Quick Definition
καταλαμβάνω v. I seize tight hold of, overtake, comprehend
Strong's Definition
from 2596 and 2983; to take eagerly, i.e. seize, possess, etc. (literally or figuratively)
KJV Usage: apprehend, attain, come upon, comprehend, find, obtain, perceive, (over-)take
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament
verb | aor. κατέλαβον · pf. κατείληφα · pf.pass. κατείλημμαι · aor.pass. κατελήμφθην | λαμβάνω
57.56 · Possess, Transfer, Exchange · Take, Obtain, Gain, Lose
to acquire, to attain, to obtain, to take to acquire, with the implication of significant effort
39.48 · Hostility, Strife · Attack
to attack, to overpower to attack, with the implication of gaining control over The attack upon a person by a demon is often expressed idiomatically, for example, ‘to ride a person,’ ‘to seize a person’s mind,’ or ‘to grab a person’s inner life.’
37.108 · Control, Rule · Seize, Take into Custody
to catch, to seize, to arrest to seize and take control of In a number of languages it may be inappropriate to translate καταλαμβάνω in JHN 8:3 as ‘to catch,’ since this would imply that the woman was running. A much more satisfactory rendering may be simply ‘to arrest’ or ‘to place under arrest.’
37.19 · Control, Rule · Control, Restrain
to overcome, to gain control of to gain control over It is also possible to understand καταλαμβάνω in JHN 1:5 as meaning ‘to understand’ (see 32.18).
32.18 · Understand · Come To Understand
to understand, to realize, to grasp, to comprehend (a figurative extension of meaning of καταλαμβάνω[d] ‘to overcome,’ 37.19) to come to understand something which was not understood or perceived previously It is also possible to understand καταλαμβάνω in JHN 1:5 in the sense of ‘to overcome’ (see 37.19). In JHN 1:5 a word play involving both meanings may be intended, something which is typical of Johannine style.
27.10 · (καταλαμβάνομαι[a]) · Learn · Learn
to learn about, to find, to find out about, to discover to acquire definite information, with the possible implication of effort
13.119 · (καταλαμβάνομαι[b]) · Be, Become, Exist, Happen · Happen
to happen to, to come upon, to overtake to happen to someone or something, with the implication of an event which is undesirable
1 It is difficult to determine the extent to which καταλαμβάνω[e] should be classified as a figurative extension of meaning. The average Greek speaker would probably be no more aware of this figurative significance of καταλαμβάνω than an English speaker would be aware of the figurative background in the term understand.
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament © United Bible Societies, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
κατα-λαμβάνω: 2 aor. κατέλαβον; pf. inf. κατειληφέναι ; Pass., pf. 3 pers. sing. κατείληπται (Jn. vill. 4 as given in LT Tr WI txt.), pf. ptep. κατειλημμένος ; 1 aor. κατειλήφθην (Jn. vili. 4 R**e*G) [on the augm. ef. W. § 12, 6], and κατεληφθην (Phil. iii. 12 RG), and xareλήμφθην (ibid. LT Tr WH; on the p see 8. v. M, p); Mid., pres. καταλαμβάνομαι; 2 aor. κατελαβόμην; cf. Kiihner i. p. 856; [Veitch, 5. v. λαμβάνω]; Sept. for YW, 339, also for 30, ete.; [fr. Hom. down]; to lay hold of; i. 6. 1. to lay hold of so as to make one’s own, to obtain, attain to: w. the ace. of the thing; the prize of victory, 1 Co. ix. 24; Phil. iii. 12 sq. 5 τὴν δικαιοσύνην, Ro. ix. 30; 1. 4- to make one’s own, to take into one’s self, appropriate: ἡ σκοτία αὐτὸ (i. 6. τὸ φῶς) οὐ Kaτέλαβεν, Jn. i. 5. 2. to seize upon, take possession of, (Lat. occupare); 8. of evils overtaking one (so in Grk. writ. fr. Hom. down): τινά, σκοτία, Jn. xii. 35; [so physically, Jn. vi. 17 Tdf.]; of the last day overtaking the wicked with destruction, 1 Th. v. 4; of a demon about to torment one, Mk. ix. 18. b. in a good sense, of Christ by his holy power and influence laying hold of the human mind and will, in order to prompt and govern it; ΕἸ αἰ 1. 3. to detect, catch: τινὰ ἔν τινι, in pass. Jn. viii. 3 [WH ἐπί r.]; with a ptep. indicating the crime, ib. 4. 4. to lay hold of with the mind; to understand, perceive, learn, comprehend, (Plat. Phaedr. p- 250d.; Axioch. p. 370a.; Polyb. 8, 4,6; Philo, vita contempl. § 10; Dion. Hal. antt. 5, 46); Mid. (Dion. Hal. antt. 2, 66; [cf. W. 253 (238)]), foll. by ὅτι, Acts iv. 13; x. 34; foll. by the acc. w. inf., Acts xxv. 25; foll. by indir. dise., Eph. iii. 18.
