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Bible Lexicons

Old & New Testament Greek Lexical DictionaryGreek Lexicon

Strong's #2638 - καταλαμβάνω

Transliteration
katalambánō
Phonetics
kat-al-am-ban'-o
Origin
from (G2596) and (G2983)
Parts of Speech
Verb
TDNT
4:9,495
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κατάλαλος
 
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καταλέγω
Definition   
Thayer's
  1. to lay hold of
    1. to lay hold of so as to make one's own, to obtain, attain to, to make one's own, to take into one's self, appropriate
    2. to seize upon, take possession of
      1. of evils overtaking one, of the last day overtaking the wicked with destruction, of a demon about to torment one
      2. in a good sense, of Christ by his holy power and influence laying hold of the human mind and will, in order to prompt and govern it
    3. to detect, catch
    4. to lay hold of with the mind
      1. to understand, perceive, learn, comprehend
Hebrew Equivalent Words:
Strong #: 270 ‑ אָחַז (aw‑khaz');  935 ‑ בּוֹא (bo);  1158 ‑ בָּעָה (baw‑aw);  1692 ‑ דָּבַק (daw‑bak');  2179 ‑ זָנַב (zaw‑nab');  2388 ‑ חָזַק (khaw‑zak');  3920 ‑ לָכַד (law‑kad');  3947 ‑ לָקַח (law‑kakh');  4672 ‑ מָצָא (maw‑tsaw');  5066 ‑ נָגַשׁ (naw‑gash');  5375 ‑ נָסָה (naw‑saw', naw‑saw');  5381 ‑ נָשַׂג (naw‑sag');  5462 ‑ סָגַר (saw‑gar');  6113 ‑ עָצַר (aw‑tsar');  6923 ‑ קָדַם (kaw‑dam');  7912 ‑ שְׁכַח (shek‑akh');  8003 ‑ שָׁלֵם (shaw‑lame');  8610 ‑ תָּפַשׂ (taw‑fas');  
Frequency Lists
Verse Results
KJV (15)
Mark 1
John 4
Acts 3
Romans 1
1 Corinthians 1
Ephesians 1
Philippians 3
1 Thessalonians 1
NAS (18)
Mark 1
John 4
Acts 3
Romans 1
1 Corinthians 1
Ephesians 1
Philippians 6
1 Thessalonians 1
HCS (15)
Mark 1
John 4
Acts 3
Romans 1
1 Corinthians 1
Ephesians 1
Philippians 3
1 Thessalonians 1
BSB (15)
Mark 1
John 4
Acts 3
Romans 1
1 Corinthians 1
Ephesians 1
Philippians 3
1 Thessalonians 1
ESV (13)
Mark 1
John 3
Acts 2
Romans 1
1 Corinthians 1
Ephesians 1
Philippians 3
1 Thessalonians 1
WEB (15)
Mark 1
John 4
Acts 3
Romans 1
1 Corinthians 1
Ephesians 1
Philippians 3
1 Thessalonians 1
Liddell-Scott-Jones Definitions

καταλαμβάνω,

fut. -λήψομαι Pl. Prt. 311a (in pass.sense, A.D. Synt. 48.9), Ion. -λάμψομαι Hdt. 6.39, Aeol. -λᾱμψομαι dub. in Alc. Supp. 5.9 (v. λαμβάνω): pf. -είληφα Pl. Phdr. 250d, etc. (καθ- SIG 129.18 (Carpathos, iv B. C.)), -λελάβηκα Pherecyd.Syr. ap. D.L. 1.122, Hdt. 3.42 (v.l. -λελαβήκεε): Pass., Ion. aor. -ελάμφθην Id. 5.21; -ελάφθην SIG 279.7 (Zelea, iv B. C.): pf. in med. sense, D.S. 17.85:

I

1. seize, lay hold of, c. acc., τοῦ κατὰ νῶτα λαβών Od. 9.433, cf. Ar. Lys. 624, etc.; κατέλαβε τὴν ἀκρόπολιν Th. 1.126, cf. Hdt. 5.71, Ar. Lys. 263 (lyr., tm.), Isoc. 4.153, etc. (metaph., τὴν τοῦ νέου τῆς ψυχῆς ἀκρόπολιν κ. Pl. R. 560b); πάντα φυλακαῖς κ. Plu. Per. 33; κ. ἕδρας Ar. Ec. 21, 86; φάσκων Ποσειδῶ πρότερον Ἀθηνᾶς καταλαβεῖν αὐτήν (sc. τὴν πόλιν) Isoc. 12.193; later, simply, arrive at a place, POxy. 1829 (vi A. D.), etc.: Med., seize for oneself, τὰ πρήγματα Hdt. 6.39; τὰ ἄλλοι οὐ κατελάβοντο matters which others had not preoccupied, ib. 55: freq. in Plb., κ. λόφον 1.19.5, al.: Pass., of a person, ὑπὸ τοῦ θεοῦ καταληφθείς possessed, Plot. 5.8.11.

