What does κατεσθίω (katesthíō) mean in the Bible?
G2719 means to consume or devour. " The word gives the scene a serious frame.
Greek · G2719
κατεσθίω
To devour
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κατεσθίω G2719
Pronunciation katesthíō
What does κατεσθίω (katesthíō) mean in the Bible?
G2719 means to consume or devour. " The word gives the scene a serious frame.
Reader summary
Full entry for κατεσθίω (G2719) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render G2719?
The BSB source-word alignment has 14 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include defraud (2), devoured (2), [and] devoured (1), ate (1), consumed (1).
Where does κατεσθίω (katesthíō) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Matthew 13:4. Its strongest book concentrations include Revelation (5), Luke (3), Mark (2), 2 Corinthians (1).
What This Word Actually Means
G2719 means to consume or devour. In John 2 it appears in the disciples' memory of Scripture after Jesus cleanses the temple: "Zeal for Your house will consume Me." The word gives the scene a serious frame. Jesus' zeal is not personal irritation; it is covenant concern for His Father's house, and that zeal points toward the costly path He will walk. Teachers should use the word with the quotation and temple context, not as a license for uncontrolled anger in religious settings.
The zeal in John 2 belongs to Jesus' identity, mission, and coming death and resurrection sign. It summons reverence, not imitation of forceful temperament.
How the Bible Uses It
G2719 appears in the Scripture remembered after Jesus cleanses the temple. It frames His zeal as consuming and costly, tied to His identity and mission.
- John.2.17
His disciples remembered that it is written: “Zeal for Your house will consume Me.”
The disciples remember Scripture after Jesus cleanses the temple: zeal for the Father's house will consume Him. The word frames zeal as costly and messianic, not uncontrolled irritation.
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 defraud 2× Mark 12:40, Luke 20:47
devoured 2× Mark 4:4, Luke 8:5
[and] devoured 1× Matthew 13:4
ate 1× Revelation 10:10
consumed 1× Revelation 20:9
devour 1× Revelation 12:4
devouring 1× Galatians 5:15
devours 1× Revelation 11:5
eat 1× Revelation 10:9
exploits [you] 1× 2 Corinthians 11:20
squandering 1× Luke 15:30
will consume 1× John 2:17
Show sample aligned rows
Matthew 13:4 κατέφαγεν to [and] devoured Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular Mark 4:4 κατέφαγεν to devoured Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular Mark 12:40 κατεσθίοντες to defraud Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural Luke 8:5 κατέφαγεν to devoured Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular Luke 15:30 καταφαγών to squandering Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular Luke 20:47 κατεσθίουσιν to defraud Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural John 2:17 καταφάγεταί to will consume Verb - Future Indicative Middle - 3rd Person Singular 2 Corinthians 11:20 κατεσθίει to exploits [you] Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular Galatians 5:15 κατεσθίετε to devouring Verb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person Plural Revelation 10:9 κατάφαγε to eat Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person Singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Matthew 13:4
Aligned rows 14
Books represented 7
Matthew 1 Mark 2 Luke 3 John 1 2 Corinthians 1 Galatians 1 Revelation 5
Source forms
κατέφαγεν 4x katephagen Matthew 13:4, Mark 4:4, Luke 8:5, Revelation 20:9
κατεσθίει 2x katesthiei 2 Corinthians 11:20, Revelation 11:5
κατάφαγε 1x kataphage Revelation 10:9
καταφάγεταί 1x kataphagetai John 2:17
καταφάγῃ 1x kataphagē Revelation 12:4
καταφαγών 1x kataphagōn Luke 15:30
κατεσθίετε 1x katesthiete Galatians 5:15
κατεσθίοντες 1x katesthiontes Mark 12:40
Parsing patterns
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular 4x Matthew 13:4, Mark 4:4, Luke 8:5, Revelation 20:9
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular 2x 2 Corinthians 11:20, Revelation 11:5
Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person Singular 1x Revelation 10:9
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular 1x Revelation 10:10
Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular 1x Luke 15:30
Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person Singular 1x Revelation 12:4
Verb - Future Indicative Middle - 3rd Person Singular 1x John 2:17
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person Plural 1x Galatians 5:15
Using This Word Well
Be careful not to...
- Keep Jesus' zeal tied to His identity, mission, and the temple context.
- Do not use the word to excuse uncontrolled anger or religious aggression.
Avoid claiming...
- Do not claim G2719 gives believers permission to imitate every visible action in John 2 without Jesus' identity and mission.
- Do not detach zeal from the coming death and resurrection sign in the same passage.
Pastoral applicationPassage context
Evidence Summary
Greek word. Intensified consumption that completely destroys or consumes entirely, often used metaphorically for destructive behavior.
Strong's G2719
Lexical occurrences 14 verses Greek text appearances 15 times Word forms 4 forms 14 references Verse guides 0 guides
Source Gloss
to devour
Greek Text Appearances
Textus Receptus witness, full corpus Greek token appearances from Scrivener 1894 Textus Receptus in the full New Testament corpus.