Mounce Concise Greek Dictionary
καταλαμβάνω katalambanō 15x
to lay hold of, grasp; to obtain, attain, Rom. 9:30; 1 Cor. 9:24; Phil. 3:12, 13; to seize, to take possession of, Mk. 9:18; to come suddenly upon; overtake, surprise, Jn. 12:35; 1 Thess. 5:4; to detect in the act, seize, Jn. 8:3, 4; met. to comprehend, apprehend, Jn. 1:5; mid. to understand, perceive, Acts 4:13; 10:34; 25:25; Eph. 3:18*
Abbott-Smith Greek Lexicon
κατα-λαμβάνω,
[in LXX for נשׂג hi., לכד, etc.;]
to lay hold of, seize, appropriate: Mk 9:18; c. acc. rei, I Co 9:24, Phl 3:12, 13.
to overtake: as carrel. of διώκω (Field, Notes, 158 f.), Ro 9:30; ἡ ἡμέρα, I Th 5:4; of evils, Jo 1:5 12:35 (cf. 6:17 T); hence, to surprise, discover: Jo 8:[3, 4],
Of mental action, to apprehend, comprehend; so mid., in NT (M, Pr., 158): Eph 3:18; seq. ὅτι, Ac 4:13 10:34; c. acc. et inf., Ac 25:25 (MM, Exp., xv).†
Moulton & Milligan — Vocabulary of the Greek NT
καταλαμβάνω. Many of the NT meanings of this common verb can be paralleled from our sources. Thus P Oxy XII. 14131} (A.D. 270-5) κατείληφα πόρον, τουτέστιν γενήματα ἀποκείμενα ἐν τῷ Μονίμου, “1 have impounded the property, that is to say produce deposited at the farmstead of Monimus’”’ (Edd.), Syll 933° (iv/B.c.) οἵδε] κατέλαβον τὰν χώρ[αν καὶ ἐτείχιξ]αν τὰν méAtw—then follow the names of colonists who ‘© appropriated ”’ the land: this is Paul’s regular use of the verb in active and passive. In the letter of Epicurus to a child, discovered at Herculaneum, 1764 (= Se/ectzons, p. 5), the philosopher writes—a]elypeba εἰς Λάμψακον. . . kal ἐκεῖ κατειλήφαμεν ὑγ[ι]αίνοντας Θεμίσταν Kal τοὺς λοιποὺς [pQAof[v]s, ‘‘we have arrived at Lampsacus, and there we have found Themistas and the rest of our friends in good health’’: cf. P Tebt I. 155 (p.c. 114) ἡμῶν συνεκπηδησάντων κατέλαβονον (/. κατέλαβον) ὄχλον τῶν ἐκ τῆς κώ(μης), ‘Con running out we found a crowd of the villagers ”’ (Edd.). For a weaker meaning ‘‘meet with’ a person or thing, cf. P Fay 1308 (iii/A.D.) ἕως ἂν