2. of death, fatigue, disaster, etc., τὸν δὲ κατ' ὄσσε ἔλλαβε.. θάνατος Il. 5.82; Ἄργον.. κατὰ μοῖρ' ἔλαβεν.. θανάτοιο Od. 17.326: c. dupl. acc., εὖτ' ἄν μιν κάματος κατὰ γυῖα λάβῃσιν 1.192; Δίκη καταλήψεται ψευδῶν τέκτονας Heraclit. 28; befall, overtake, συμφορὰ κ. πόλεις E. Hipp. 1161: freq.in Hdt., θεῖα πρήγματα καταλαμβάνει τοὺς αἰελούρους 2.66; πένθεα μεγάλα τοὺς Αἰγυπτίους κ. ibid., cf. 3.42; ὅσα φεύγοντας ἐκ τῆς πατρίδος κακὰ ἐπίδοξα καταλαμβάνειν may be expected to befall them, 4.11; ἤν τι καταλαμβάνῃ νεώτερον τὸν πεζόν 8.21: folld. by inf., νοῦσός τινα κ. νοσῆσαι 3.149, cf. 3.75; πρίν τι ἀνήκεστον ἡμᾶς κ. Th. 4.20; κίνδυνος κ. τινά D. 18.99; rarely of good fortune, τοῦτον κατέλαβε εὐτυχίη τις Hdt. 3.139.

3. seize with the mind, comprehend, Pl. Ax. 370a, Chrysipp.Stoic. 2.39, Plb. 8.2.6, John 1:5 (perh. overcome); κάλλος διὰ τῆς [ ὄψεως ] Pl. Phdr. 250d; ἐκ τοῦ φάσματος ὅτι.. D.H. 5.46, cf. Arr. Epict. 1.5.6: so in Med., D.H. 2.66, S.E. M. 7.288; ὅτι.. Acts 4:13; τί τὸ πλάτος Ephesians 3:18 : Pass., Phld. Sign. 22, Mus. p.62K., Numen. ap. Eus. PE 14.8.

4. accept, παρὰ τοῦ βασιλέως.. δωροδοκήματα dub. l. in Pl.Com. 119.1 (κᾆτ' ἔλαβον Mein.).

II

1. catch, overtake, come up with, τοὺς φεύγοντας Hdt. 1.63, cf. 2.30, etc.: Pass., Id. 7.211, Plb. 1.47.8.

2. find on arrival, c. part., τινὰ ζῶντα Hdt. 3.10; τὰ πλεῖστα.. προειργασμένα Th. 8.65; πάντα ἔξω Id. 2.18; ἀνεῳγμένην τὴν θύραν Pl. Smp. 174d; τοὺς ἄρχοντας ἐξιόντας D. 21.85; τινὰ ἔνδον Pl. Prt. 311a; τῶν φορτίων πολλὴν ἀπρασίαν D. 34.8; τι ὑπάρχον Arist. Top. 131a29; detect, ἐπ' αὐτοφώρῳ ἐμαυτόν Pl. Revelation 22:1-21 b: Pass., κατελήφθη σοῦ λάθρᾳ πωλῶν τὰ σά E. Cyc. 260, cf. John 8:3, etc.; κατείληπτο σοφιζόμενος D. 21.164; to be taken by surprise, Plu. Publ. 20.

