Greek · G2967 · unreviewed

κωλύω

To prevent

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κωλύω G2967

Pronunciation kōlýō

What does κωλύω (kōlýō) mean in the Bible?

κωλύω (kōlýō) is a Greek word meaning "to prevent". κωλύω (κόλος), [in LXX for כָּלָא, מָנַע, etc. Warns against obstructing genuine kingdom work. This term runs through the canonical themes of Kingdom.

Full entry for κωλύω (G2967) · Browse the biblical lexicon

Meaning

to prevent

Extended definition

Means to obstruct or forbid actively, often preventing someone from doing something desired.

(κόλος), [in LXX for כָּלָא, מָנַע, etc. ;] to hinder, restrain, forbid, withhold: with accusative and inf., Mat.19:14, Luk.23:2, Act.8:36 16:6 24:23, 1Th.2:16, Heb.7:23; inf. om., Mrk.9:38-39 10:14, Luk.9:49-50 11:52 18:16, Act.11:17, Rom.1:13, 3Jn.10; accusative om., 1Ti.4:3; with accusative of person(s) and genitive of thing(s), Act.27:43; with accusative of thing(s), 1Co.14:39, 2Pe.2:16; id. before τοῦ μή, Act.10:47; id. before ἀπό (like Heb. מִן כָּלָא, Gen.23:6, al.), Luk.6:29 (cf. δια-κωλύω).

Source: STEPBible TBESG + Abbott-Smith

Why This Word Matters

Warns against obstructing genuine kingdom work. Acts 11:1-18

Peter frames resistance as standing against God’s revealed action. Acts 16:6-10

Highlights active divine restraint in mission planning. Luke 9:49–50

Grammatical Forms

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

Tenses

Present Imperfect Aorist

Voices

Active Passive

Imperative command or strong request 6×

Present Active Matt 19:14 · Mark 9:39 · Mark 10:14 · Luke 9:50 · Luke 18:16 · 1 Cor 14:39 6×

Indicative states a fact or reality 8×

Aorist Active Acts 27:43 · 2 Pet 2:16 · Luke 11:52 3×

Imperfect Active Mark 9:38 · Luke 9:49 2×

Present Active Acts 8:36 · 3 John 1:10 2×

Aorist Passive Rom 1:13 1×

Infinitive verbal noun — the action in abstract 4×

Aorist Active Acts 10:47 · Acts 11:17 2×

Present Active Acts 24:23 1×

Present Passive Heb 7:23 1×

Participle verbal adjective — the action as a modifying quality 4×

Present Active 1 Thess 2:16 · 1 Tim 4:3 · Luke 23:2 3×

Aorist Passive Acts 16:6 1×

Subjunctive possibility, probability, or purpose 1×

Aorist Active Luke 6:29 1×

Discourse Aspect

How this verb appears across 23 occurrences in the NT discourse index (MACULA Greek SBLGNT).

Aspect

completed 4 ongoing 2 imperative 6 background 2 subjunctive 1 infinitive 4 participle 4

Tense

present 13 aorist 8 imperfect 2

Voice

active 20 passive 3

Mood

indicative 8 imperative 6 participle 4 infinitive 4 subjunctive 1

NT Occurrences

Matthew 19:14 κωλύετε present active imperative imperative Mark 9:38 ἐκωλύομεν imperfect active indicative background Mark 9:39 κωλύετε present active imperative imperative Mark 10:14 κωλύετε present active imperative imperative Luke 6:29 κωλύσῃς aorist active subjunctive subjunctive Luke 9:49 ἐκωλύομεν imperfect active indicative background Luke 9:50 κωλύετε present active imperative imperative Luke 11:52 ἐκωλύσατε aorist active indicative completed Luke 18:16 κωλύετε present active imperative imperative Luke 23:2 κωλύοντα present active participle participle Acts 8:36 κωλύει present active indicative ongoing Acts 10:47 κωλῦσαί aorist active infinitive infinitive Acts 11:17 κωλῦσαι aorist active infinitive infinitive Acts 16:6 κωλυθέντες aorist passive participle participle Acts 24:23 κωλύειν present active infinitive infinitive Acts 27:43 ἐκώλυσεν aorist active indicative completed Romans 1:13 ἐκωλύθην aorist passive indicative completed 1 Corinthians 14:39 κωλύετε present active imperative imperative 1 Thessalonians 2:16 κωλυόντων present active participle participle 1 Timothy 4:3 κωλυόντων present active participle participle Hebrews 7:23 κωλύεσθαι present passive infinitive infinitive 2 Peter 2:16 ἐκώλυσεν aorist active indicative completed 3 John 1:10 κωλύει present active indicative ongoing

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

Kingdom

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

Acts 11:1-18 Withstand kōlýō Infinitive · Aorist Active

To hinder or prevent.

Acts 16:6-10 Forbidden kōlýō Participle · Aorist Passive

To hinder or prevent.

Luke 9:49–50 κωλύομεν kōlýō Imperative · Present Active

to hinder

Additional Occurrences

Luke 18:15–17 κωλύετε kōlýō

Do not hinder

Luke 23:1–5 κωλύοντα kōlýō

Forbidding, preventing

Luke 9:49–50 ἐκωλύομεν kōlýō

We were hindering

Mark 9:38–41 κωλύω kōlýō

to hinder, forbid, prevent

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.

Acts 11 — Jerusalem Recognizes God’s Grace to the Gentiles Acts 16 — The Gospel Enters Macedonia: Opened Hearts, Broken Chains, and Household Faith Matthew 19 — Marriage from Creation, Children Received, Riches Renounced, and the Reward of Following 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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