ESTUDIO DE LA PALABRA GRIEGA
Katá (G2596) — Meaning & Usage in the Bible
Katá is a versatile Greek preposition whose sense shifts with the case it governs: 'against' or 'down from' with the genitive, and 'according to,' 'throughout,' or 'at' with the accusative.
Significado de la palabra
Katá is fundamentally a directional preposition. The lexicon traces its primary spatial sense to "down" or "downwards," visible in constructions such as Matthew 8:32 where something moves down from a height. From this physical origin extend two broad semantic branches: opposition ("against") when governing the genitive, and conformity or distribution ("according to," "throughout") when governing the accusative.
With the genitive, katá often carries a hostile sense—speaking against (Acts 6:13), fighting against (Matthew 10:35), or accusing against (Romans 8:33). It also marks the object of an oath ("to swear by," Hebrews 6:13). With the accusative, the preposition expresses conformity to a standard ("according to your faith," Matthew 9:29), distribution over space ("throughout," Luke 8:39), or temporal proximity ("at," "about").
Uso en las Escrituras
Across its 346 distinct New Testament verses, katá adapts to whatever grammatical case it governs. The KJV rendering catalogue—"according to," "after," "against," "throughout," "by," "concerning"—reflects the breadth of usage. In Matthew's infancy narrative alone, katá marks temporal coincidence ("when Herod was dead," Matthew 2:19) and distributive measurement ("according to the time," Matthew 2:16).
Compound verbs built on katá inherit directional force: down (katabainō), over against / accuse (kategorēō), bring to nothing (katargeō). Because so many of these compounds carry forceful or oppositional weight, katá signals that something is being acted upon, spoken against, or measured by a standard—never neutral filler.
La palabra en detalle
- G2596 Katá governs two principal cases. With the genitive it leans toward hostility or downward motion (against, down from); with the accusative it leans toward conformity, distribution, or temporal reference (according to, throughout, at). Always read the case, not just the gloss.
Versículos de ejemplo
- Matthew 9:29 Katá here governs the accusative in its conformity sense: healing is granted 'according to' the measure of the recipients' faith.
- Matthew 10:35 With the genitive, katá expresses personal opposition: 'a man against his father.' Compare with the same construction for swearing in Hebrews 6:13.
- Luke 8:39 With the accusative, katá marks distribution over space: 'throughout' the city, showing the preposition's locative breadth.
- Romans 8:33 Genitive use in an accusing sense: 'to bring a charge against God's elect.' Katá here preserves the courtroom connotation of accusation.
Preguntas frecuentes
Why does katá translate so differently from verse to verse?
Because it is a preposition whose meaning is partly fixed by the case it governs. Genitive pushes katá toward 'against' or 'down from'; accusative pushes it toward 'according to,' 'throughout,' or 'at.' Translators must read both the lexical sense and the grammatical case.
Does katá always carry a hostile meaning?
No. Hostility is dominant only with the genitive, especially after verbs of accusing or fighting. With the accusative the preposition is usually neutral or positive, expressing conformity, distribution, or temporal reference.
What is the relationship between katá and its compounds such as katabainō or katargeō?
Compounds inherit the directional or oppositional force of katá. Thus katabainō retains 'down,' while katargeō extends the sense toward bringing something to an end or nullifying it. The preposition's core meanings live on in the verb family.