What does καθίζω (kathízō) mean in the Bible?
Καθίζω means to sit down, seat someone, cause someone to remain, or appoint a place. Jesus sits on the mountain to teach His disciples, adopting the ordinary posture of an authoritative teacher.
Greek · G2523
καθίζω
To seat
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καθίζω G2523
Pronunciation kathízō
What does καθίζω (kathízō) mean in the Bible?
Καθίζω means to sit down, seat someone, cause someone to remain, or appoint a place. Jesus sits on the mountain to teach His disciples, adopting the ordinary posture of an authoritative teacher.
Reader summary
Full entry for καθίζω (G2523) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render G2523?
The BSB source-word alignment has 46 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include sat down (6), sat (4), He sat down (3), sit (3), Sitting down (3).
Where does καθίζω (kathízō) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Matthew 5:1. Its strongest book concentrations include Acts (9), Mark (8), Matthew (8), Luke (7).
What This Word Actually Means
Καθίζω means to sit down, seat someone, cause someone to remain, or appoint a place. Jesus sits on the mountain to teach His disciples, adopting the ordinary posture of an authoritative teacher. An unridden colt awaits the Messiah's entry, while the risen Jesus tells disciples to remain in the city until clothed with power from on high. Festus sits on the judgment seat to exercise legal authority, and Revelation sees martyrs seated on thrones with authority to judge and reign with Christ.
Sitting can express rest, teaching, waiting, occupancy, judicial office, or enthronement. The verb alone does not confer authority; the person, seat, setting, and one who grants the place determine its force.
How the Bible Uses It
Καθίζω describes sitting, seating, or remaining. Teaching posture, an unused mount, obedient waiting, judicial office, and granted thrones display distinct kinds of placement.
- Matt.5.1
When Jesus saw the crowds, He went up on the mountain and sat down. His disciples came to Him,
Jesus sits on the mountain and His disciples approach, introducing authoritative kingdom teaching addressed first to those who follow Him.
- Mark.11.2
And said to them, “Go into the village ahead of you, and as soon as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, on which no one has ever sat. Untie it and bring it here.
The colt has never been sat upon, a detail that contributes to the prepared, distinctive mount Jesus uses in His royal entry.
- Luke.24.49
And behold, I am sending the promise of My Father upon you. But remain in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”
The disciples must remain in Jerusalem until the Father's promise clothes them with power, making waiting an act of obedience rather than inactivity without purpose.
- Acts.25.6
After spending no more than eight or ten days with them, Festus went down to Caesarea. The next day he sat on the judgment seat and ordered that Paul be brought in.
Festus sits on the tribunal and orders Paul brought forward, locating legal procedure under an office that can still be pressured by politics.
- Rev.20.4
Then I saw the thrones, and those seated on them had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or hands. And they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.
The faithful dead are seated on thrones and given authority to judge, so their reign is received from God after costly witness rather than seized through violence.
Passage context
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders It sat down 6× Matthew 5:1, Mark 16:19, 1 Corinthians 10:7, Hebrews 8:1
sat 4× Luke 19:30, John 12:14, John 19:13, Acts 12:21
He sat down 3× John 8:2, Hebrews 1:3, Hebrews 10:12
sit 3× Matthew 23:2, Matthew 26:36, Mark 14:32
Sitting down 3× Mark 9:35, Luke 5:3, Acts 16:13
to sit 3× Matthew 20:23, Mark 10:40, Revelation 3:21
[and] sat down 2× Luke 4:20, Acts 13:14
He sat 2× Mark 11:7, Acts 25:6
