καθίημι (kathiēmi)
kathiēmi
to lower
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 4 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The verb kathēmi describes the physical act of lowering or letting something down. Its meaning is straightforward and concrete: it involves moving an object from a higher position to a lower one. In the New Testament, this word appears only four times, all within the Gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles, where it grounds the narrative in tangible, everyday actions.
Its usage highlights specific moments of delivery or rescue. For instance, friends lower a paralyzed man through a roof so Jesus can reach him (Luke 5:19), and later, Paul is lowered in a basket through a city wall to escape danger (Acts 9:25; 2 Corinthians 11:33, though the latter is not in this specific Strong's count for Acts/Luke, the source data limits us to Acts/Luke occurrences). The word emphasizes the deliberate effort required to bring something or someone down from a height.
The term combines the prefix kata- (down) with hiēmi (to send). This etymology reinforces the sense of directed movement. Translators typically render it as "lowered" or "let down," capturing the simple physicality without adding spiritual metaphor. It serves as a vivid detail in the biblical text, showing how divine encounters often intersect with practical, human effort.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word kathēmi describes the physical act of lowering something or someone from a higher place to a lower one. In the New Testament, it appears only four times, grounding spiritual narratives in tangible, everyday actions. This concrete imagery reminds us that divine encounters often intersect with practical human effort.
Consider how friends lowered a paralyzed man through a roof to reach Jesus (Luke 5:19). Their deliberate action created space for healing. Similarly, Paul was let down in a basket to escape danger (Acts 9:25). These moments show that faith involves active participation and community support.
When you face obstacles that seem insurmountable, remember the power of collaborative effort. Just as those friends worked together to bring their companion to Jesus, your community can help lower barriers in your life. This word invites us to trust in both divine providence and the practical help of others.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 4 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- they let down2×
- being let down2×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- καθῆκαν2×
- καθιέμενον1×
- καθιεμένην1×
Key Verses
-
Luke 5:19
Not finding a way to bring him in because of the multitude, they went up to the housetop and let him down through the tiles with his cot into the middle before Jesus.
This verse highlights the physical effort required to bring a paralyzed man to Jesus, showing how community action facilitates divine healing.
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Acts 9:25
but his disciples took him by night and let him down through the wall, lowering him in a basket.
Here, disciples lower Paul in a basket at night, demonstrating strategic use of this action for protection and escape from danger.
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Acts 10:11
He saw heaven opened and a certain container descending to him, like a great sheet let down by four corners on the earth,
Peter sees a sheet let down from heaven, using the same verb to describe a vision that challenges his understanding of purity laws.