Quick Definition
καταλλάσσω v. I reconcile
Strong's Definition
from 2596 and 236; to change mutually, i.e. (figuratively) to compound a difference
KJV Usage: reconcile
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament
verb | aor.pass. κατηλλάγην · ptc. καταλλαγείς | ἀλλάσσω
40.1 · Reconciliation, Forgiveness · Reconciliation
to reconcile, to make things right with one another, reconciliation to reestablish proper friendly interpersonal relations after these have been disrupted or broken (the componential features of this series of meanings involve (1) disruption of friendly relations because of (2) presumed or real provocation (3) overt behavior designed to remove hostility, and (4) restoration of original friendly relations) Because of the variety and complexity of the components involved in reconciliation, it is often necessary to use an entire phrase in order to communicate satisfactorily the meanings of the terms in this subdomain. In some languages, however, reconciliation is often spoken of in idiomatic terms, for example, ‘to cause to become friends again,’ ‘to cause to snap fingers again’ (a symbol of friendly interpersonal relations in many parts of Africa), ‘to cause to be one again,’ or ‘to take away the separation.’ A particularly crucial element in terms for reconciliation is the assigning of responsibility for original guilt in causing the estrangement. Some terms, for example, imply that the individual who initiates reconciliation is by doing so admitting his guilt in causing the estrangement. This, of course, provides a completely untenable meaning for reconciliation in speaking of God reconciling people to himself through Christ.
In a number of languages the contextual basis for an expression for reconciliation is often found in terms relating to the reconciliation of husbands and wives. Such expressions fit in well with many contexts in the Scriptures, especially in speaking of reconciliation of people to God, since God is frequently referred to as the husband and the believers as the wife.
ROM 5:10 · ROM 5:10 · 1CO 7:11 · 2CO 5:18 · 2CO 5:19 · 2CO 5:20
1 It may be that there are certain subtle distinctions of meaning in the series in 40.1, but there appears to be no contextual indication to justify setting up completely separate meanings.
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament © United Bible Societies, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
κατ-αλλάσσω; 1 aor. ptep. καταλλάξας; 2 aor. pass. κατηλλάγην ; prop. to change, exchange, as coins for others of equal value; hence fo reconcile (those who are at variance): τινάς, aS τοὺς Θηβαίους καὶ τοὺς Πλαταιέας, Hat. 6, 108; κατήλλαξάν odeas οἱ Πάριοι, 5, 29; Aristot. oecon. 2, 15, 9 [p. 1348", 9] κατήλλαξεν αὐτοὺς πρὸς ἀλλήλους ; pass. τινί, to return into favor with, be reconciled to, one, Eur. Iph. Aul. 1157; Plat. rep. 8 p. 566 e.; πρὸς ἀλλήλους, Thue. 4, 59; but the Pass. is used also where only one ceases to be angry with another and receives him into favor; thus καταλλαγείς, received by Cyrus into favor, Xen. an. 1, 6, 1; καταλλάττεται πρὸς αὐτήν, regained her favor, Joseph. antt. 5, 2, 8; and, on the other hand, God is said καταλλαγῆναί τινι, with whom he ceases to be offended, to whom he grants his favor anew, whose sins he pardons, 2 Mace. i. 5; vii. 33; viii. 29; Joseph. antt. 6, 7, 4 cf. 7, 8, 4, (so ἐπικαταλλάττεσθαί τινι, Clem. Rom. 1 Cor. 48, 1). In the N. T. God is said καταλλάσσειν ἑαυτῷ twa, to receive one into his favor, [A. V. reconcile