OliveGrove
Pressing the Word of God for Deeper Understanding.
Greek · G2597 · unreviewed

καταβαίνω

To descend (literally or figuratively)

These lexicon entries are being actively developed. If you notice missing content, incorrect definitions, or have suggestions, we'd love to hear from you. Share a note on our Connect page and include a screenshot if helpful.

καταβαίνω G2597
Pronunciation katabaínō

What does καταβαίνω (katabaínō) mean in the Bible?

καταβαίνω (katabaínō) is a Greek word meaning "to descend (literally or figuratively)". κατα-βαίνω [in LXX chiefly for יָרַד ;] to go or come down, descend.

Full entry for καταβαίνω (G2597) · Browse the biblical lexicon

Meaning

to descend (literally or figuratively)
Extended definition

Descent from a higher to lower position, often emphasizing movement from heaven or elevated status downward.

to go or come down, descend.

1Of persons: Mat.3:16 24:17, Luk.2:51 6:17 10:31 17:31 19:5-6, Jhn.4:47, 49 4:51 5:7, Act.7:34 8:15 10:20 20:10 23:10 24:1, 22 Eph.4:10. before ἀπό, Mat.8:1 14:29 27:40, 42 Mrk.3:22 15:30, Luk.10:30, Jhn.6:38, Act.25:7, 1Th.4:16; ἐκ, Mat.17:9; ἐκ τ. οὐρανοῦ, Mat.28:2, Mrk.9:9, Jhn.1:32 3:13 6:33, 41-42 6:50-51, 58 Rev.10:1 18:1 20:1; εἰς, Mrk.1:10, Luk.10:30 18:14, Jhn.2:12, Act.7:15 8:38 14:25 16:8 18:22 25:6, Rom.10:7, Eph.4:9; ἐπί, with accusative loc., Jhn.6:16; with accusative of person(s), Luk.3:22, Jhn.1:33, 51; ἐν, Jhn.5:4; πρός, with accusative of person(s), Act.10:21 14:11, Rev.12:12.
2Of things: σκεῦος, Act.10:11 11:5; βροχή, Mat.7:25, 27; λαῖλαψ, Luk.8:23; before ἀπό, Luk.9:54, Act.8:26, Jas.1:17; ἐπὶ τ. γῆν, Luk.22:44 (WH, R, mg., reject); ἐκ τ. οὐρανοῦ before ἀπό, Rev.3:12 21:2, 10; id. before εἰς, Rev.13:13; ἐπί, with accusative of person(s), Rev.16:21. Fig., κ. ἕως ᾄδον, Mat.11:23, Luk.10:15, WH, txt., Tr., mg. (καταβιβασθήση, T, WH, mg., RV), (cf. συν-καταβαίνω).
Source: STEPBible TBESG + Abbott-Smith
Grammatical Forms

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

Tenses
Aorist Present Imperfect Perfect Future
Voices
Active Middle
Indicative states a fact or reality 28×
Aorist Active Matt 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 14:11 19×
Future Middle Rom 10:7 · 1 Thess 4:16 · Matt 11:23 3×
Imperfect Active Luke 10:30 · Luke 10:31 2×
Present Active John 5:7 · Rev 16:21 2×
Perfect Active John 6:38 · John 6:42 2×
Participle verbal adjective — the action as a modifying quality 38×
Present Active Matt 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 6:50 21×
Aorist Active Matt 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 23:10 16×
Perfect Active Acts 25:7 1×
Imperative command or strong request 9×
Aorist Active Matt 24:17 · Matt 27:42 · Mark 13:15 · Mark 15:32 · Luke 17:31 · Matt 27:40 · Luke 19:5 · John 4:49 · Acts 10:20 9×
Infinitive verbal noun — the action in abstract 3×
Aorist Active Luke 3:22 · Luke 9:54 2×
Present Active Rev 13:13 1×
Subjunctive possibility, probability, or purpose 2×
Aorist Active John 4:47 · Acts 24:22 2×
80 total occurrences across all forms in the biblical text Morphology: MorphGNT SBLGNT — CC BY-SA 3.0
Discourse Aspect

How this verb appears across 79 occurrences in the NT discourse index (MACULA Greek SBLGNT).

Aspect
completed 19 ongoing 2 prospective 4 resultant 2 imperative 9 background 2 subjunctive 2 infinitive 3 participle 36
Tense
aorist 48 present 22 future 4 perfect 3 imperfect 2
Voice
active 75 middle 3 passive 1
Mood
participle 36 indicative 29 imperative 9 infinitive 3 subjunctive 2
NT Occurrences
Matthew 3:16 καταβαῖνον present active participle participle Matthew 7:25 κατέβη aorist active indicative completed Matthew 7:27 κατέβη aorist active indicative completed Matthew 8:1 Καταβάντος aorist active participle participle Matthew 11:23 καταβήσῃ future middle indicative prospective Matthew 14:29 καταβὰς aorist active participle participle Matthew 17:9 καταβαινόντων present active participle participle Matthew 24:17 καταβάτω aorist active imperative imperative Matthew 27:40 κατάβηθι aorist active imperative imperative Matthew 27:42 καταβάτω aorist active imperative imperative Matthew 28:2 καταβὰς aorist active participle participle Mark 1:10 καταβαῖνον present active participle participle Mark 3:22 καταβάντες aorist active participle participle Mark 9:9 καταβαινόντων present active participle participle Mark 13:15 καταβάτω aorist active imperative imperative Mark 15:30 καταβὰς aorist active participle participle Mark 15:32 καταβάτω aorist active imperative imperative Luke 2:51 κατέβη aorist active indicative completed Luke 3:22 καταβῆναι aorist active infinitive infinitive Luke 6:17 καταβὰς aorist active participle participle Luke 8:23 κατέβη aorist active indicative completed Luke 9:54 καταβῆναι aorist active infinitive infinitive Luke 10:15 καταβιβασθήσῃ future passive indicative prospective Luke 10:30 κατέβαινεν imperfect active indicative background Luke 10:31 κατέβαινεν imperfect active indicative background Luke 17:31 καταβάτω aorist active imperative imperative Luke 18:14 κατέβη aorist active indicative completed Luke 19:5 κατάβηθι aorist active imperative imperative Luke 19:6 κατέβη aorist active indicative completed Luke 22:44 καταβαίνοντες present active participle participle John 1:32 καταβαῖνον present active participle participle John 2:12 κατέβη aorist active indicative completed John 3:13 καταβάς aorist active participle participle John 4:47 καταβῇ aorist active subjunctive subjunctive John 4:49 κατάβηθι aorist active imperative imperative John 4:51 καταβαίνοντος present active participle participle John 5:7 καταβαίνει present active indicative ongoing John 6:16 κατέβησαν aorist active indicative completed John 6:33 καταβαίνων present active participle participle John 6:38 καταβέβηκα perfect active indicative resultant +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)

Biblical Occurrences

Each occurrence shows the passage reference, the original language term as it appears in that context, its transliteration, and the contextual sense.

Witnesses
Luke 10:13–16 καταβήσῃ katabaínō
You will go down
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.

καταβαίνω · πῦρ G2597, G4442
fire to come down
μή · καταβαίνω · αἴρω G3361, G2597, G142
let him not go down to take them
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.

Matthew 11 — The Messiah Question, the Rejected Generation, and Rest for the Weary Matthew 28 — The Resurrection of Jesus and the Great Commission of the Risen King

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

Full license details