15 Greek text appearances shown. Linked morphology labels have verse guides.
Matthew 13:4 Verb Third Person Singular Second Aorist Active Indicative
κατέφαγεν katefagen
I eat till it is finished
Read verse Matthew 23:14 Verb Second Person Plural Present Active Indicative
κατεσθίετε katesqiete
I eat till it is finished
Read verse Mark 4:4 Verb Third Person Singular Second Aorist Active Indicative
κατέφαγεν katefagen
I eat till it is finished
Read verse Mark 12:40 Verb Present Active Participle Nominative Plural Masculine
κατεσθίοντες katesqiontev
I eat till it is finished
Read verse Luke 8:5 Verb Third Person Singular Second Aorist Active Indicative
κατέφαγεν katefagen
I eat till it is finished
Read verse Luke 15:30 Verb Second Aorist Active Participle Nominative Singular Masculine
καταφαγών katafagwn
I eat till it is finished
Read verse Luke 20:47 Verb Third Person Plural Present Active Indicative
κατεσθίουσι katesqiousin
I eat till it is finished
Read verse John 2:17 Verb Third Person Singular Second Aorist Active Indicative
κατέφαγέ katefagen
I eat till it is finished
Read verse 2 Corinthians 11:20 Verb Third Person Singular Present Active Indicative
κατεσθίει, katesqiei
I eat till it is finished
Read verse Galatians 5:15 Verb Second Person Plural Present Active Indicative
κατεσθίετε, katesqiete
I eat till it is finished
Read verse Revelation 10:9 Verb Second Person Singular Second Aorist Active Imperative
κατάφαγε katafage
I eat till it is finished
Read verse Revelation 10:10 Verb First Person Singular Second Aorist Active Indicative
κατέφαγον katefagon
I eat till it is finished
Read verse Revelation 11:5 Verb Third Person Singular Present Active Indicative
κατεσθίει katesqiei
I eat till it is finished
Read verse Revelation 12:4 Verb Third Person Singular Second Aorist Active Subjunctive
καταφάγῃ. katafagh
I eat till it is finished
Read verse Revelation 20:9 Verb Third Person Singular Second Aorist Active Indicative
κατέφαγεν katefagen
I eat till it is finished
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 4 Aligned forms 14 Tenses Aorist, Present, Future Voices Active, Middle
Verse guides are not available for this word yet, so verse references remain plain evidence markers.
Tenses
Voices
Indicative states a fact or reality 10×
Aorist Active Matt 13:4 · Mark 4:4 · Luke 8:5 · Rev 20:9 · Rev 10:10 5×
Present Active 2 Cor 11:20 · Rev 11:5 · Luke 20:47 · Gal 5:15 4×
Future Middle John 2:17 1×
Participle verbal adjective — the action as a modifying quality 2×
Present Active Mark 12:40 1×
Aorist Active Luke 15:30 1×
Imperative command or strong request 1×
Aorist Active Rev 10:9 1×
Subjunctive possibility, probability, or purpose 1×
Aorist Active Rev 12:4 1×
Discourse Aspect
How this verb appears across 13 occurrences in the NT discourse index (MACULA Greek SBLGNT).
Aspect
Tense
aorist 8 present 4 future 1
Voice
active 12 middle 1
Mood
indicative 9 participle 2 imperative 1 subjunctive 1
NT Occurrences
Matthew 13:4 κατέφαγεν aorist active indicative completed Mark 4:4 κατέφαγεν aorist active indicative completed Mark 12:40 κατεσθίοντες present active participle participle Luke 8:5 κατέφαγεν aorist active indicative completed Luke 15:30 καταφαγών aorist active participle participle Luke 20:47 κατεσθίουσιν present active indicative ongoing John 2:17 καταφάγεταί future middle indicative prospective 2 Corinthians 11:20 κατεσθίει present active indicative ongoing Revelation 10:10 κατέφαγον aorist active indicative completed Revelation 10:9 κατάφαγε aorist active imperative imperative Revelation 11:5 κατεσθίει present active indicative ongoing Revelation 12:4 καταφάγῃ aorist active subjunctive subjunctive Revelation 20:9 κατέφαγεν aorist active indicative completed
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.
Witnesses
Luke 20:45–47 κατεσθίουσιν katesthíō
Devour, consume completely
Mark 12:38–40 κατεσθίω katesthíō
to consume, devour greedily
Showing 2 selected witnesses from 14 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
κατεσθίω is built from these roots:
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
John 2 uses G2719 in the disciples' remembered Scripture: zeal for the Father's house will consume Jesus. The word belongs to the temple-cleansing scene, but it reaches beyond a moment of visible action. Jesus' zeal is covenantal and costly. It is not the irritation of a religious reformer protecting personal preference. The same passage moves toward the sign of His body, death, and resurrection.
Teachers should therefore avoid making G2719 a permission slip for harsh temperament. The consuming zeal belongs first to Jesus' identity and mission, and readers should receive it with reverence.
Anchor passage
John.2.17
Doctrinal connections
- John.2.17 - The disciples remember Scripture after Jesus cleanses the temple: zeal for the Father's house will consume Him. The word frames zeal as costly and messianic, not uncontrolled irritation.
To consume or devour is a reviewed display gloss for G2719. In this John-focused companion, the local discourse foregrounding data shows 1 John use(s), with tense patterns summarized as Future 1. Use these grammar signals as support for reading the passage, not as a replacement for context.
From Old to New Testament
The broader Scripture connection should remain modest: zeal for the Father's house is visible in the cited passage, while the full theological claim must come from the passage's context rather than from the word alone.
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