one to himself |, 2 Co. ν. 18 sq. (where in the added pteps. two arguments are adduced which prove that God has done this: first, that he does not impute to men their trespasses; second, that he has deposited the doctrine of reconciliation in the souls of the preachers of the gospel) ; καταλλαγῆναι τῷ θεῷ, to be restored to the favor of God, to recover God’s favor, Ro. v. 10 [but see ἐχθρός, 2]; καταλλάγητε τῷ θεῷ, allow yourselves to be reconciled to God; do not oppose your return into his favor, but lay hold of that favor now offered you, 2 Co. y. 20. of awoman: καταλλαγήτω τῷ ἀνδρί, let her return into harmony with [A. V. be reconciled to} her husband, 1 Co. vii. 11. Cf. Fritzsche on Rom. vol. i. p. 276 sqq. [who shows (in opp. to Tittmann, N. T. Syn. i. 102, et al.) that καταλλάσσω and διαλλάσσω are used promiscuously ; the prepp- merely intensify (in slightly different modes) the meaning of the simple verb, and there is no evidence that one compound is stronger than the other; διαλλ. and its derivatives are more common in Attic, καταλλ. and its derivatives in later writers. Comp.: ἀπο-καταλAdoow. |
Mounce Concise Greek Dictionary
καταλλάσσω katallassō 6x
to change, exchange; to reconcile; pass. to be reconciled, Rom. 5:10 (2x); 1 Cor. 7:11; 2 Cor. 5:18, 19, 20*
Abbott-Smith Greek Lexicon
κατ-αλλάσσω
(Att. -ττω; cf. ἀλλάσσω), [in LXX: Je 31 (48):39 (חתת), II Mac 1:5 7:33 8:29*;]
prop., to change, exchange (esp. of money); hence, of persons, to change from emnity to friendship, to reconcile (for exx. in cl., v. Thayer, LS): of the reconciliation of man to God (Lft., Notes, 288; ICC on Ro 5:10; DCG, ii, 474, 797), II Co 5:18, 19; pass., Ro 5:10, II Co 5:20; of a woman returning to her husband, I Co 7:11 (cf. ἀπο-καταλλάσσω).†
Moulton & Milligan — Vocabulary of the Greek NT
καταλλάσσω. For this characteristic Pauline verb cf. the question to an oracle, P Oxy XII. 1477® (iii/iv a.p.) εἰ καταλλάσσομαι els τὸν γόνον ; where the editors translate, ‘‘am I to be reconciled (Ὁ) with my offspring (?)?’’ but in their note state that they regard the reading γόνον as “ποῖ very satisfactory.” See also OG/S 2181 (iii/B.c.) φόνον δὲ émryapla(t)s μὴ καταλλάσσεσΊθαι μηδὲ χρήμασιν. For ἀντικαταλλάσσω see P Par 631%, cited s.v. εὔχρηστος. Part IV. , καταμένω
Liddell-Scott-Jones — Greek-English Lexicon
καταλλάσσω (katallassō) — to reconcile. καταλλ-άσσω, Attic dialect καταλλάττω, change money, [Refs 1st c.AD+] (also in middle, [Refs 4th c.BC+]:—passive, Matreas cited in [Refs 2nd c.AD+], with a play on signification [Refs]; change or give away, τὴν Χάριν τῶν νόμων for the laws, [Refs 4th c.BC+]; καταλλάσσειν τὸν βίον to leave life, [Refs 2nd c.AD+] __b absolutely, transgress, contravene regulations, [Refs]
2. middle, exchange one thing for another, ἡδονὰς πρὸς ἡδονάς [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἀντί τινος πάντα [Refs 4th c.BC+]: absolutely, exchange prisoners, [Refs 2nd c.AD+]
II. change a person from enmity to friendship, reconcile, σφέας [NT+5th c.BC+]middle, καταλλάσσεσθαι τὴν ἔχθρην τινί to make up one's enmity with any one, [Refs 5th c.BC+] —passive, especially in aorist κατηλλάχθην or κατηλλάγην (former preferred by Trag., latter in Prose), to become reconciled, τινι [Refs 5th c.BC+]; θεοῖσιν ὡς καταλλαχθῇ Χόλου that he may be reconciled to them after his anger, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
II.2. passive, of an offence, to be atoned for, φόνον ἐπιγαμίαις μὴ καταλλάσσεσθαι μηδὲ Χρήμασιν [Refs 3rd c.BC+]