διάλεκτος
dialektos
language
Lexicon Entry
Lexicon data from STEPBible TIPNR, Tyndale House, Cambridge. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
What Original Readers Understood
ExploredBased on the data, the Greek word "διάλεκτος" (G1258, dialektos) refers to language. With only six occurrences in the Bible, this word is used sparingly but with intentional precision. Given its definition, the significance of "διάλεκτος" lies in its ability to convey the idea of a system of communication, distinguishing it from other forms of expression. Throughout the six instances, "διάλεκτος" might have been utilized by the authors of the biblical texts to describe various ways people communicate among themselves. This usage may imply an understanding of language as a critical component of human culture and a means of conveying thoughts, ideas, and values. While we can only make educated inferences from the data, the relatively limited use of "διάλεκτος" indicates that the authors of the biblical texts likely approached language as a unique aspect of human expression that warrants specific consideration. This focus might suggest the importance of language in understanding others, oneself, or the world. However, such inferences should be treated with caution due to the limited data available.
Source data & methodology
Occurrences in Scripture
6 total occurrences across the text
It became known to everyone who lived in Jerusalem that in their language that field was called ‘Akeldama,’ that is, ‘The field of blood.’
Acts 2:6When this sound was heard, the multitude came together and were bewildered, because everyone heard them speaking in his own language.
Acts 2:8How do we hear, everyone in our own native language?
Acts 21:40When he had given him permission, Paul, standing on the stairs, beckoned with his hand to the people. When there was a great silence, he spoke to them in the Hebrew language, saying,
Acts 22:2When they heard that he spoke to them in the Hebrew language, they were even more quiet. He said,
Acts 26:14When we had all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’