κτάομαι (G2932) — Greek Lexicon

κτάομαι

ktáomai

G2932 verb

SILEX Entry

Definition

To acquire or gain possession of something, especially through effort or purchase. The primary sense is to come to possess or obtain an object, rights, or status, whether by buying, earning, or otherwise procuring. Contextually, κτάομαι may refer to acquiring material goods, property, or even intangible things like citizenship.

Semantic Range

to acquire by purchase, to gain by effort, to procure for oneself, to obtain status or privilege, to possess (as a result of acquisition), to provide for oneself

Root / Etymology

Root/stem κτα- (κτά-), related to the notion of acquisition or possession. Cognate with the noun κτῆσις (acquisition, possession); forms related to other Greek verbs of acquisition such as κτάομαι and κτάνυμαι. The verb is present from early Greek, including Homer.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In classical Greek, κτάομαι is widely attested with the sense of acquiring through effort, especially by purchase, but also broadly in gaining possession of anything, tangible or intangible (e.g., alliances, knowledge, citizenship: see Acts 22:28). In the Septuagint, it often translates Hebrew verbs for acquiring or possessing, particularly in relation to land, property, or herds. In the New Testament, it appears relatively infrequently, but adheres to the core sense of acquiring through one’s own action, as distinguished from merely having from birth or as inheritance (contrast with ἔχω, 'to have, to possess,' which can denote inherited or current possession without reference to the method of acquisition). English translations sometimes render κτάομαι as 'purchase,' 'obtain,' 'acquire,' but do not always convey the nuance that, in Greek, acquisition often emphasizes the effort or means involved rather than mere ownership. Usage does not always entail a commercial transaction but often implies agency and intentionality. The concept can distinguish between native citizens and those who have gained citizenship by purchase (Acts 22:28).

Translation Consistency

primary "acquire" 6 occurrences

κτάομαι primarily means to come into possession of something by purchase, effort, or procurement. "Acquire" matches the typical semantic range (buy, gain, procure, obtain status) and is the most frequent rendering in the P2 data. It is natural, precise for both tangible and intangible acquisitions, and better captures the active sense than alternatives like "possess" (static) or "get" (too colloquial).

Alternatives (1 occurrence):

"obtained" (1x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

a primary verb; to get, i.e. acquire (by any means; own):--obtain, possess, provide, purchase.

Root Family

κτάομαι (ktaomai) — to acquire, to gain, to purchase, to get possession

Root κτά- to acquire, to gain, to purchase, to get possession

Word Forms

6 distinct forms

SIDANCE	Surface	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	SIBI-P2	Occurrences
`G2932-03`	κτᾶσθαι	ktasthai	`V PRS MID INF`	to obtain	to acquire for oneself	to acquire for oneself	2
`G2932-05`	κτήσησθε	ktesesthe	`V AOR MID SUBJ 2P PL`	acquire	you may acquire for yourselves	you may acquire for yourselves	1
`G2932-02`	ἐκτήσατο	ektesato	`V AOR MID IND 3P SG`	acquired	acquired for himself	acquired for himself	1
`G2932-01`	ἐκτησάμην	ektesamen	`V AOR MID IND 1P SG`	obtained I	I acquired for myself	I obtained	1
`G2932-06`	κτῶμαι	ktomai	`V PRS MID IND 1P SG`	I possess	I was acquiring for myself	I acquire	1
`G2932-04`	κτήσασθε	ktesasthe	`V AOR MID IMP 2P PL`	gain	Acquire for yourselves	Acquire for yourselves	1

Occurrences in Scripture

7 occurrences

Filter by SIDANCE:

SIDANCE	Reference	Word	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	SIBI-P2
`G2932-05`	Matthew 10:9	κτήσησθε	ktesesthe	`V AOR MID SUBJ 2P PL`	acquire	you may acquire for yourselves	you may acquire for yourselves
`G2932-06`	Luke 18:12	κτῶμαι	ktomai	`V PRS MID IND 1P SG`	I possess	I was acquiring for myself	I acquire
`G2932-04`	Luke 21:19	κτήσασθε	ktesasthe	`V AOR MID IMP 2P PL`	gain	Acquire for yourselves	Acquire for yourselves
`G2932-02`	Acts 1:18	ἐκτήσατο	ektesato	`V AOR MID IND 3P SG`	acquired	acquired for himself	acquired for himself
`G2932-03`	Acts 8:20	κτᾶσθαι	ktasthai	`V PRS MID INF`	to obtain	to acquire for oneself	to acquire for oneself
`G2932-01`	Acts 22:28	ἐκτησάμην	ektesamen	`V AOR MID IND 1P SG`	obtained I	I acquired for myself	I obtained
`G2932-03`	1 Thessalonians 4:4	κτᾶσθαι	ktasthai	`V PRS MID INF`	to possess	to acquire for oneself	to acquire for oneself

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