διαρρήγνυμι (diarrēgnumi)
diarrēgnumi
to tear
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 5 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The verb diarrhēssō means to tear something apart violently, often describing clothes being ripped in moments of intense emotion. It appears five times in the New Testament, primarily in the Synoptic Gospels and Acts, capturing scenes where characters react with extreme grief or anger.
Its root combines dia ("through") and rhēssō ("to break"), suggesting a forceful rending that goes through fabric. The sources note it is used for tearing garments in deep sorrow, such as when Jesus’ accusers tear their clothes in indignation (Matthew 26:65), or for physical bursting, like the nets breaking under heavy catch (Luke 5:6) and chains snapping from a prisoner’s grasp (Luke 8:29).
Translators often render it as "tear" or "rend," preserving the raw physicality of the action. Unlike milder words for tearing, this term implies a sudden, dramatic rupture, whether of material objects or social norms, marking a point of no return in the narrative.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
This word describes a violent tearing, often of clothing or chains, driven by intense emotion or sudden force. In the Gospels, we see high priests ripping their garments in shock at Jesus’ claims, and apostles doing the same when faced with false worship. These reactions show how deeply they felt the weight of what was happening. It is not a casual gesture but one that marks a moment of crisis or profound realization.
Yet there is another side to this imagery. In Luke’s account, chains break apart under the power of Jesus’ command, freeing a man from demon control. This suggests that while human reactions might be dramatic, God’s power can shatter bonds that hold us captive. Whether it is the tearing of fabric in grief or the snapping of chains in liberation, the word points to moments where things are fundamentally changed.
For your faith, this reminds us that God meets us in our most intense moments. When we feel overwhelmed, as the priests did, or when we feel bound by forces beyond our control, as the possessed man did, Jesus is present. His authority can break what holds us back and transform our shock into hope.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 5 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- having torn2×
- were breaking1×
- tears1×
- breaking1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- διέρρηξεν1×
- διερρήσσετο1×
- διαρρήσσων1×
- διαρρήξας1×
- διαρρήξαντες1×
Key Verses
-
Matthew 26:65
Then the high priest tore his clothing, saying, “He has spoken blasphemy! Why do we need any more witnesses? Behold, now you have heard his blasphemy.
The high priest tears his clothes to signal that he considers Jesus’ claim of divinity to be blasphemy, marking a turning point toward Jesus’ condemnation.
-
Luke 5:6
When they had done this, they caught a great multitude of fish, and their net was breaking.
The nets begin to break under the weight of the miraculous catch, showing that God’s provision can exceed human capacity and structure.
-
Luke 8:29
For Jesus was commanding the unclean spirit to come out of the man. For the unclean spirit had often seized the man. He was kept under guard and bound with chains and fetters. Breaking the bonds apart, he was driven by the demon into the desert.
Chains are broken apart by the demon-possessed man’s struggle, illustrating the intense bondage from which Jesus is about to deliver him.
-
Acts 14:14
But when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of it, they tore their clothes and sprang into the multitude, crying out,
Paul and Barnabas tear their clothes in horror at being worshipped as gods, vigorously rejecting any honor that belongs to God alone.