
How this verb appears across 6 occurrences in the NT discourse index (MACULA Greek SBLGNT).
Aspect
Tense
present5aorist1
Voice
active5passive1
Mood
indicative2subjunctive2imperative1participle1
NT Occurrences
Luke 24:27διερμήνευσενaorist active indicativecompletedActs 9:36διερμηνευομένηpresent passive participleparticiple1 Corinthians 12:30διερμηνεύουσινpresent active indicativeongoing1 Corinthians 14:13διερμηνεύῃpresent active subjunctivesubjunctive1 Corinthians 14:27διερμηνευέτωpresent active imperativeimperative1 Corinthians 14:5διερμηνεύῃpresent active subjunctivesubjunctive
Aspect reflects grammatical form — not authorial emphasis. Participles and infinitives are verbal adjectives and nouns respectively.
Clause data: MACULA Greek (Clear Bible, CC BY 4.0) · SBLGNT (Logos/SBL, CC BY 4.0)
Selected Scripture Witnesses
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
New Testament Witnesses
to interpret thoroughly
Additional Occurrences
Luke 24:13–35διερμήνευενdiermēneúō
He was explaining thoroughly
Showing 2 selected witnesses from 6 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
διερμηνεύω is built from these roots:
Why This Word Matters
Describes Christ’s comprehensive exposition of Scripture.Luke 24:13–35
Canonical Themes
Messiah
For the Preacher and Teacher
Luke 24:27 identifies both the interpreter and the subject of the explanation: Jesus explains from Moses and the Prophets what concerns Himself. Later in the chapter, the Scriptures are again opened in relation to the Messiah's suffering and resurrection. The explanation addresses the disciples' failure to understand the events they have experienced.
This encourages teaching that helps readers follow Scripture's witness to Jesus instead of treating the Old Testament as detached from Him. It does not remove the responsibility to show what the text actually says. A teacher who assigns a symbolic meaning to every number, object, or name cannot appeal to this verb as sufficient proof. Let the passage, its context, and the stated canonical connection carry the explanation. The aim is understanding that hearers can examine, not dependence on an interpreter whose conclusions are insulated from questions.
Anchor passage
Luke.24.27
Doctrinal connections
- Luke 24:25-27 places Jesus' explanation within the question of the Messiah's suffering and entrance into glory.
- Luke 24:44-46 connects opened understanding of Scripture with the Messiah's suffering and resurrection on the third day.
- Acts 9:36 explains a personal name while introducing a disciple known for good works and generosity.
- First Corinthians 14:5 ties interpretation to the church's edification, giving the hearers' benefit a stated priority.
- First Corinthians 12:27-30 locates differing gifts within one body instead of requiring everyone to perform the same role.
- Nehemiah 8:8 connects reading and explanation with the people's understanding, supplying a thematic precedent for understandable instruction.
Explaining and translating belong to the word's range, as the contrast between Luke 24:27 and Acts 9:36 shows. A fuller-sounding compound does not certify a speaker's accuracy or confer greater authority. The content being explained and the setting of the speech must govern the claim.
From Old to New Testament
Nehemiah 8:8 describes reading the Law with explanation so that the people understand. Its concern for intelligible instruction can be compared with First Corinthians 14's concern that the church be built up through understood speech. The passages involve different languages, occasions, and roles, so the comparison does not make their practices identical.
Book contextPastoral application