κατά
katá
G2596 preposition
SILEX Entry
Definition
As a preposition, primarily conveys the sense of 'down, against, according to, in relation to' depending on the case with which it is used. With the genitive, it signifies 'down from, against, in opposition to, about, concerning.' With the accusative, it often means 'according to, in relation to, along, during, throughout, throughout the extent of.' Used in a wide range of idiomatic phrases to indicate distribution, manner, opposition, agency, intensity, and spatial or temporal direction.
Semantic Range
down (spatial direction), opposite, against (opposition), throughout, during (temporal extension), in accordance with (standard or rule), concerning, in relation to, per (distribution), after the manner of, down along, throughout the extent of (space or time), by, throughout every, intensity in compounds
Root / Etymology
From the root κατα-, a prepositional prefix and adverb in ancient Greek expressing direction, downward motion, or intensity. Cognate with kindred Indo-European particles signifying downward or opposition (cf. Latin 'de', 'contra').
Historical & Contextual Notes
κατά is one of the most versatile and frequently used prepositions in Koine Greek, appearing in both simple and compound forms. In earlier Greek (Homeric and classical), it often indicated physical movement 'down' or 'against.' In the Hellenistic and NT periods, usage broadened: with the accusative, it became almost synonymous with 'according to' or 'in reference to' (e.g., κατά τίνα 'according to someone'), and signals manner, standard, distribution, or per (κατ’ ἄνδρα 'per person'). With the genitive, it often marks opposition ('against'), motion down from or over, or general reference. Its potential spatial, temporal, distributive, or logical uses are best understood from specific contexts. In compound verbs, κατά frequently intensifies meaning or adds a nuance of opposition/distribution. English translations, by necessity, reflect only part of its range, and idiomatic uses are particularly difficult to capture in single English glosses; context nearly always determines the prepositional force in a given passage.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
a primary particle; (prepositionally) down (in place or time), in varied relations (according to the case (genitive, dative or accusative) with which it is joined):--about, according as (to), after, against, (when they were) X alone, among, and, X apart, (even, like) as (concerning, pertaining to touching), X aside, at, before, beyond, by, to the charge of, (charita-)bly, concerning, + covered, (dai-)ly, down, every, (+ far more) exceeding, X more excellent, for, from … to, godly, in(-asmuch, divers, every, -to, respect of), … by, after the manner of, + by any means, beyond (out of) measure, X mightily, more, X natural, of (up-)on (X part), out (of every), over against, (+ your) X own, + particularly, so, through(-oughout, -oughout every), thus, (un-)to(-gether, -ward), X uttermost, where(-by), with. In composition it retains many of these applications, and frequently denotes opposition, distribution, or intensity.
Root Family
κατα- (katá) — down, against, according to, in relation to
Word Forms
3 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G2596-02 |
κατὰ | kata | PREP ACC |
according to | according to | according to | 330 |
G2596-01 |
κατ’ | kat | PREP ACC |
according to | according to | according to | 85 |
G2596-03 |
καθ’ | kath | PREP GEN |
every | against | according to | 60 |
Occurrences in Scripture
475 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G2596-01 |
Matthew 1:20 | κατ’ | kat | PREP ACC |
in | according to | in |
G2596-01 |
Matthew 2:12 | κατ’ | kat | PREP ACC |
in | according to | according to |
G2596-01 |
Matthew 2:13 | κατ’ | kat | PREP ACC |
in | according to | in |
G2596-02 |
Matthew 2:16 | κατὰ | kata | PREP ACC |