may sit 2× Matthew 20:21, Mark 10:37
sit down 2× Luke 14:28, Luke 16:6
[and] sit 1× Acts 8:31
[Jesus] was sitting 1× Mark 12:41
[Paul] stayed 1× Acts 18:11
came to rest 1× Acts 2:3
do you appoint [as judges] 1× 1 Corinthians 6:4
has ever sat 1× Mark 11:2
He will sit 1× Matthew 25:31
I sat 1× Acts 25:17
remain 1× Luke 24:49
seated [Him] 1× Ephesians 1:20
sits 1× Matthew 19:28
that He would place 1× Acts 2:30
they sat down 1× Matthew 13:48
those seated 1× Revelation 20:4
will not first sit down 1× Luke 14:31
will seat himself 1× 2 Thessalonians 2:4
Show sample aligned rows
Matthew 5:1 καθίσαντος to sat down Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Genitive Masculine Singular Matthew 13:48 καθίσαντες to they sat down Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural Matthew 19:28 καθίσῃ to sits Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person Singular Matthew 20:21 καθίσωσιν to may sit Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person Plural Matthew 20:23 καθίσαι to to sit Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active Matthew 23:2 ἐκάθισαν to sit Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural Matthew 25:31 καθίσει to He will sit Verb - Future Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular Matthew 26:36 Καθίσατε to Sit Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person Plural Mark 9:35 καθίσας to Sitting down Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular Mark 10:37 καθίσωμεν to may sit Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 1st Person Plural
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Matthew 5:1
Aligned rows 46
Books represented 10
Matthew 8 Mark 8 Luke 7 John 3 Acts 9 1 Corinthians 2 Ephesians 1 2 Thessalonians 1 Hebrews 4 Revelation 3
Source forms
ἐκάθισεν 11x ekathisen Mark 11:2, Mark 11:7, Mark 16:19, Luke 4:20
καθίσας 11x kathisas Mark 9:35, Mark 12:41, Luke 5:3, Luke 14:28
καθίσαι 6x kathisai Matthew 20:23, Mark 10:40, Acts 2:30, Acts 8:31
ἐκάθισαν 3x ekathisan Matthew 23:2, Acts 13:14, Revelation 20:4
Ἐκάθισεν 2x Ekathisen Acts 18:11, 1 Corinthians 10:7
καθίσαντες 2x kathisantes Matthew 13:48, Acts 16:13
Καθίσατε 2x Kathisate Matthew 26:36, Mark 14:32
ἐκάθισα 1x ekathisa Revelation 3:21
Parsing patterns
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular 13x Mark 11:2, Mark 11:7, Mark 16:19, Luke 4:20
Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular 11x Mark 9:35, Mark 12:41, Luke 5:3, Luke 14:28
Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active 6x Matthew 20:23, Mark 10:40, Acts 2:30, Acts 8:31
Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person Plural 3x Matthew 26:36, Mark 14:32, Luke 24:49
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural 3x Matthew 23:2, Acts 13:14, Revelation 20:4
Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural 2x Matthew 13:48, Acts 16:13
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular 1x Revelation 3:21
Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Genitive Masculine Singular 1x Matthew 5:1
Using This Word Well
Be careful not to...
- Do not equate occupying a platform, judicial seat, or leadership role with divine approval; authority is judged by truth, justice, and service under Christ.
Avoid claiming...
- Do not claim that every use of καθίζω has symbolic royal meaning.
- Do not use the command to wait in Jerusalem to discourage timely action after God has already made duty clear.
Evidence Summary
Messiah
Greek word. To sit down or be seated; causally, to appoint or enthrone in a position of authority or honor.
Strong's G2523
Lexical occurrences 45 verses Greek text appearances 48 times 16 shown below Word forms 5 forms 45 references Verse guides 0 guides
Study link Hebrews 1:1-4 Source Gloss
to seat
Greek Text Appearances
Textus Receptus witness, full corpus Greek token appearances from Scrivener 1894 Textus Receptus in the full New Testament corpus.
16 of 48 Greek text appearances shown. Linked morphology labels have verse guides.