καταλαμβάνω oe πρὸς τὴν ἑορτήν, ‘‘until I meet you at the festival” (Edd.), P Meyer 207° (1st half iii/A.D.) συνπεριφέρου τῷ καιρῷ ἕως σε καταλάβω, ‘‘ adapt yourself to circumstances until I join you,’’ 2b. 237 (end iv/a.D.) ἤδη yap ὑμᾶς καταλάβω, P Oxy IX. 12235 (late iv/A.D.) τὸ πλοῖον. . . καταλαμβάνει, 22. X. 129714 (iv/A.D.) ἐὰν καταλάβῃ Θεόδωρος ἐκεῖ, ‘if Theodorus reaches you there ’’ (Edd.). Hence in late papyri the verb comes to mean ‘‘ visit”? as in Chrest. I. 297° (vi/A.D.) ἅμα] δὲ ᾿Απολλῶτι κατάλαβε, ἐπειδὴ ἀναγκαίως θέλω σοι λαλῆσαι, where Wilcken renders κατάλαβε ““Κομη,᾿" ““besuche mich.” To ‘‘overtake,”’ of evils, as in Jn 1235, and probably in 15, is the meaning in Sy// 214™ (iii/B.C.) καὶ viv δὲ καιρῶν (‘‘crises”) κατειληφότων ὁμοίων τὴν Ἑλλάδα πᾶσαν : see also the Christian letter P Oxy VI. 939° (iv/A.D.) (= Selections, p. 128) ὥστε τὴν] κυρίαν ἀνασφῆλαι ἐκ τῆς καταλαβούσης [αὐτὴν νόσου, ‘in that my mistress has recovered from the illness that struck her down.” 1 Th 5% may be illustrated by Sy// 8031} (Epidaurus, iii/B.C.) μεταξὺ δὲ ἁμέρα ἐπικαταλαμβάνει. For καταλαμβάνω = “‘detect,’’ ‘‘catch,” in a crime, cf. P Lille I. 358 (after B.c. 241-0) ἀπεστάλκαμεν Ἡρακλείδην, συντάξαντες [αἸὐτῶι, ἐάϊν τινας καταλαμβάνηι διατιθεμένους [π]Ἰλειόνων τι[μ]ῶν συντεταγμένων, παραδιδ[ό]ϊναι αὐ[ϊτο]ὺς τοῖς φ[υ]λακίταις, Ῥ Ryl Il. 138 (Α.Ὁ. 34) κατέλαβα τοῦτον διὰ νυκτὸς ἡλμένον .. εἰς τῶι (1. τὸ). . ἐποίκιον, “ΕἼ detected him when under cover of night he had sprung into the farmstead” (Edd.), and especially BGU IV. το 41:1} (iv/v A.D.) γυναῖκα καταλημφθεῖσαν ὑπὸ τοῦ ἐδι[κ]η[μέϊνος (Δ ἠδικημένου) μετὰ μοίχου, which offers an almost exact parallel to [Jn] 885, The mid. = ‘‘ perceive,” ‘‘comprehend,”’ as in Ac 413 a/., may be illustrated from Vett. Val. p- 2258 ἅπερ ἐκ τῆς τῶν ἀστέρων ἀφέσεως κατελαβόμην, and so frequently. See Dittenberger’s note on OG/S 839 for the , καταλεγομαι verb = “condemn” in the Ionic and Aeolic dialects. MGr καταλαβαίνω, “comprehend,” ‘‘ understand.
