Strong's Lexicon
katalambanó: To seize, to grasp, to comprehend, to overtake
Original Word:καταλαμβάνω
Part of Speech:Verb
Transliteration:katalambanó
Pronunciation:kat-al-am-ban'-o
Phonetic Spelling:(kat-al-am-ban'-o)
Definition:To seize, to grasp, to comprehend, to overtake
Meaning:(a) I seize tight hold of, arrest, catch, capture, appropriate, (b) I overtake, (c) mid. aor: I perceived, comprehended.
Word Origin:From κατά (kata, meaning "down" or "against") and λαμβάνω (lambanó, meaning "to take" or "to receive")
Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries:While there is no direct Hebrew equivalent for "katalambanó," similar concepts can be found in Hebrew words like תָּפַשׂ (taphas, Strong's H8610), meaning "to seize" or "to capture," and בִּין (bin, Strong's H995), meaning "to understand" or "to discern."
Usage:The Greek verb "katalambanó" carries the idea of seizing or taking hold of something, both in a physical and metaphorical sense. It can mean to physically apprehend or capture, as well as to mentally grasp or understand a concept. In the New Testament, it is often used to describe the act of comprehending spiritual truths or the inability of darkness to overcome the light.
Cultural and Historical Background:In the Greco-Roman world, the concept of "katalambanó" would have been understood in various contexts, from military conquests to philosophical understanding. The term implies a decisive action, whether it be capturing a city or grasping a profound truth. In the New Testament, this word is used to convey the power and authority of Christ's light and truth over darkness and ignorance.
HELPS Word-studies
2638katalambánō (from2596/katá, "down, according to," which intensifies2983/lambánō, "aggressively take") – properly, take hold ofexactly,with decisive initiative (eager self-interest); to grasp something in a forceful (firm) manner; (figuratively) toapprehend (comprehend), "making it one'sown."
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Originfrom
kata and
lambanóDefinitionto lay hold of, seize
NASB Translationattained (1), caught (2), comprehend (2), found (1), laid hold (2), lay hold (1), overtake (2), seizes (1), understand (1), understood (1), win (1).
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
STRONGS NT 2638: καταλαμβάνωκαταλαμβάνω: 2 aorist
κατέλαβον; perfect infinitive
κατειληφέναι; passive, perfect 3 person singular
κατείληπται (
John 8:4 as given in
LTTrWH text), perfect participle
κατειλημμένος; 1 aorist
κατειληφθην (
John 8:4RstbezelzG) (on the augment cf.
Winer's Grammar, § 12, 6), and
κατελήφθην (
Philippians 3:12RG), and
κατελήμφθην (ibid.
LTTrWH; 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;τήνδικαιοσύνην,Romans 9:30; equivalent toto make one's own, to take into oneself, appropriate:ἡσκοτίααὐτό (i. e.τόφῶς)οὐκατέλαβεν,John 1:5.
2.to seize upon, take possession of (Latinoccupare);
a. of evils overtaking one (so in Greek writings fromHomer down):τινασκοτία,John 12:35; (so physically,John 6:17Tdf.); 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:τιναἐντίνι, in passiveJohn 8:3 (WHἐπίτίνι); 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 byὅτι,Acts 4:13;Acts 10:34; followed by the accusative with an infinitive,Acts 25:25; followed by indirect discourse,Ephesians 3:18.
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
apprehend, attain, overtake.Fromkata andlambano; to take eagerly, i.e. Seize, possess, etc. (literally or figuratively) -- apprehend, attain, come upon, comprehend, find, obtain, perceive, (over-)take.
see GREEKkata
see GREEKlambano
Forms and Transliterations
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 katelḗmphthēnLinks
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