diastrepho describes corrupting or distorting people, a generation, a nation, ways, or spoken things.

The term most often characterizes a generation as corrupted or distorted, while active forms describe efforts to turn people or a nation away and to distort straight ways; it also describes “twisted things” spoken to draw disciples away.

1. A corrupted or distorted generation · dominant

   The perfect passive participle describes a “generation” in Matthew 17:17 and Luke 9:41, where the APB renders it “perverted” and “perverse.” In Philippians 2:15, the same perfect passive form modifies a generation amid which God’s children shine, rendered “crooked and perverse.”

   Matthew 17:17Luke 9:41Philippians 2:15
2. Actively turning or distorting · common

   Present active participles describe someone perverting the Lord’s straight ways in Acts 13:10 and a man accused of perverting a nation in Luke 23:2. The aorist active infinitive in Acts 13:8 occurs with Elymas seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith.

   Acts 13:10Luke 23:2Acts 13:8
3. Distorted speech · rare

   In Acts 20:30, the perfect passive participle modifies things spoken by men arising from among the hearers; the APB renders the phrase “speaking twisted things” and connects it with drawing disciples away.

   Acts 20:30

In the Anselm Project Bible: The APB variously renders the surrounding clauses with “perverting,” “perverse,” “perverted,” “crooked,” “twisted,” and “turn... away.” These renderings show the verse-level presentation rather than fixed English equivalents for each form.