The Greek verb dianemō (διανέμω) means to distribute widely, to spread abroad, or to disseminate. In Acts 4:17, the Sanhedrin, fearing the spread of the Christian movement, commands Peter and John to stop speaking in Jesus' name 'so that it may spread (dianemō) no further among the people.' The irony is profound — their attempt to contain only amplifies what they tried to stop.
The Sanhedrin's use of dianemō in Acts 4:17 reveals their core fear: the gospel was spreading uncontrollably. Their strategy of suppression failed completely — the next chapters show the word spreading to Samaria, to the Gentiles, and throughout the known world. This illustrates a fundamental principle of the Kingdom: human attempts to contain God's word only scatter it further, like a fire that spreads when disturbed. Isaiah 55:11 declares that God's word 'shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose.' The book of Acts is the story of dianemō — the unstoppable spread of the gospel.