III

1. impers., καταλαμβάνει τινά c. inf., it happens to one, it is one's fortune to.., καταλαμβάνει μιν φεύγειν Hdt. 2.152, cf. 3.118; καταλελάβηκέ με.. τοῦτο.. ἐκφῆναι Id. 3.65, cf. 4.105, 6.38. abs., πρὸς τὴν καταλαβοῦσαν συμφορήν that had befallen, Id. 4.161; τὰ καταλαβόντα, = τὰ συμβάντα, what had happened, the circumstances, Id. 9.49; ἢν πόλεμος καταλάβῃ Th. 2.54, cf. 18; εἰ -λαμβάνοι ἀναχώρησις Id. 4.31; τῆς νυκτὸς -λαμβανούσης as night was coming on, D.S. 20.86; Χειμῶνος ἤδη -λαμβάνοντος Hdn. 7.2.9. hold down, cover, τῇ Χειρὶ τὸν ὀφθαλμόν Pl. Tht. 165b; τὰς Χεῖρας Plu. Sert. 26; fasten down, κ. πῶμα γόμφοις Id. 2.356c, cf. Gal. 13.358 (so in Med., D.S. 3.37): Pass., to be compressed, opp. διαλύεσθαι, Arist. Pr. 870b11; τὰς φλέβας -λαμβανόμενοι Id. Somn.Vig. 455b7.

2. keep under, repress, check, κ. τινῶν αὐξανομένην τὴν δύναμιν Hdt. 1.46; κ. τὸ πῦρ get it under, ib. 87; ἴσχε καὶ κ. σεωυτόν Id. 3.36; κ. τὰς διαφοράς put an end to them, Id. 7.9. β; κ. ἐρίζοντας stop their quarrelling, Id. 3.128: folld. by inf., κ. τοὺς Αἰγυπτίους ταῦτα μὴ ποιέειν Id. 2.162; ὁ τῶν Περσέων θάνατος καταλαμφθεὶς ἐσιγήθη inquiries about their death being checked.., Id. 5.21. κ. τὸ πνεῦμα hold the breath, Gal. 6.176, al.

3. bind, κ. πίστι καὶ ὁρκίοισι Hdt. 9.106; ὅρκοις Th. 4.86, etc.: Pass., εἴ τινι -λέλαμμαι ὅρκῳ SIG 360.41 (Chersonesus); νόμοις, ἔθεσι κατειλημμένα enforced, Arist. Pol. 1324b22; ζημίαις Pl. Lg. 823a; [ τὰς σπονδὰς ] ηὗρε κατειλημμένας he found the treaty concluded, Th. 5.21 codd.

4. compel, constrain one to do, c. inf., ἀναγκαίη μιν κ. φαίνειν forces him to bring out the truth, Hdt. 3.75: Pass., ἀναγκαίῃ καταλαμβανόμενος being constrained, Id. 2.65, cf. Th. 7.57.

5. convict, condemn, Antipho 2.4.11; opp. ἀπολύειν, Id. 4.4.9; ἐὰν καταληφθεὶς ἀποθάνω Id. 2.2.9, cf. IG 12(2).526A20 (Eresus, iv B. C.); of the prosecutor, secure a conviction, RPhil. 1928.192 (Erythrae, v B. C.); -λαβών SIG 578.58 (Teos, ii B. C.), etc.

Thayer's Expanded Definition

καταλαμβάνω: 2 aorist κατέλαβον; perfect infinitive κατειληφέναι; passive, perfect 3 person singular κατείληπται (John 8:4 as given in L T Tr WH text), perfect participle κατειλημμένος; 1 aorist κατειληφθην (John 8:4 Rst bez elz G) (on the augment cf. Winer's Grammar, § 12, 6), and κατελήφθην (Philippians 3:12 R G), and κατελήμφθην (ibid. L T Tr WH; on the mu μ' see under the word Mu); middle, present καταλαμβάνομαι; 2 aorist κατελαβόμην; cf. Kühner, i., p. 856; (Veitch, under the word λαμβάνω); the Sept. for הִשִּׂיג, לָכַד, also for מָצָא, etc.; (from Homer down); to lay hold of; i. e.:

1. to lay hold of so as to make one's own, to obtain, attain to: with the accusative of the thing; the prize of victory, 1 Corinthians 9:24; Philippians 3:12f; τήν δικαιοσύνην, Romans 9:30; equivalent to to make one's own, to take into oneself, appropriate: σκοτία αὐτό (i. e. τό φῶς) οὐ κατέλαβεν, John 1:5.

2. to seize upon, take possession of (Latinoccupare);

a. of evils overtaking one (so in Greek writings from Homer down): τινα σκοτία, John 12:35; (so physically, John 6:17 Tdf.); of the last day overtaking the wicked with destruction, 1 Thessalonians 5:4; of a demon about to torment one, Mark 9:18.

b. in a good sense, of Christ by his holy power and influence laying hold of the human mind and will, in order to prompt and govern it, Philippians 3:12.

