What does καταρτίζω (katartízō) mean in the Bible?
Καταρτίζω means to put in order, restore, mend, equip, or bring to a fitting condition. Paul uses it for communities and believers being repaired and supplied, not for instant flawlessness.
Greek · G2675
καταρτίζω
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καταρτίζω G2675
Pronunciation katartízō
What does καταρτίζω (katartízō) mean in the Bible?
Καταρτίζω means to put in order, restore, mend, equip, or bring to a fitting condition. Paul uses it for communities and believers being repaired and supplied, not for instant flawlessness.
Reader summary
Full entry for καταρτίζω (G2675) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render G2675?
The BSB source-word alignment has 13 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include mending (2), Aim for perfect harmony (1), equip (1), fully trained (1), prepared (1).
Where does καταρτίζω (katartízō) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Matthew 4:21. Its strongest book concentrations include Hebrews (3), Matthew (2), 1 Corinthians (1), 1 Peter (1).
What This Word Actually Means
Καταρτίζω means to put in order, restore, mend, equip, or bring to a fitting condition. Paul uses it for communities and believers being repaired and supplied, not for instant flawlessness. In 1 Corinthians 1:10, he appeals for a divided church to be mended together in mind and conviction under the name of Jesus Christ. First Thessalonians 3:10 describes Paul's longing to supply what is lacking in the believers' faith through face-to-face ministry.
Second Corinthians 13:11 calls the church toward restoration, encouragement, shared mind, and peace after severe correction. The verb pictures purposeful repair and preparation. It does not authorize controlling uniformity, and it does not promise that mature Christians become beyond weakness or further growth.
How the Bible Uses It
Paul uses καταρτίζω for mending division, supplying what is lacking, and restoring believers to fitting order. The work serves maturity, peace, and faithful community.
- 1Cor.1.10
I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree together, so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be united in mind and conviction.
Paul appeals for a fractured congregation to be mended together around Christ rather than organized into personality factions.
- 1Thess.3.10
Night and day we pray most earnestly that we may see you face to face and supply what is lacking in your faith.
Face-to-face pastoral presence is desired to supply genuine deficiencies in faith, showing that affectionate encouragement and correction belong together.
- 2Cor.13.11
Finally, brothers, rejoice! Aim for perfect harmony, encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you.
The closing command calls a corrected church toward restoration, encouragement, unity, and peace under the God of love and peace.
Book contextPassage 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 mending 2× Matthew 4:21, Mark 1:19
Aim for perfect harmony 1× 2 Corinthians 13:11
equip 1× Hebrews 13:21
fully trained 1× Luke 6:40
prepared 1× Romans 9:22
restore [you] 1× 1 Peter 5:10
should restore 1× Galatians 6:1
supply 1× 1 Thessalonians 3:10
united 1× 1 Corinthians 1:10
was formed 1× Hebrews 11:3
You have ordained 1× Matthew 21:16
You prepared 1× Hebrews 10:5
Show sample aligned rows
Matthew 4:21 καταρτίζοντας to mending Verb - Present Participle Active - Accusative Masculine Plural Matthew 21:16 Κατηρτίσω to You have ordained Verb - Aorist Indicative Middle - 2nd Person Singular Mark 1:19 καταρτίζοντας to mending Verb - Present Participle Active - Accusative Masculine Plural Luke 6:40 κατηρτισμένος to fully trained Verb - Perfect Participle Middle or Passive - Nominative Masculine Singular Romans 9:22 κατηρτισμένα to prepared Verb - Perfect Participle Middle or Passive - Accusative Neuter Plural 1 Corinthians 1:10 κατηρτισμένοι to united Verb - Perfect Participle Middle or Passive - Nominative Masculine Plural 2 Corinthians 13:11 καταρτίζεσθε to Aim for perfect harmony Verb - Present Imperative Middle or Passive - 2nd Person Plural Galatians 6:1 καταρτίζετε to should restore Verb - Present Imperative Active - 2nd Person Plural 1 Thessalonians 3:10 καταρτίσαι to supply Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active Hebrews 10:5 κατηρτίσω to You prepared Verb - Aorist Indicative Middle - 2nd Person Singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Matthew 4:21
