Quick Definition
καθαρίζω v. I make clean
Strong's Definition
from 2513; to cleanse (literally or figuratively)
KJV Usage: (make) clean(-se), purge, purify
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament
verb | fut. καθαριῶ | ἀκαθαρσία · ἀκάθαρτος · διακαθαίρω · διακαθαρίζω · ἐκκαθαίρω · καθαρισμός · καθαρός · καθαρότης · περικάθαρμα
79.49 · Features of Objects · Clean, Dirty
to make clean, to cleanse, to clean to cause something to become clean
MAT 23:25 · MAT 23:26 · MRK 7:19 · LUK 11:39 · EPH 5:26 · JAS 4:8
53.28 · Religious Activities · Purify, Cleanse
to cleanse, to purify to cleanse from ritual contamination or impurity The set of terms having the stem καθαρ appears to focus upon the elimination of ritual impurities. From an anthropological standpoint, this means the elimination of ritual contamination, or, in other words, negative taboo. This series of terms with the stem καθαρ appears to contrast with ἁγνίζω[a] and ἁγνισμός[a], ἁγιασμός[b], and ἅγιος[b] (53.44, 53.45, 53.46) focus upon a positive state of consecration and dedication to God and may be regarded as reflecting the acquisition of so-called positive taboo, that is to say, a state of holiness.
In ACT 10:15 the cleansing obviously involves not physical cleansing, but ritual cleansing, that is to say, the elimination of so-called negative taboo or ritual defilement.
ἐκαθαρίσθη αὐτοῦ ἡ λέπρα ‘his leprosy was cleansed’ MAT 8:3: The cleansing or healing of leprosy involved religious, physiological, and sociological implications. Since leprosy was regarded as a defilement and hence made a person ritually unacceptable, it also meant excommunication from normal social life. The removal of leprosy was regarded as an important religious matter, and the healing had to be verified by the priests before an individual was regarded as ritually cleansed. In a number of languages, however, it is quite impossible to speak of ‘cleansing a leper,’ for this would mean only ‘giving a bath to a leper.’ Accordingly, it may be essential to say ‘to heal a leper’ or ‘to cure a leper’ or even ‘to make a person’s leprosy disappear.’ In such instances it is usually essential to have some kind of marginal note or glossary explanation so as to indicate the religious implications of leprosy and the resulting ritual defilement.
MAT 23:26 · MAT 8:3 · MAT 8:3 · ACT 10:15 · ACT 11:9 · ACT 15:9 · 2CO 7:1 · TIT 2:14 · HEB 9:14 · HEB 9:22 · HEB 9:23 · HEB 10:2 · JAS 4:8 · 1JN 1:7 · 1JN 1:9
23.137 · Physiological Processes and States · Health, Vigor, Strength
to heal and make ritually pure, to heal and to make ritually acceptable to heal a person of a disease which has caused ceremonial uncleanness Since καθαρίζω[c] implies two changes of state, (1) the healing of a disease and (2) the making of a person ritually pure or acceptable, it may be necessary in some languages, and particularly in certain contexts, to render καθαρίζω[c] in a relatively explicit manner, namely, ‘to heal and to make ritually acceptable’ or ‘... ceremonially clean.’
MAT 8:2 · MAT 8:3 · MAT 8:3 · MAT 10:8 · MAT 11:5 · MRK 1:40 · MRK 1:41 · MRK 1:42 · LUK 4:27 · LUK 5:12 · LUK 5:13 · LUK 7:22 · LUK 17:14 · LUK 17:17
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament © United Bible Societies, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
καθαρίζω (Hellenistic for καθαίρω, which classic writ. use); Attic fut. [ef. B.37 (382); W. § 13, 1e.; WH. App. p: 163] καθαριῶ (Heb. ix. 14); 1 aor. ἐκαθάρισα [see below]; pres. pass. καθαρίζομαι; 1 aor. pass. ἐκαθαρίσθην ; pf. pass. ptep. κεκαθαρισμένος (Heb. x. 2 T Tr WH; on the forms ἐκαθερίσθη, T WII in Mt. viii. 3; Mk. i. 42, [ἐκαθέρισεν, Trin Acts x.15; xi. 9] and κεκαθερισμένος Lehm. in Heb. x. 2, ef. [Tdf. Proleg. p. 82; WH. App. p- 1507; Sturz, De dial. Maced. ete. p. 118; Delitzsch on Heb. x. 2; Kriiger Pt. ii. § 2, 2,6 p.4; [B. 29 (25sq.); W. 43]); (καθαρός) ; Sept. mostly for 7 ; 1. to make clean, to cleanse ; a. from physical stains and dirt: e.g. utensils, Mt. xxiii. 25, [fig. 26]; Lk. xi. 39; food, Mk. vii. 19; τινά, a leper, to cleanse by curing, Mt. viii. 2 sq-; X-8; xi.5; Mk. i. 40-42; Lk. iv. 27; v. 12sq.; vii. 22; xvii. 14, 17, (Lev. xiv.8) ; to remove by cleansing : ἡ λέπρα ἐκαθαρίσθη, Mt. viii. 3 (καθαριεῖς τὸ αἷμα τὸ ἀναίτιον ἐξ Ἰσραήλ, Deut. χῖχ. 18: ἐκαθάριζε τὴν περὶ ταῦτα συνήθειαν, the custom of marrying heathen women, Joseph. antt. 11, 5,43 καθαίρειν αἷμα, Hom. 1]. 16, 667; cf. ἐκκαθαίρω). Ὁ. in a moral sense; a. to free from the defilement of sin and from faults; to purify from wickedness: ἑαυτὸν ἀπὸ μολυσμοῦ σαρκός, 2 Co. vii. 1; τῇ πίστει τὰς καρδίας, Acts xv. 9 (καρδίαν ἀπὸ ἁμαρτίας, Sir. xxxviii. 10); τὰς χεῖρας, to abstain in future from wrong-doing, Jas. iv.8. β, to Sree from the guilt of sin, to purify: twa ἀπὸ πάσης dpaptias, 1 Jn.i. 7; [τ΄ a. a. ἀδικίας, ibid. 9]; τὴν συνείδησιν ἀπὸ νεκρῶν ἔργων, Heb. ix. 14; τὴν ἐκκλησίαν τῷ λουτρῷ τοῦ ὕδατος (instrumental dat.), Eph. v. 26; λαὸν ἑαυτῷ, Tit. li. 14. sy. to consecrate by cleansing or purifying: τὶ ἔν τινι, dat. of instr. [W. 388 (363)], Heb. ix. 22; i. 4. to consecrate, dedicate, τί τινι (dat. of instr.), ibid. 23. 2. to pronounce clean in a levitical sense: Acts x.15; xi. 9, (Levy. xiii. 13, 17, 23, 28). [Comp.: δια-καθαρίζω.]
