To hold down (fast), in various applications (literally or figuratively)
Reading a lexicon entry
What this page is: Each lexicon entry shows the original Hebrew or Greek word behind the English translation: its meaning, its range of use, and where it appears in Scripture.
Strong's number: The Strong's code (H- or G-) is the standard reference number for this word. It connects this entry to chapter and passage language tabs.
Where it appears: The witness passages show where this word is used in context. Click any to open the study page for that passage.
This lexicon entry is part of our ongoing editorial review. If you notice missing content, unclear wording, or a possible correction, please send us a note through the Connect page. Screenshots are helpful.
Κατέχω (katechō) means to hold, keep, possess, restrain, detain, or suppress. Crowds try to hold Jesus back from leaving, but He refuses to let local demand restrain the kingdom mission appointed for other towns.
Reader summary
Full entry for κατέχω (G2722) · Open the biblical lexicon
Κατέχω (katechō) means to hold, keep, possess, restrain, detain, or suppress. Crowds try to hold Jesus back from leaving, but He refuses to let local demand restrain the kingdom mission appointed for other towns.
The BSB source-word alignment has 17 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include [and] made (1), [for] maintaining (1), bound us (1), cling to [it] (1), Hold fast (1).
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Luke 4:42. Its strongest book concentrations include 1 Corinthians (3), Hebrews (3), Luke (3), 2 Thessalonians (2).
Κατέχω (katechō) means to hold, keep, possess, restrain, detain, or suppress. Crowds try to hold Jesus back from leaving, but He refuses to let local demand restrain the kingdom mission appointed for other towns. Sailors release ropes that had held the rudders, a concrete nautical use. Romans describes wicked people suppressing the truth in unrighteousness, not merely failing to know it.
Paul tells buyers to live as though not possessing, because the present form of the world is passing. He can also describe himself as having nothing yet possessing everything, locating true wealth beyond visible holdings. The verb's moral character depends on what is held and why: restraint may hinder mission, a rope may secure equipment, wickedness may repress truth, and possession may be relativized by eschatological allegiance.
Κατέχω describes holding, restraining, suppressing, or possessing. Crowds detain Jesus, ropes hold rudders, wickedness suppresses truth, and Paul reframes possessions under the passing world and riches found in Christ.
At daybreak, Jesus went out to a solitary place, and the crowds were looking for Him. They came to Him and tried to keep Him from leaving.
The crowds try to keep Jesus from departing, but He says the kingdom must be proclaimed elsewhere, placing popular demand beneath His mission from God.
Cutting away the anchors, they left them in the sea as they loosened the ropes that held the rudders. Then they hoisted the foresail to the wind and made for the beach.
The sailors loosen ropes holding the rudders so the ship can be steered toward shore, an ordinary physical use within a dangerous voyage.
The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness.
Human unrighteousness suppresses truth already disclosed in creation, making rebellion an active moral restraint rather than innocent lack of evidence.
Those who weep, as if they did not; those who are joyful, as if they were not; those who make a purchase, as if they had nothing;
Purchasers live as though not possessing because the world's present form is passing, calling for responsible use without identity rooted in ownership.
Sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything.
Paul's ministry appears poor and empty, yet he makes many rich and possesses everything, measuring possession by gospel treasure rather than visible assets.
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders ItA compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
Greek word. Perfective form emphasizing firm possession or forceful restraint; often implies holding against resistance or opposition.
Textus Receptus witness, full corpus Greek token appearances from Scrivener 1894 Textus Receptus in the full New Testament corpus.
16 of 19 Greek text appearances shown. Linked morphology labels have verse guides.
I hold fast, bind, restrain
Read verseI hold fast, bind, restrain
Read verseI hold fast, bind, restrain
Read verseI hold fast, bind, restrain
Read verseI hold fast, bind, restrain
Read verseI hold fast, bind, restrain
Read verseI hold fast, bind, restrain
Read verseI hold fast, bind, restrain
Read verseI hold fast, bind, restrain
Read verseI hold fast, bind, restrain
Read verseI hold fast, bind, restrain
Read verseI hold fast, bind, restrain
Read verseI hold fast, bind, restrain
Read verseI hold fast, bind, restrain
Read verseI hold fast, bind, restrain
Read verseI hold fast, bind, restrain
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.
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.
Verse guides are not available for this word yet, so verse references remain plain evidence markers.
How this verb appears across 17 occurrences in the NT discourse index (MACULA Greek SBLGNT).
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 passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Showing 1 selected witness from 17 lexical occurrence verses.
κατέχω is built from these roots:
It reveals that humanity actively resists the truth rather than lacking access to it. Romans 1:18-32
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.
Holding can preserve something useful or obstruct something God commands. Sailors need ropes to control a rudder, but crowds cannot control Jesus' mission by keeping Him in one place. Romans exposes a more serious restraint: people suppress truth through unrighteousness because acknowledged truth would confront their worship and conduct. First Corinthians teaches believers to hold possessions with an open hand; purchases are real, yet they cannot define people living under the passing form of this age.
Second Corinthians completes the paradox as an apparently impoverished apostle enriches many and possesses everything in Christ. Churches should ask whether their grip serves stewardship or control, whether they receive inconvenient truth or press it down, and whether goods are held as tools or identities. Κατέχω has no automatic holiness; its object and purpose reveal the allegiance of the holder.
Luke.4.42
Κατέχω combines a downward or intensive prefix with holding. Its range includes hold fast, detain, restrain, possess, occupy, and suppress. Direct objects and situation establish whether the hold is physical, legal, cognitive, or economic.
Kings detain messengers, people hold possessions in trust, wisdom commands holding faithful instruction, and prophets indict those who restrain justice and truth.
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