Matthew 5:1 Verb Aorist Active Participle Genitive Singular Masculine
καθίσαντος kaqisantov
I set, make to sit
Read verse Matthew 13:48 Verb Aorist Active Participle Nominative Plural Masculine
καθίσαντες, kaqisantev
I set, make to sit
Read verse Matthew 19:28 Verb Third Person Singular Aorist Active Subjunctive
καθίσῃ kaqish
I set, make to sit
Read verse Matthew 19:28 Verb Second Person Plural Future Middle Deponent Indicative
καθίσεσθε kaqisesqe
I set, make to sit
Read verse Matthew 20:21 Verb Third Person Plural Aorist Active Subjunctive
καθίσωσιν kaqiswsin
I set, make to sit
Read verse Matthew 20:23 Verb Aorist Active Infinitive
καθίσαι kaqisai
I set, make to sit
Read verse Matthew 23:2 Verb Third Person Plural Aorist Active Indicative
ἐκάθισαν ekaqisan
I set, make to sit
Read verse Matthew 25:31 Verb Third Person Singular Future Active Indicative
καθίσει kaqisei
I set, make to sit
Read verse Matthew 26:36 Verb Second Person Plural Aorist Active Imperative
Καθίσατε kaqisate
I set, make to sit
Read verse Mark 9:35 Verb Aorist Active Participle Nominative Singular Masculine
καθίσας kaqisav
I set, make to sit
Read verse Mark 10:37 Verb First Person Plural Aorist Active Subjunctive
καθίσωμεν kaqiswmen
I set, make to sit
Read verse Mark 10:40 Verb Aorist Active Infinitive
καθίσαι kaqisai
I set, make to sit
Read verse Mark 11:2 Verb Third Person Singular Perfect Active Indicative
κεκάθικε· kekaqiken
I set, make to sit
Read verse Mark 11:7 Verb Third Person Singular Aorist Active Indicative
ἐκάθισεν ekaqisen
I set, make to sit
Read verse Mark 12:41 Verb Aorist Active Participle Nominative Singular Masculine
καθίσας kaqisav
I set, make to sit
Read verse Mark 14:32 Verb Second Person Plural Aorist Active Imperative
Καθίσατε kaqisate
I set, make to sit
Read verseFull New Testament corpus: 260 chapters, 7,957 verses, 140,628 tokens. Data source: honza/textus-receptus (data only), with authority check against byztxt/greektext-textus-receptus.
Grammatical Forms
How mood, tense, and voice shift the force of this verb in context.
This verb appears through different tense, voice, mood, or stem patterns. Those forms help readers see how the action is presented in context.
Form groups 5 Aligned forms 45 Tenses Aorist, Future, Present, Perfect Voices Active
Verse guides are not available for this word yet, so verse references remain plain evidence markers.
Tenses
Voices
Indicative states a fact or reality 20×
Aorist Active Mark 11:2 · Mark 11:7 · Mark 16:19 · Luke 4:20 · Luke 19:30 · John 12:14 · John 19:13 · Acts 2:3 · Acts 18:11 · 1 Cor 10:7 · Heb 1:3 · Heb 8:1 · Heb 10:12 · Matt 23:2 · Acts 13:14 · Rev 20:4 17×
Future Active Matt 25:31 1×
Present Active 1 Cor 6:4 1×
Perfect Active Heb 12:2 1×
Participle verbal adjective — the action as a modifying quality 13×
Aorist Active Mark 9:35 · Mark 12:41 · Luke 5:3 · Luke 14:28 · Luke 14:31 · Luke 16:6 · Acts 12:21 · Acts 25:6 · Acts 25:17 · Eph 1:20 · Matt 13:48 · Acts 16:13 · Matt 5:1 13×
Infinitive verbal noun — the action in abstract 6×
Aorist Active Matt 20:23 · Mark 10:40 · Acts 2:30 · Acts 8:31 · 2 Thess 2:4 · Rev 3:21 6×
Imperative command or strong request 3×
Aorist Active Matt 26:36 · Mark 14:32 · Luke 24:49 3×
Subjunctive possibility, probability, or purpose 3×
Aorist Active Matt 19:28 · Matt 20:21 · Mark 10:37 3×
Discourse Aspect
How this verb appears across 46 occurrences in the NT discourse index (MACULA Greek SBLGNT).
