What does καταβαίνω · πῦρ mean in the Bible?
καταβαίνω · πῦρ is a Greek phrase meaning "fire to come down".
Greek · G2597, G4442
πῦρ καταβῆναι
To descend (literally or figuratively) · "fire" (literally or figuratively, specially, lightning)
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Words in this compound — expand to study each participant
καταβαίνωG2597to descend (literally or figuratively)
Pronunciationkatabaínō
Descent from a higher to lower position, often emphasizing movement from heaven or elevated status downward.
Open lexicon entry →πῦρG4442"fire" (literally or figuratively, specially, lightning)
Pronunciationpŷr
Fire as divine judgment and purification—literal destruction or testing that refines faith and character.
Open lexicon entry →What does πῦρ καταβῆναι (pyr katabēnai) mean in the Bible?
καταβαίνω · πῦρ is a Greek phrase meaning "fire to come down".
Full entry for πῦρ καταβῆναι (G2597, G4442) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How many biblical occurrences are listed for G2597, G4442?
G2597, G4442 is connected to 80 lexical occurrence verses in the lexicon data.
Evidence Summary
Greek phrase. fire to come down
Source Gloss
fire to come down
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 groups5Aligned forms80TensesAorist, Present, Imperfect, Perfect, FutureVoicesActive, Middle
Tenses
Voices
Indicativestates a fact or reality28×
Aorist ActiveMatt 7:25 · Matt 7:27 · Luke 2:51 · Luke 8:23 · Luke 18:14 · Luke 19:6 · John 2:12 · Acts 7:15 · Acts 18:22 · Acts 24:1 · Eph 4:9 · Rev 12:12 · Rev 20:9 · John 6:16 · Acts 8:38 · Acts 14:1119×
Future MiddleRom 10:7 · 1 Thess 4:16 · Matt 11:233×
Imperfect ActiveLuke 10:30 · Luke 10:312×
Present ActiveJohn 5:7 · Rev 16:212×
Perfect ActiveJohn 6:38 · John 6:422×
Participleverbal adjective — the action as a modifying quality38×
Present ActiveMatt 3:16 · Mark 1:10 · John 1:32 · John 1:33 · Acts 10:11 · Acts 11:5 · Acts 8:26 · Rev 21:2 · Rev 21:10 · Rev 10:1 · Rev 18:1 · Rev 20:1 · Matt 17:9 · Mark 9:9 · John 6:33 · John 6:5021×
Aorist ActiveMatt 14:29 · Matt 28:2 · Mark 15:30 · Luke 6:17 · John 3:13 · John 6:41 · John 6:51 · John 6:58 · Acts 10:21 · Acts 20:10 · Acts 25:6 · Eph 4:10 · Mark 3:22 · Acts 8:15 · Matt 8:1 · Acts 23:1016×
Perfect ActiveActs 25:71×
Imperativecommand or strong request9×
Aorist ActiveMatt 24:17 · Matt 27:42 · Mark 13:15 · Mark 15:32 · Luke 17:31 · Matt 27:40 · Luke 19:5 · John 4:49 · Acts 10:209×
Infinitiveverbal noun — the action in abstract3×
Aorist ActiveLuke 3:22 · Luke 9:542×
Present ActiveRev 13:131×
Subjunctivepossibility, probability, or purpose2×
Aorist ActiveJohn 4:47 · Acts 24:222×
Discourse Aspect
How this verb appears across 79 occurrences in the NT discourse index (MACULA Greek SBLGNT).
Aspect
Tense
aorist48present22future4perfect3imperfect2
Voice
active75middle3passive1
Mood
participle36indicative29imperative9infinitive3subjunctive2
NT Occurrences
Matthew 3:16καταβαῖνονpresent active participleparticipleMatthew 7:25κατέβηaorist active indicativecompletedMatthew 7:27κατέβηaorist active indicativecompletedMatthew 8:1Καταβάντοςaorist active participleparticipleMatthew 11:23καταβήσῃfuture middle indicativeprospectiveMatthew 14:29καταβὰςaorist active participleparticipleMatthew 17:9καταβαινόντωνpresent active participleparticipleMatthew 24:17καταβάτωaorist active imperativeimperativeMatthew 27:40κατάβηθιaorist active imperativeimperativeMatthew 27:42καταβάτωaorist active imperativeimperativeMatthew 28:2καταβὰςaorist active participleparticipleMark 1:10καταβαῖνονpresent active participleparticipleMark 3:22καταβάντεςaorist active participleparticipleMark 9:9καταβαινόντωνpresent active participleparticipleMark 13:15καταβάτωaorist active imperativeimperativeMark 15:30καταβὰςaorist active participleparticipleMark 15:32καταβάτωaorist active imperativeimperativeLuke 2:51κατέβηaorist active indicativecompletedLuke 3:22καταβῆναιaorist active infinitiveinfinitiveLuke 6:17καταβὰςaorist active participleparticipleLuke 8:23κατέβηaorist active indicativecompletedLuke 9:54καταβῆναιaorist active infinitiveinfinitiveLuke 10:15καταβιβασθήσῃfuture passive indicativeprospectiveLuke 10:30κατέβαινενimperfect active indicativebackgroundLuke 10:31κατέβαινενimperfect active indicativebackgroundLuke 17:31καταβάτωaorist active imperativeimperativeLuke 18:14κατέβηaorist active indicativecompletedLuke 19:5κατάβηθιaorist active imperativeimperativeLuke 19:6κατέβηaorist active indicativecompletedLuke 22:44καταβαίνοντεςpresent active participleparticipleJohn 1:32καταβαῖνονpresent active participleparticipleJohn 2:12κατέβηaorist active indicativecompletedJohn 3:13καταβάςaorist active participleparticipleJohn 4:47καταβῇaorist active subjunctivesubjunctiveJohn 4:49κατάβηθιaorist active imperativeimperativeJohn 4:51καταβαίνοντοςpresent active participleparticipleJohn 5:7καταβαίνειpresent active indicativeongoingJohn 6:16κατέβησανaorist active indicativecompletedJohn 6:33καταβαίνωνpresent active participleparticipleJohn 6:38καταβέβηκαperfect active indicativeresultant+39 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)
Word Origins
πῦρ καταβῆναι is built from these roots:
βάσιςG939