καταργέω
To be (render) entirely idle (useless), literally or figuratively
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What does καταργέω (katargéō) mean in the Bible?
καταργέω (katargéō) is a Greek word meaning "to be (render) entirely idle (useless), literally or figuratively". κατ-αργέω, -ῶ (κατά, causative, ἀργός = ἀ-εργός), [in LXX: 2Es. Describes the believer’s release from the law’s former binding authority. This term runs through the canonical themes of Justice, Messiah.
Full entry for καταργέω (G2673) · Browse the biblical lexicon
Meaning
To render inoperative, invalid, or abolished; to nullify or strip of power and effectiveness.
(κατά, causative, ἀργός = ἀ-εργός), [in LXX: 2Es.4.21; 2Es.4.23; 2Es.5.5; 2Es.6.8 (בְּטֵל)* ;] to make idle or inactive (χέρας, Eur., Phœn., 753): of soil occupied by an unfruitful tree, Luk.13:7. Metaphorical (Inscr.), to render inoperative or invalid, to abrogate, abolish: Rom.3:3, 31, 1Co.1:28 6:13 13:11 15:24, Gal.3:17, Eph.2:15, 2Th.2:8, 2Ti.1:10, Heb.2:14; pass., Rom.4:14 6:6, 1Co.2:6 13:8 13:10 15:26, 2Co.3:7 3:11-14 Gal.5:11; before ἀπό (of persons), to be separated, discharged or loosed from, Rom.7:2, 6, Gal.5:4.
Why This Word Matters
Describes the believer’s release from the law’s former binding authority. 2 Timothy 1:8-12
The gospel announces that Christ has rendered death powerless through His redemptive work. Romans 7:1-6
Grammatical Forms
How mood, tense, and voice shift the force of this verb in context.
Indicative states a fact or reality 16×
Subjunctive possibility, probability, or purpose 4×
Participle verbal adjective — the action as a modifying quality 6×
Infinitive verbal noun — the action in abstract 1×
Discourse Aspect
How this verb appears across 27 occurrences in the NT discourse index (MACULA Greek SBLGNT).
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)
Canonical Themes
Biblical Occurrences
Each occurrence shows the passage reference, the original language term as it appears in that context, its transliteration, and the contextual sense.
New Testament Witnesses
Additional Occurrences
Appears In
Compound and idiomatic lexemes in which this word is a constituent. Follow a link to study the phrase and its other participating words.
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.
A.T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament (1930–31) — public domain