Aspect
Tense
aorist 43 present 1 perfect 1 future 1
Voice
active 46
Mood
indicative 20 participle 14 infinitive 6 imperative 3 subjunctive 3
NT Occurrences
Matthew 5:1 καθίσαντος aorist active participle participle Matthew 13:48 καθίσαντες aorist active participle participle Matthew 19:28 καθίσῃ aorist active subjunctive subjunctive Matthew 20:21 καθίσωσιν aorist active subjunctive subjunctive Matthew 20:23 καθίσαι aorist active infinitive infinitive Matthew 23:2 ἐκάθισαν aorist active indicative completed Matthew 25:31 καθίσει future active indicative prospective Matthew 26:36 Καθίσατε aorist active imperative imperative Mark 9:35 καθίσας aorist active participle participle Mark 10:37 καθίσωμεν aorist active subjunctive subjunctive Mark 10:40 καθίσαι aorist active infinitive infinitive Mark 11:2 ἐκάθισεν aorist active indicative completed Mark 11:7 ἐκάθισεν aorist active indicative completed Mark 12:41 καθίσας aorist active participle participle Mark 14:32 Καθίσατε aorist active imperative imperative Mark 16:19 ἐκάθισεν aorist active indicative completed Luke 4:20 ἐκάθισεν aorist active indicative completed Luke 5:3 καθίσας aorist active participle participle Luke 14:28 καθίσας aorist active participle participle Luke 14:31 καθίσας aorist active participle participle Luke 16:6 καθίσας aorist active participle participle Luke 19:30 ἐκάθισεν aorist active indicative completed Luke 24:49 καθίσατε aorist active imperative imperative John 8:2 καθίσας aorist active participle participle John 12:14 ἐκάθισεν aorist active indicative completed John 19:13 ἐκάθισεν aorist active indicative completed Acts 2:3 ἐκάθισεν aorist active indicative completed Acts 2:30 καθίσαι aorist active infinitive infinitive Acts 8:31 καθίσαι aorist active infinitive infinitive Acts 12:21 καθίσας aorist active participle participle Acts 13:14 ἐκάθισαν aorist active indicative completed Acts 16:13 καθίσαντες aorist active participle participle Acts 18:11 ἐκάθισεν aorist active indicative completed Acts 25:17 καθίσας aorist active participle participle Acts 25:6 καθίσας aorist active participle participle 1 Corinthians 6:4 καθίζετε present active indicative ongoing 1 Corinthians 10:7 Ἐκάθισεν aorist active indicative completed Ephesians 1:20 καθίσας aorist active participle participle 2 Thessalonians 2:4 καθίσαι aorist active infinitive infinitive Hebrews 1:3 ἐκάθισεν aorist active indicative completed
+6 more occurrences
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)
Selected Scripture Witness
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
New Testament Witnesses
He sat down
Showing 1 selected witness from 45 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
καθίζω is built from this root:
Why This Word Matters
Marks the completion of Christ's priestly work and His royal enthronement. Hebrews 1:1-4
Canonical Themes
Messiah
Part of These Phrases
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.
For the Preacher and Teacher
Sitting may look inactive while carrying teaching, waiting, judgment, or reign. Jesus sits and speaks the kingdom's demands to gathered disciples. The unused colt is prepared for His royal entry, not a generic symbol of untouched potential. After resurrection, disciples must stay in Jerusalem until divine power arrives, refusing to launch mission on enthusiasm alone.
Festus occupies a judgment seat whose decisions remain morally accountable, and Revelation gives thrones to witnesses who suffered rather than conquered by beastly violence. Churches should learn both movement and placement: sit under Jesus' word, wait for God's provision, scrutinize authorities who occupy official seats, and receive service roles as gifts rather than thrones to seize.
Anchor passage
Matt.5.1
Doctrinal connections
- Matthew 5:1-12, the seated teacher and kingdom blessing
- Mark 11:1-11, the prepared colt and royal entry
- Luke 24:44-53, waiting for the Father's promise
- Acts 25:1-12, judicial seating and Paul's appeal
- Revelation 20:1-6, thrones granted to faithful witnesses
- Psalm 1:1-3, sitting, counsel, and delight in God's instruction
Καθίζω is causative or intransitive: to seat, cause to sit, sit down, or remain. A locative phrase and narrative role clarify ordinary posture, waiting, office, or enthronement.
From Old to New Testament
Teachers, judges, and kings sit in recognized places, while God's throne is the source of just authority. The Messiah teaches, reigns, and shares rule by grace.
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
Berean Standard Bible (BSB) source-word alignment - CC0 Public Domain