Aligned rows 13
Books represented 10
Matthew 2 Mark 1 Luke 1 Romans 1 1 Corinthians 1 2 Corinthians 1 Galatians 1 1 Thessalonians 1 Hebrews 3 1 Peter 1
Source forms
καταρτίζοντας 2x katartizontas Matthew 4:21, Mark 1:19
καταρτίσαι 2x katartisai 1 Thessalonians 3:10, Hebrews 13:21
καταρτίζεσθε 1x katartizesthe 2 Corinthians 13:11
καταρτίζετε 1x katartizete Galatians 6:1
καταρτίσει 1x katartisei 1 Peter 5:10
κατηρτίσθαι 1x katērtisthai Hebrews 11:3
κατηρτισμένα 1x katērtismena Romans 9:22
κατηρτισμένοι 1x katērtismenoi 1 Corinthians 1:10
Parsing patterns
Verb - Aorist Indicative Middle - 2nd Person Singular 2x Matthew 21:16, Hebrews 10:5
Verb - Present Participle Active - Accusative Masculine Plural 2x Matthew 4:21, Mark 1:19
Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active 1x 1 Thessalonians 3:10
Verb - Aorist Optative Active - 3rd Person Singular 1x Hebrews 13:21
Verb - Future Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular 1x 1 Peter 5:10
Verb - Perfect Infinitive Middle or Passive 1x Hebrews 11:3
Verb - Perfect Participle Middle or Passive - Accusative Neuter Plural 1x Romans 9:22
Verb - Perfect Participle Middle or Passive - Nominative Masculine Plural 1x 1 Corinthians 1:10
Using This Word Well
Be careful not to...
- Name the actual deficiency or fracture and the scriptural means of repair rather than using restoration as a vague demand for quiet.
Avoid claiming...
- Do not claim that καταρτίζω requires uniformity on every secondary matter; Paul's goal is Christ-centered unity and fitting order.
- Do not present restoration as instant trust or the erasure of consequences; repair can require truth, time, testing, and accountability.
Evidence Summary
Greek word. To make complete or fit for purpose; restoration of something broken or deficient to wholeness.
Strong's G2675
Lexical occurrences 13 verses Greek text appearances 13 times Word forms 5 forms 13 references Verse guides 0 guides
Study link Matthew 4:21 Source Gloss
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Greek Text Appearances
Textus Receptus witness, full corpus Greek token appearances from Scrivener 1894 Textus Receptus in the full New Testament corpus.
13 Greek text appearances shown. Linked morphology labels have verse guides.
Matthew 4:21 Verb Present Active Participle Accusative Plural Masculine
καταρτίζοντας katartizontav
I fit together, prepare
Read verse Matthew 21:16 Verb Second Person Singular Aorist Middle Indicative
κατηρτίσω kathrtisw
I fit together, prepare
Read verse Mark 1:19 Verb Present Active Participle Accusative Plural Masculine
καταρτίζοντας katartizontav
I fit together, prepare
Read verse Luke 6:40 Verb Perfect Passive Participle Nominative Singular Masculine
κατηρτισμένος kathrtismenov
I fit together, prepare
Read verse Romans 9:22 Verb Perfect Passive Participle Accusative Plural Neuter
κατηρτισμένα kathrtismena
I fit together, prepare
Read verse 1 Corinthians 1:10 Verb Perfect Passive Participle Nominative Plural Masculine
κατηρτισμένοι kathrtismenoi
I fit together, prepare
Read verse 2 Corinthians 13:11 Verb Second Person Plural Present Passive Imperative
καταρτίζεσθε, katartizesqe
I fit together, prepare
Read verse Galatians 6:1 Verb Second Person Plural Present Active Imperative
καταρτίζετε katartizete
I fit together, prepare
Read verse 1 Thessalonians 3:10 Verb Aorist Active Infinitive
καταρτίσαι katartisai
I fit together, prepare
Read verse Hebrews 10:5 Verb Second Person Singular Aorist Middle Indicative
κατηρτίσω kathrtisw
I fit together, prepare
Read verse Hebrews 11:3 Verb Perfect Passive Infinitive
κατηρτίσθαι kathrtisqai
I fit together, prepare
Read verse Hebrews 13:21 Verb Third Person Singular Aorist Active Optative
καταρτίσαι katartisai
I fit together, prepare
Read verse 1 Peter 5:10 Verb Third Person Singular Aorist Active Optative
καταρτίσαι katartisai
I fit together, prepare
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 13 Tenses Present, Aorist, Perfect, Future Voices Active, Middle, Passive
Verse guides are not available for this word yet, so verse references remain plain evidence markers.