Liddell-Scott-Jones — Greek-English Lexicon
καταλαμβάνω (katalambanō) — to grasp. καταλαμβάνω, future -λήψομαι[Refs 5th c.BC+], Ionic dialect -λάμψομαι[Refs 7th c.BC+]: perfect -είληφα[Refs 5th c.BC+] c.BC)), -λελάβηκα [Refs 6th c.BC+]:—passive, Ionic dialect aorist -ελάμφθην[Refs]; -ελάφθην [Refs 4th c.BC+]: perfect in middle sense, [Refs 1st c.BC+]:—seize, lay hold of, with accusative, τοῦ κατὰ νῶτα λαβών [Refs 8th c.BC+]; πάντα φυλακαῖς κ. [Refs 5th c.BC+]; φάσκων Ποσειδῶ πρότερον Ἀθηνᾶς καταλαβεῖν αὐτήν (i.e. τὴν πόλιν) [Refs 5th c.BC+]; later, simply, arrive at a place, [Refs 6th c.AD+], etc.:—middle, seize for oneself, τὰ πρήγματα [Refs 5th c.BC+]; τὰ ἄλλοι οὐ κατελάβοντο matters which others had not preoccupied, [Refs 2nd c.BC+] —passive, of a person, ὑπὸ τοῦ θεοῦ καταληφθείς possessed, [Refs 3rd c.AD+]
2. of death, fatigue, disaster, etc., τὸν δὲ κατ᾽ ὄσσε ἔλλαβε.. θάνατος [Refs 8th c.BC+]; befall, overtake, συμφορὰ κ. πόλεις [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ὅσα φεύγοντας ἐκ τῆς πατρίδος κακὰ ἐπίδοξα καταλαμβάνειν may be expected to befall them,[Refs]: followed by infinitive, νοῦσός τινα κ. νοσῆσαι [Refs]; πρίν τι ἀνήκεστον ἡμᾶς κ. [Refs 5th c.BC+]; rarely of good fortune, τοῦτον κατέλαβε εὐτυχίη τις [Refs 5th c.BC+]
3. seize with the mind, comprehend, [NT+5th c.BC+] (perhaps overcome); κάλλος διὰ τῆς [ὄψεως] [Refs 5th c.BC+]:—so in middle, [NT+1st c.BC+]:— passive, [Refs 1st c.BC+]
4. accept, παρὰ τοῦ βασιλέως.. δωροδοκήματα uncertain reading in [Refs 5th c.BC+]
II. catch, overtake, come up with, τοὺς φεύγοντας [Refs 5th c.BC+], etc.:—passive, [Refs 2nd c.BC+]
II.2. find on arrival, with participle, τινὰ ζῶντα [Refs 5th c.BC+]; detect, ἐπ᾽ αὐτοφώρῳ ἐμαυτόν [Refs 5th c.BC+]:—passive, κατελήφθη σοῦ λάθρᾳ πωλῶν τὰ σά [NT+5th c.BC+]; to be taken by surprise, [Refs 1st c.AD+]
III. impersonal, καταλαμβάνει τινά with infinitive, it happens to one, it is one's fortune to.., καταλαμβάνει μιν φεύγειν [Refs 5th c.BC+]
IV. absolutely, πρὸς τὴν καταλαβοῦσαν συμφορήν that had befallen, [Refs]; τὰ καταλαβόντα, ={τὰ συμβάντα}, what had happened, the circumstances, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; τῆς νυκτὸς -λαμβανούσης as night was coming on, [Refs 1st c.BC+]
V. hold down, cover, τῇ Χειρὶ τὸν ὀφθαλμόν [Refs 5th c.BC+]; fasten down, κ. πῶμα γόμφοις [Refs 2nd c.AD+] (so in middle, [Refs 1st c.BC+]:—passive, to be compressed, opposed to διαλύεσθαι, [Refs 4th c.BC+]
V.2. keep under, repress, check, κ. τινῶν αὐξανομένην τὴν δύναμιν [Refs 5th c.BC+]; κ. τὸ πῦρ get it under,[Refs]; κ. τὰς διαφοράς put an end to them, [Refs].; κ. ἐρίζοντας stop their quarrelling, [Refs]: followed by infinitive, κ. τοὺς Αἰγυπτίους ταῦτα μὴ ποιέειν [Refs]; ὁ τῶν Περσέων θάνατος καταλαμφθεὶς ἐσιγήθη inquiries about their death being checked.. , [Refs]
V.2. b κ. τὸ πνεῦμα hold the breath, [Refs 2nd c.AD+]
V.3. bind, κ. πίστι καὶ ὁρκίοισι [Refs 5th c.BC+]:—passive, εἴ τινι -λέλαμμαι ὅρκῳ [Refs]; νόμοις, ἔθεσι κατειλημμένα enforced, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; [τὰς σπονδὰς] ηὗρε κατειλημμένας he found the treaty concluded, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
V.4. compel, constrain one to do, with infinitive, ἀναγκαίη μιν κ. φαίνειν forces him to bring out the truth, [Refs 5th c.BC+] —passive, ἀναγκαίῃ καταλαμβανόμενος being constrained, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
V.5. convict, condemn, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; opposed to ἀπολύειν, [Refs 4th c.BC+]; of the prosecutor, secure a conviction, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ὁ -λαβών [Refs 2nd c.BC+]