Mounce Concise Greek Dictionary
καθαρίζω katharizō 31x
to cleanse, render pure, purify, Mt. 23:25; Lk. 11:39; to cleanse from leprosy, Mt. 8:2, 3; 10:8; met. to cleanse from sin, purify by an expiatory offering, make expiation for, Heb. 9:22, 23; 1 Jn. 1:7; to cleanse from sin, free from the influence of error and sin, Acts 15:9; 2 Cor. 7:1; to pronounce ceremonially clean, Acts 10:15; 11:9
Abbott-Smith Greek Lexicon
† καθαρίζω
(Hellenistic-FlJ, Inscr.-for Attic καθαίρω, q.v., on the vulgar -ερ-, Mt 8:3, Mk 1:42, v. Bl., § 6, 1; Thackeray, Gr., 74), [in LXX chiefly for טָהֵר;]
to cleanse, make clean. In physical sense: c. acc. rei, fig., Mt 23:25, 26, Lk 11:39; of disease (leprosy), c. acc. pers., Mt 8:2, 3 10:8 11:5, Mk 1:40-42, Lk 4:27 5:12, 13 7:22 17:14, 17; ἡ λέπρα ἐκαθερίσθη (on the spelling v. supr.), Mt 8:3.
In ethical sense: τ. καρδίας, Ac 15:9 (cf. Si 38:10); τ. χεῖρας, Ja 4:8; λαὸν ἑαυτῷ, Tit 2:14; τ. ἐκκλησίαν, Eph 5:26; c. acc. pers. (rei), seq. ἀπό (Bl., § 36, 9; Deiss., BS, 216 f.), II Co 7:1, He 9:14, I Jo 1:7, 9.
In ceremonial sense: Mk 7:19, Ac 10:15 11:9, He 9:22, 23 10:2 (cf. δια-καθαρίζω).†
Moulton & Milligan — Vocabulary of the Greek NT
καθαρίζω. The ceremonial usage of this Hellenistic verb is illustrated by Deissmann BS p. 216 f., where reference is made to the Mystery inscription of Andania, Sy?/ 653°? (B.C. 93 or 91) ἀναγραψάντω δὲ καὶ ἀφ᾽ ὧν Set καθαρίζειν καὶ ἃ μὴ δεῖ ἔχοντας εἰσπορεύεσθαι, and to 26. 633% (ii/A.D.) already cited s.v. ἀκάθαρτος sb /iz., both of which show the construction with ἀπό ase.g. in 2Cor 71, Heb 914. The word is used in connexion with plants in P Lond 131 γερο (accounts—A.D. 78-9) (=I. p. 175) καθαρίζ(ων) [τῶν] νεοφύτ(ων) τοῦ χωί(ρίου) τὰ περισσ(ὰ) βλαστήματα, and 76. 131 +83 (A.D. 78) (=I. p. 191): see also P Strass I. 2! (A.D. 217) τοῦ σοῦ καθαρίζοντος καὶ μετροῦντος with reference to the “cleansing” of wheat, and P Lips I. 1117? (iv/a.D.) καθαρίcopev Td γεώργι[ο]ν. In the iv/v Α.Ὁ. BGU IV. 10243": 16 we have νὴ yap Ala, ἣν τὰ κοσμήματα τὰ τῶν νόμων, ἣν ὑπὸ τῆς πόλ[ε]ως ἣν δεδομένα τῶι νεκρῷ, ἣν κεκ[αθα]ρισμένα. — On the forms of the verb see Reinhold, p. 38 f., Moulton Gr. ii. δὲ 33, 95καθαρισμός e occurs in the lease of an oliveyard, P Lond 168! (a.D. 162) (=II. p. 190) ἡμῶν] ποιο[ύν]των τὰ καθήκον[τ]α ἔργα πίερὶ] τοὺς καθαρισμούς.
Liddell-Scott-Jones — Greek-English Lexicon
καθαρίζω (katharizō) — to clean. κᾰθαρ-ίζω, future -ιῶ[NT]:—cleanse, θυσιαστήριον [LXX+NT]; sift grain, [Refs 3rd c.AD+]; prune away, περισσὰ βλαστήματα [Refs 1st c.AD+]; clear ground of weeds, etc., [Refs 4th c.AD+]; keep a precinct clear, ἀπό τινων [Refs 1st c.BC+] —in middle, future -ιοῦμαι, of the menses, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
II. of persons, purify, ἀπὸ ἁμαρτίας [LXX+NT]; cleanse from leprosy, [NT]passive, -ιζέστω ἀπὸ γυναικός κτλ. [Refs]