according to | according to | according to |
G2596-01 |
Matthew 2:19 | κατ’ | kat | PREP ACC |
in | according to | in |
G2596-01 |
Matthew 2:22 | κατ’ | kat | PREP ACC |
in | according to | in |
G2596-03 |
Matthew 5:11 | καθ’ | kath | PREP GEN |
against | against | against |
G2596-02 |
Matthew 5:23 | κατὰ | kata | PREP GEN |
against | according to | against |
G2596-02 |
Matthew 8:32 | κατὰ | kata | PREP GEN |
down | according to | down |
G2596-02 |
Matthew 9:29 | κατὰ | kata | PREP ACC |
According to | according to | according to |
G2596-02 |
Matthew 10:35 | κατὰ | kata | PREP GEN |
against | according to | against |
G2596-02 |
Matthew 10:35 | κατὰ | kata-2 | PREP GEN |
against | according to | against |
G2596-02 |
Matthew 10:35 | κατὰ | kata-3 | PREP GEN |
against | according to | against |
G2596-01 |
Matthew 12:14 | κατ’ | kat | PREP GEN |
against | according to | against |
G2596-03 |
Matthew 12:25 | καθ’ | kath | PREP GEN |
against | against | against |
G2596-03 |
Matthew 12:25 | καθ’ | kath-2 | PREP GEN |
against | against | against |
G2596-01 |
Matthew 12:30 | κατ’ | kat | PREP GEN |
against | according to | against |
G2596-02 |
Matthew 12:32 | κατὰ | kata | PREP GEN |
against | according to | against |
G2596-02 |
Matthew 12:32 | κατὰ | kata-2 | PREP GEN |
against | according to | against |
G2596-01 |
Matthew 14:13 | κατ’ | kat | PREP ACC |
by | according to | according to |
G2596-01 |
Matthew 14:23 | κατ’ | kat | PREP ACC |
alone | according to | according to |
G2596-02 |
Matthew 16:27 | κατὰ | kata | PREP ACC |
according to | according to | according to |
G2596-01 |
Matthew 17:1 | κατ’ | kat | PREP ACC |
apart | according to | by |
G2596-01 |
Matthew 17:19 | κατ’ | kat | PREP ACC |
privately | according to | according to |
G2596-02 |
Matthew 19:3 | κατὰ | kata | PREP ACC |
for | according to | for |
G2596-02 |
Matthew 20:11 | κατὰ | kata | PREP GEN |
against | according to | against |
G2596-01 |
Matthew 20:17 | κατ’ | kat | PREP ACC |
aside | according to | according to |
G2596-02 |
Matthew 23:3 | κατὰ | kata | PREP ACC |
according to | according to | according to |
G2596-01 |
Matthew 24:3 | κατ’ | kat | PREP ACC |
privately | according to | privately |
G2596-02 |
Matthew 24:7 | κατὰ | kata | PREP ACC |
in | according to | in |
G2596-02 |
Matthew 25:15 | κατὰ | kata | PREP ACC |
according to | according to | according to |
G2596-03 |
Matthew 26:55 | καθ’ | kath | PREP ACC |
every | against | each |
G2596-02 |
Matthew 26:59 | κατὰ | kata | PREP GEN |
against | according to | against |
G2596-02 |
Matthew 26:63 | κατὰ | kata | PREP GEN |
by | according to | by |
G2596-02 |
Matthew 27:1 | κατὰ | kata | PREP GEN |
against | according to | against |
G2596-02 |
Matthew 27:15 | κατὰ | kata | PREP ACC |
at | according to | according to |
G2596-01 |
Matthew 27:19 | κατ’ | kat | PREP ACC |
in | according to | in |
G2596-01 |
Mark 1:27 | κατ’ | kat | PREP ACC |
with | according to | according to |
G2596-01 |
Mark 3:6 | κατ’ | kat | PREP GEN |
against | according to | against |
G2596-02 |
Mark 4:10 | κατὰ | kata | PREP ACC |
alone | according to | privately |
G2596-01 |
Mark 4:34 | κατ’ | kat | PREP ACC |
privately | according to | privately |
G2596-02 |
Mark 5:13 | κατὰ | kata | PREP GEN |
down | according to | down |
G2596-01 |
Mark 6:31 | κατ’ | kat | PREP ACC |
by | according to | by |
G2596-01 |
Mark 6:32 | κατ’ | kat | PREP ACC |
by | according to | by |
G2596-02 |
Mark 6:40 | κατὰ | kata | PREP ACC |
by | according to | by |
G2596-02 |
Mark 6:40 | κατὰ | kata-2 | PREP ACC |
by | according to | by |
G2596-02 |
Mark 7:5 | κατὰ | kata | PREP ACC |
according to | according to | according to |
G2596-01 |
Mark 7:33 | κατ’ | kat | PREP ACC |
privately | according to | privately |
G2596-01 |
Mark 9:2 | κατ’ | kat | PREP ACC |
by | according to | according to |
G2596-01 |
Mark 9:28 | κατ’ | kat | PREP ACC |
privately | according to | privately |