Tenses
Voices
Participle verbal adjective — the action as a modifying quality 5×
Perfect Passive Luke 6:40 · Rom 9:22 · 1 Cor 1:10 3×
Present Active Matt 4:21 · Mark 1:19 2×
Indicative states a fact or reality 3×
Aorist Middle Matt 21:16 · Heb 10:5 2×
Future Active 1 Pet 5:10 1×
Imperative command or strong request 2×
Present Passive 2 Cor 13:11 1×
Present Active Gal 6:1 1×
Infinitive verbal noun — the action in abstract 2×
Aorist Active 1 Thess 3:10 1×
Perfect Passive Heb 11:3 1×
Optative wish or remote possibility 1×
Aorist Active Heb 13:21 1×
Discourse Aspect
How this verb appears across 12 occurrences in the NT discourse index (MACULA Greek SBLGNT).
Aspect
Tense
aorist 4 present 4 perfect 3 future 1
Voice
active 6 passive 4 middle 2
Mood
participle 4 indicative 3 infinitive 2 imperative 2 optative 1
NT Occurrences
Matthew 4:21 καταρτίζοντας present active participle participle Matthew 21:16 κατηρτίσω aorist middle indicative completed Mark 1:19 καταρτίζοντας present active participle participle Luke 6:40 κατηρτισμένος perfect passive participle participle Romans 9:22 κατηρτισμένα perfect passive participle participle 2 Corinthians 13:11 καταρτίζεσθε present passive imperative imperative Galatians 6:1 καταρτίζετε present active imperative imperative 1 Thessalonians 3:10 καταρτίσαι aorist active infinitive infinitive Hebrews 10:5 κατηρτίσω aorist middle indicative completed Hebrews 11:3 κατηρτίσθαι perfect passive infinitive infinitive Hebrews 13:21 καταρτίσαι aorist active optative optative 1 Peter 5:10 καταρτίσει future active indicative prospective
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 Witnesses
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Biblical Witnesses
repairing or restoring nets to functional condition
fully equipped or trained disciple becoming like the teacher
made complete and unified in mind and judgment ethically
spiritually perfecting or completing a fallen believer
completely prepared or equipped the universe by divine word
Showing 5 selected witnesses from 13 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
καταρτίζω is built from these roots:
ἄρτιος G739
For the Preacher and Teacher
Restoration is more demanding than hiding cracks. Corinth's divisions require a renewed mind and conviction centered on Christ rather than loyalty to teachers. Thessalonica's faith is real and praiseworthy, yet Paul can still speak of what is lacking and long to supply it through personal ministry. Second Corinthians closes correction with a forward-looking summons to restoration and peace.
Καταρτίζω therefore honors both grace already present and work still needed. Churches should not use “unity” to conceal unresolved sin or force identical opinions where Scripture allows difference. Nor should they assume damaged relationships and immature faith cannot be mended. Christ works through doctrine, correction, encouragement, prayer, presence, and patient obedience to fit His people for their calling.
Highest-tier teaching will present restoration as truthful repair toward maturity, not cosmetic peace or perfectionism.
Anchor passage
1Cor.1.10
Doctrinal connections
- 1 Corinthians 1:10-17, divisions mended around the cross rather than personalities
- 1 Thessalonians 3:6-13, supplying what is lacking through prayer and presence
- 2 Corinthians 13:5-14, self-examination, restoration, and peace
- Ezra 3:8-13, rebuilding worship after judgment
- Ezekiel 34:11-16, the Lord binding the injured and strengthening the weak
- Galatians 6:1-2, gentle restoration and burden-bearing
Καταρτίζω has a range that includes mending, putting in order, restoring, equipping, and preparing. The passive form in 1 Corinthians evokes being fitted or knit together, while other contexts emphasize supplying deficiency or pursuing restoration.
From Old to New Testament
God restores His judged and scattered people, rebuilds worship, and promises to bind the injured. Jesus mends and forms disciples, and apostolic ministry equips and restores churches so they may live in truth, maturity, and peace.
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