Greek · G2638 · unreviewed

καταλαμβάνω

To grasp

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καταλαμβάνω G2638

Pronunciation katalambánō

What does καταλαμβάνω (katalambánō) mean in the Bible?

καταλαμβάνω (katalambánō) is a Greek word meaning "to grasp". κατα-λαμβάνω [in LXX for נָשַׂג hi.

Full entry for καταλαμβάνω (G2638) · Browse the biblical lexicon

Meaning

to grasp

Extended definition

To grasp mentally or physically; to seize, overtake, or comprehend before being overtaken oneself.

1to lap hold of, seize, appropriate: Mrk.9:18; with accusative of thing(s), 1Co.9:24, Php.3:12-13

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

3Of mental action, to apprehend, comprehend; so mid., in NT (M, Pr., 158): Eph.3:18; before ὅτι, Act.4:13 10:34; with accusative and inf., Act.25:25 (MM, Exp., xv).

Source: STEPBible TBESG + Abbott-Smith

Grammatical Forms

How mood, tense, and voice shift the force of this verb in context.

Tenses

Aorist Present Perfect

Voices

Active Middle Passive

Subjunctive possibility, probability, or purpose 5×

Aorist Active Mark 9:18 · John 12:35 · 1 Thess 5:4 · 1 Cor 9:24 · Phil 3:12 5×

Indicative states a fact or reality 5×

Aorist Active John 1:5 · Rom 9:30 2×

Present Middle Acts 10:34 1×

Aorist Middle Acts 25:25 1×

Aorist Passive Phil 3:12 1×

Participle verbal adjective — the action as a modifying quality 1×

Aorist Middle Acts 4:13 1×

Infinitive verbal noun — the action in abstract 2×

Aorist Middle Eph 3:18 1×

Perfect Active Phil 3:13 1×

Discourse Aspect

How this verb appears across 15 occurrences in the NT discourse index (MACULA Greek SBLGNT).

Aspect

completed 5 ongoing 1 subjunctive 5 infinitive 2 participle 2

Tense

aorist 13 present 1 perfect 1

Voice

active 8 middle 4 passive 3

Mood

indicative 6 subjunctive 5 participle 2 infinitive 2

NT Occurrences

Mark 9:18 καταλάβῃ aorist active subjunctive subjunctive John 1:5 κατέλαβεν aorist active indicative completed John 8:3 καταλήφθεισαν aorist passive participle participle John 8:4 κατελήφθη aorist passive indicative completed John 12:35 καταλάβῃ aorist active subjunctive subjunctive Acts 4:13 καταλαβόμενοι aorist middle participle participle Acts 10:34 καταλαμβάνομαι present middle indicative ongoing Acts 25:25 κατελαβόμην aorist middle indicative completed Romans 9:30 κατέλαβεν aorist active indicative completed 1 Corinthians 9:24 καταλάβητε aorist active subjunctive subjunctive Ephesians 3:18 καταλαβέσθαι aorist middle infinitive infinitive Philippians 3:12 καταλάβω aorist active subjunctive subjunctive Philippians 3:12 κατελήμφθην aorist passive indicative completed Philippians 3:13 κατειληφέναι perfect active infinitive infinitive 1 Thessalonians 5:4 καταλάβῃ aorist active subjunctive subjunctive

Aspect reflects grammatical form — not authorial emphasis. Participles and infinitives are verbal adjectives and nouns respectively.

Clause data: MACULA Greek (Clear Bible, CC BY 4.0) · SBLGNT (Logos/SBL, CC BY 4.0)

Biblical Occurrences

Each occurrence shows the passage reference, the original language term as it appears in that context, its transliteration, and the contextual sense.

Biblical Witnesses

Philippians 3:12–16 apprehend katalambánō Subjunctive · Aorist Active

to seize or grasp after, to pursue and obtain spiritual perfection

Ephesians 3:14-21 comprehend katalambánō Infinitive · Aorist Middle

to apprehend mentally or spiritually, to grasp the dimensions of Christ's love

Proverbs 12:21 overtake katalambánō

to seize or come upon, harm or adversity reaching the righteous

Word Pictures (Robertson)

A.T. Robertson's Word Pictures in the New Testament (1930–31) discusses this term in the following chapters. Open any chapter and go to the Word Pictures tab to read his verse-by-verse commentary.

John 12 — The Anointed King, the Lifted-Up Son of Man, and the Hour of Glory Philippians 3 — Counting All Things Loss and Pressing On Toward Christ Romans 9 — God’s Faithfulness, Sovereign Mercy, and Israel’s Stumbling Over Christ

A.T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament (1930–31) — public domain

Sources

MorphGNT Strong's Dictionary XML — CC0 1.0 Public Domain

Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (morphhb/OSHB) — CC BY 4.0

Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon — CC BY 4.0

STEPBible Data — CC BY 4.0

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