διαταγή (diatagē)
diatagē
ordinance
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 2 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The noun diatagē refers to an ordinance or formal arrangement established by authority. In the New Testament, it appears only twice, yet carries significant weight in each instance. It describes a directive that has been set down with legal or divine force, rather than a casual suggestion.
Its most striking usage occurs in Acts 7:53, where Stephen accuses his listeners of betraying and murdering the Righteous One, who received "living oracles" (diatagai) from angels. This highlights the word’s connection to heavenly authority and covenantal law. The term also appears in Romans 13:2, referring to governing authorities as those instituted by God, whose ordinances believers are to respect.
Etymologically, diatagē derives from diatassō, meaning "to arrange" or "to order." This root underscores the idea of something being structured and fixed in place. While similar to other words for law, diatagē emphasizes the act of ordering rather than the content itself. Translators often render it as "ordinance" or "arrangement," capturing its sense of established structure.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word diatagē points to a formal arrangement set in place by someone with authority. It is not a casual suggestion but a directive that carries weight and structure. When we encounter this term, we are reminded that order often comes from a source higher than ourselves, whether in civil governance or divine instruction.
In Acts 7:53, Stephen highlights how the law was given through angels, showing that these ordinances have a heavenly origin. This perspective helps us see rules not as burdens, but as part of a larger, purposeful design established by God. It invites us to respect the structures that maintain peace and justice in our communities.
Similarly, Romans 13:2 connects resisting authority with resisting God’s ordinance. This does not mean every human decision is perfect, but it calls for a posture of submission to the order God has permitted. Trusting in this divine framework allows us to find stability even when societal structures feel complex or challenging.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 2 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- ordinance1×
- [the] ordination1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- διαταγῇ1×
- διαταγὰς1×
Key Verses
-
Acts 7:53
You received the law as it was ordained by angels, and didn’t keep it!”
This verse identifies the law as a heavenly ordinance received through angels, emphasizing its divine origin rather than just human authorship.
-
Romans 13:2
Therefore he who resists the authority withstands the ordinance of God; and those who withstand will receive to themselves judgment.
Here the term links civil authority directly to God's sovereign arrangement, warning that resistance to established order is resistance to God's will.