To give orders
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G1291 is a Greek verb that can carry the idea of distinguishing or defining and, in the New Testament, regularly means commanding expressly, giving strict instructions, or warning. Mark 8:15 records Jesus repeatedly warning the disciples about the leaven of the Pharisees and Herod, a figurative danger they initially misunderstand.
Reader summary
Full entry for διαστέλλομαι (G1291) · Open the biblical lexicon
G1291 is a Greek verb that can carry the idea of distinguishing or defining and, in the New Testament, regularly means commanding expressly, giving strict instructions, or warning. Mark 8:15 records Jesus repeatedly warning the disciples about the leaven of the Pharisees and Herod, a figurative danger they initially misunderstand.
The BSB source-word alignment has 8 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include [Jesus] admonished (1), [Jesus] gave strict orders (1), [Jesus] ordered (1), He admonished (1), He cautioned (1).
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Matthew 16:20. Its strongest book concentrations include Mark (5), Acts (1), Hebrews (1), Matthew (1).
G1291 is a Greek verb that can carry the idea of distinguishing or defining and, in the New Testament, regularly means commanding expressly, giving strict instructions, or warning. Mark 8:15 records Jesus repeatedly warning the disciples about the leaven of the Pharisees and Herod, a figurative danger they initially misunderstand. Mark 7:36 describes His order not to publicize a healing, though the crowd spreads the report more widely.
Acts 15:24 uses the language of authorization negatively: teachers had troubled Gentile believers even though the Jerusalem church had given them no such instruction. Hebrews 12:20 recalls the unbearable command at Sinai. G1291 opens teaching on bounded communication, warnings, delegated authority, timing, and the difference between a true message and permission to announce it.
It corrects both casual disregard for explicit instruction and leaders who issue sweeping commands without legitimate authority, clear purpose, or responsibility for the effect on hearers.
G1291 conveys an express command, charge, warning, or careful distinction. Gospel settings often feature Jesus limiting disclosure or warning disciples, while Acts highlights speech issued without authorization and Hebrews recalls a defined Sinai prohibition. Speaker, audience, content, timing, and authority shape the force.
“Watch out!” He cautioned them. “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of Herod.”
Jesus repeatedly warns the disciples to beware the leaven of the Pharisees and Herod, requiring more than a literal reading about bread.
Jesus ordered them not to tell anyone. But the more He ordered them, the more widely they proclaimed it.
After healing a man, Jesus orders the witnesses not to tell anyone, though they proclaim it even more widely.
It has come to our attention that some went out from us without our authorization and unsettled you, troubling your minds by what they said.
The Jerusalem letter disowns teachers who unsettled Gentile believers because they had gone out without authorization.
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders ItA compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
Greek word. Commands given with explicit separation or definition; to charge someone distinctly about what to do
Commands given with explicit separation or definition; to charge someone distinctly about what to do
Textus Receptus witness, full corpusGreek token appearances from Scrivener 1894 Textus Receptus in the full New Testament corpus.
8 Greek text appearances shown. Linked morphology labels have verse guides.
I give a commission, order
Read verseI give a commission, order
Read verseI give a commission, order
Read verseI give a commission, order
Read verseI give a commission, order
Read verseI give a commission, order
Read verseI give a commission, order
Read verseI give a commission, order
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.
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.
Verse guides are not available for this word yet, so verse references remain plain evidence markers.
How this verb appears across 8 occurrences in the NT discourse index (MACULA Greek SBLGNT).
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)
διαστέλλομαι is built from these roots:
G1291 highlights that faithful communication has boundaries. Jesus sometimes commands silence after healing or recognition of His identity. Those instructions belong to particular stages of His mission, where premature publicity can distort expectations and detach signs from the cross and resurrection. The crowds' refusal to remain silent may sound enthusiastic, yet Mark does not let enthusiasm erase Jesus' explicit word.
His warning about the leaven of the Pharisees and Herod shows another kind of charge: disciples must discern a corrupting influence, not merely hear a slogan. Acts 15 then exposes unauthorized religious speech. Some teachers disturb Gentile believers while implying institutional backing that they did not possess. The church responds with an accountable letter, named representatives, and clarified teaching.
Commands therefore require both truth and rightful relation. A ministry should document who commissioned a message, define its scope, allow questions, and repair harm caused by misrepresentation. At the same time, this verb cannot justify silencing reports of abuse, danger, or wrongdoing. Jesus' situational restrictions are not a blanket secrecy policy. Faithful instruction serves truth, protection, and mission under accountable authority.
Acts.15.24
G1291 is a compound verb with a background sense of separating or defining and a common New Testament force of expressly charging, commanding, or warning. Repetition, negative clauses, and the content introduced by the surrounding construction clarify its intensity and aim.
Prophetic watchman texts, covenant commands, and warnings against false claims provide an Old Testament background for explicit instruction and accountable speech. Hebrews directly recalls the defined boundary at Sinai while contrasting the believer's approach to God in Christ.