3. to detect, catch: τινα ἐν τίνι, in passive John 8:3 (WH ἐπί τίνι); with a participle indicating the crime, John 8:4.

4. to lay hold of with the mind; to understand, perceive, learn, comprehend (Plato, Phaedr., p. 250d.; Axioch., p. 370a.; Polybius 8, 4, 6; Philo, vita contempl. § 10; Dionysius Halicarnassus, Antiquities 5, 46); middle (Dionysius Halicarnassus, Antiquities 2, 66; (cf. Winer's Grammar, 253 (238))), followed by ὅτι, Acts 4:13; Acts 10:34; followed by the accusative with an infinitive, Acts 25:25; followed by indirect discourse, Ephesians 3:18.


Thayer's Expanded Greek Definition, Electronic Database.
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All rights rserved. Used by permission. BibleSoft.com
Abbott-Smith Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament

κατα -λαμβάνω ,

[in LXX for H5381 hi., H3920, etc.;]

1. to lap hold of, seize, appropriate: Mark 9:18; c. acc rei, 1 Corinthians 9:24, Philippians 3:12-13

2. to overtake: as carrel, of διώκω (Field, Notes, 158 f.), Romans 9:30; ἡ ἡμέρα , 1 Thessalonians 5:4; of evils, John 1:5; John 12:35 (cf. 617 T); hence, to surprise, discover: John 8:3-4],

3. Of mental action, to apprehend, comprehend; so mid., in NT (M, Pr., 158): Ephesians 3:18; seq. ὅτι , Acts 4:13; Acts 10:34; c. acc et inf., Acts 25:25 (MM, Exp., xv).†


Abbott-Smith Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament.
Copyright © 1922 by G. Abbott-Smith, D.D., D.C.L.. T & T Clarke, London.
Vocabulary of the Greek NT

Many of the NT meanings of this common verb can be paralleled from our sources. Thus P Oxy XII. 1413.14 (A.D. 270–5) κατείληφα πόρον, τουτέστιν γενήματα ἀποκείμενα ἐν τῷ Μονίμου, ";I have impounded the property, that is to say produce deposited at the farmstead of Monimus"; (Edd.),Syll 933fin (iv/B.C.) οἵδε ] κατέλαβον τὰν χώρ [αν καὶ ἐτείχιξ ]αν τὰν πόλιν —then follow the names of colonists who I ";appropriated"; the land : this is Paul’s regular use of the verb in active and passive. In the letter of Epicurus to a child, discovered at Herculaneum, 176.4 (= Selections, p. 5), the philosopher writes— ]φείγμεθα εἰς Λάμψακον. . . καὶ ἐκεῖ κατειλήφαμεν ὑγ [ι ]αίνοντας Θεμίσταν καὶ τοὺς λοιποὺς [θί ]λο [υ ]ς, ";we have arrived at Lampsacus, and there we have found Themistas and the rest of our friends in good health"; : cf. P Tebt I. 15.5 (B.C. 114) ἡμῶν συνεκπηδησάντων κατέλαβονον (l. κατέλαβον) ὄχλον τῶν ἐκ τῆς κώ (μης), ";on running out we found a crowd of the villagers"; (Edd.). For a weaker meaning ";meet with"; a person or thing, cf. P Fay 130.8 (iii/A.D.) ἕως ἄν καταλαμβάνω σε πρὸς τὴν ἑορτήν, ";until I meet you at the festival"; (Edd.), P Meyer 20.20 (1st half iii/A.D.) συνπεριφέρου τῷ καιρῷ ἕως σε καταλάβω, ";adapt yourself to circumstances until I join you,"; ib. 23.2 (end iv/A.D.) ἤδ ̣η γὰρ ὑμᾶς καταλάβω, P Oxy IX. 1223.5 (late iv/A.D.) τὸ πλοῖον. . . καταλαμβάνει, P Oxy IX. ib. X. 1297 .14 (iv/A.D.) ἐὰν καταγάβῃ Θεόδωρος ἐκεῖ, ";if Theodorus reaches you there"; (Edd.). Hence in late papyri the verb comes to mean ";visit"; as in Chrest. I. 297.6 (vi/A.D.) ἅμα ] δὲ Ἀπολλῶτι κατάλαβε, ἐπειδὴ ἀναγκαίως θέλω σοι λαλῆσαι, where Wilcken renders κατάλαβε ";komm,"; ";besuche mich."; To ";overtake,"; of evils, as in John 12:35, and probably in 1:5 is the meaning in Syll214.14 (iii/B.C.) καὶ νῦν δὲ καιρῶν (";crises";) κατειληφότων ὁμοίων τὴν Ἑλλάδα πᾶσαν : see also the Christian letter P Oxy VI.939.5 (iv/A.D.) (= Selections, p. 128) ὥστε τὴν ] κυρίαν ἀνασφῆλαι ἐκ τῆς καταλαβούσης [αὐτὴν νόσ ]ου, ";in that my mistress has recovered from the illness that struck her down."; 1 Thessalonians 5:4 may be illustrated by Syll 803.14 (Epidaurus, iii/B.C.) μεταξὺ δὲ ἁμέρα ἐπικαταλαμβάνει.

