Introduction

In Biblical studies, understanding the meanings and nuances of Greek words can unlock deeper theological insights and enhance our comprehension of scripture. One such word is καταπίνω (katapinō), a verb that appears in several New Testament passages, often conveying a sense of overwhelming or consuming force. Its usage is particularly significant for interpreting themes of destruction, judgment, and spiritual conflict. Additionally, exploring the word’s presence in ancient Greek culture provides a broader context for its metaphorical and literal applications.

Key Information

• The Greek Word: καταπίνω (katapinō) [ka-ta-PEE-noh]
• Etymology: Derived from the prefix κατά (kata), meaning “down” or “against,” and the verb πίνω (pinō), meaning “to drink.”
• Part of Speech: Verb. It is primarily used in the active voice and appears in different moods and tenses.
• The F.O.G Word Choice: Coming Soon.

Primary Meanings

• To swallow down or devour, often used in a literal sense.
• To consume or overwhelm completely.
• To destroy or annihilate, often in a metaphorical or spiritual sense.

Similar Words

• πίνω (pinō) [PEE-noh]: Means “to drink.” It is the root form and does not carry the intensified or overwhelming connotation of καταπίνω.
• ἀναπίνω (anapinō) [a-na-PEE-noh]: Means “to drink up” or “to drain.” Unlike καταπίνω, it emphasizes the act of drinking something fully rather than swallowing or devouring.
• κατασπαράσσω (katasparassō) [ka-ta-SPA-ras-soh]: Means “to tear to pieces” or “to rend.” This word emphasizes violent destruction but lacks the swallowing or consuming aspect of καταπίνω.

Morphological Features

• Tense, Voice, Mood: καταπίνω appears in various tenses (present, future, aorist, and perfect) and typically in the active voice. It is used in different moods, including indicative, subjunctive, and imperative.

Examples of Morphological Usage

• Present Indicative Active: Describes an ongoing or habitual action.
• 1st Person Singular: καταπίνω (I swallow down)
• 3rd Person Plural: καταπίνουσι(ν) (they swallow down)
• Aorist Indicative Active: Indicates a simple, completed action in the past.
• 1st Person Singular: κατέπιον (I swallowed down)
• 3rd Person Plural: κατέπιον (they swallowed down)
• Perfect Indicative Active: Denotes a completed action with a resultant state.
• 1st Person Singular: καταπεπόκα (I have swallowed down)
• 3rd Person Singular: καταπεπόκεν (he/she/it has swallowed down)
• Aorist Subjunctive Active: Used to express potential or purpose.
• 1st Person Singular: καταπίω (that I might swallow down)
• 2nd Person Plural: καταπίητε (that you might swallow down)
• Aorist Imperative Active: A command to perform the action.
• 2nd Person Singular: κατάπιε (swallow down!)
• 2nd Person Plural: καταπίετε (swallow down, you all!)

Below is a conjugation table for the Present Indicative Active form of καταπίνω:

Aspect: The verb καταπίνω conveys different aspects depending on the tense. The imperfective aspect (present tense) emphasizes continuous or habitual action, while the perfective aspect (aorist tense) highlights a single, completed action. The stative aspect (perfect tense) implies a state resulting from a completed action, such as having devoured or consumed something.

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Lexicon Insights

The Greek word καταπίνω (katapinō) is often used in the New Testament to convey a sense of overwhelming or complete destruction. In 1 Corinthians 15:54, the word is famously used to describe the ultimate victory over death: “Death is swallowed up (κατεπόθη) in victory.” This usage emphasizes the absolute and final nature of Christ’s triumph over death. In other contexts, such as Hebrews 11:29, καταπίνω illustrates the destruction of the Egyptian army in the Red Sea, again emphasizing a sense of total consumption or annihilation.

In classical Greek literature, καταπίνω is used to depict both literal swallowing and more figurative senses of being overwhelmed by emotions or events. For instance, in Homer’s “Odyssey,” it can describe a physical act of swallowing food, while in later philosophical texts, it might describe being figuratively “swallowed up” by grief or fear. The word’s flexibility in meaning across contexts shows its capacity to describe both literal and metaphorical forms of devouring and destruction.

This overview synthesizes insights from BDAG, Thayer’s, LSJ, Vine’s, Strong’s, LEH, and Moulton and Milligan.

Related Scripture References

• 1 Corinthians 15:54: “But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, ‘Death is swallowed up (κατεπόθη) in victory.'”
• 2 Corinthians 5:4: “For indeed while we are in this tent, we groan, being burdened, because we do not want to be unclothed but to be clothed, so that what is mortal will be swallowed up (καταποθῇ) by life.”
• Hebrews 11:29: “By faith they passed through the Red Sea as though they were passing through dry land; and the Egyptians, when they attempted it, were drowned (κατεπόθησαν).”

Classical Usage

Summary of καταπίνω (G2666)

The Greek word καταπίνω (katapinō) is significant in Biblical and classical contexts for its vivid imagery of swallowing, consuming, and overwhelming. In the New Testament, it conveys both literal and metaphorical meanings, emphasizing the totality of destruction or victory, such as in the phrase “Death is swallowed up in victory.” Its usage across different texts and contexts illustrates its flexibility in conveying both physical and spiritual forms of consumption and annihilation.

Did You Know?

1. The word καταπίνω is used metaphorically to describe both positive and negative forms of “devouring,” including the consumption of death by victory in Christ.
2. In the Septuagint, καταπίνω often describes divine judgment, as when the earth “swallowed” Korah and his followers in Numbers 16.
3. The use of καταπίνω in ancient Greek literature ranges from literal acts of swallowing to metaphorical uses depicting overwhelming emotions or events.