For καταλαμβάνω = ";detect,"; ";catch,"; in a crime, cf. P Lille I. 3.58 (after B.C. 241–0) ἀπεστάλκαμεν Ἡρακλείδην, συντάξαντες [α ]ὐτῶι, ἐά [ν τι ]νας καταλαμβάνηι διατιθεμένους [π ]λειόνων τι ̣[μ ]ῶν συντεταγμένων, παραδιδ [ ]ναι αὐ [το ]ὺς τοῖς φ [υ ]λακίταις, P Ryl II. 138.15 (A.D. 34) κατέλαβα τοῦτον διὰ νυκτὸς ἡλμένον. . εἰς τῶι (l. τὸ) . . ἐποίκιον, ";I detected him when under cover of night he had sprung into the farmstead"; (Edd.),and especially BGU IV. 1024iii. 11 (iv/v A.D.) γυναῖκα καταλημφθεῖσαν ὑπὸ τοῦ ε ̣̓δι [κ ]η [μέ ]νος (l. ἠδικημένου) μετὰ μοίχου, which offers an almost exact parallel to John 8:3 f.. The mid. = ";perceive,"; ";comprehend,"; as in Acts 4:13 al., may be illustrated from Vett. Val. p. 225.8 ἅπερ ἐκ τῆς τῶν ἀστέρων ἀφέσεως κατελαβόμην, and so frequently. See Dittenberger’s note on OGIS 8.20 for the verb = ";condemn"; in the Ionic and Aeolic dialects. MGr καταλαβαίνω, ";comprehend,"; ";understand.";

 


The Vocabulary of the Greek New Testament.
Copyright © 1914, 1929, 1930 by James Hope Moulton and George Milligan. Hodder and Stoughton, London.
Derivative Copyright © 2015 by Allan Loder.
List of Word Forms
καταλαβεσθαι καταλαβέσθαι καταλάβετε καταλαβη καταλάβη καταλάβῃ καταλαβητε καταλάβητε καταλάβοι καταλαβομενοι καταλαβόμενοι καταλαβόμενος καταλαβω καταλάβω καταλαβώμεθα καταλάβωσι καταλαμβανομαι καταλαμβάνομαι καταλαμβανομένου καταλαμβάνονται καταλαμβάνων καταλήψεσθε καταλήψεται καταλήψη καταλήψομαι καταλήψονταί κατειλημμένα κατειλημμενην κατειλημμένην κατειληπται κατείληπται κατειληφεναι κατειληφέναι κατέλαβε κατέλαβέ κατελαβεν κατέλαβεν κατελάβετο κατελαβομην κατελαβόμην κατέλαβον κατέλαβόν κατελάβοντο κατελείφθη κατελημφθην κατελήμφθην κατελήφθην katalabe katalabē katalábei katalábēi katalabesthai katalabésthai katalabete katalabēte katalábete katalábēte katalabo katalabō katalábo katalábō katalabomenoi katalabómenoi katalambanomai katalambánomai kateilemmenen kateilemménen kateilēmmenēn kateilēmménēn kateilephenai kateilephénai kateilēphenai kateilēphénai kateileptai kateilēptai kateíleptai kateílēptai katelaben katélaben katelabomen katelabomēn katelabómen katelabómēn katelemphthen katelēmphthēn katelḗmphthen katelḗmphthēn
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