καταλαμβάνω (katalambanō)
katalambanō
to grasp
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 14 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The verb katalambanō describes a forceful act of seizing or overtaking. It carries the sense of laying hold of something to make it one’s own, whether that is an object, a goal, or a person. In Philippians 3:12, Paul uses it to express his determination to lay hold of the prize for which Christ Jesus laid hold of him, highlighting a dynamic pursuit rather than passive reception.
It also denotes being caught by surprise or overtaken by circumstances. The sources note its use when darkness fails to overtake Jesus in John 1:5, or when the day of the Lord comes like a thief in the night (1 Thessalonians 5:4). This usage emphasizes an external force arriving upon someone unexpectedly.
In mental contexts, particularly in the middle voice, it means to comprehend or grasp with the mind. Ephesians 3:18 speaks of grasping the breadth and length of Christ’s love, suggesting a deep, intuitive understanding that goes beyond mere intellectual knowledge. Translators often render this as "understand" or "apprehend," capturing the idea of fully taking in a reality.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word katalambanō carries a sense of active seizing or overtaking. It appears in contexts where light struggles against darkness, where believers pursue a spiritual prize, and where the mind grasps profound truths. This verb reminds us that faith is not passive; it involves a dynamic engagement with God’s reality.
In Philippians 3:12, Paul uses this word to describe his pursuit of Christ, who first laid hold of him. This suggests that our spiritual efforts are a response to divine initiative. We do not grasp God because we are strong enough, but because He has already reached out to us. This truth offers comfort when we feel inadequate in our walk.
Similarly, Ephesians 3:18 speaks of comprehending the breadth of Christ’s love. Here, the word points to a deep, intuitive understanding that goes beyond intellectual knowledge. It invites us to rest in the assurance that God’s love is vast enough to hold us, even when we cannot fully grasp its dimensions with our minds.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 14 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- may grasp;2×
- having grasped2×
- you may grasp [it].1×
- was grasped1×
- to have grasped [it];1×
- to grasp1×
- it may grasp,1×
- having been grasped1×
- have grasped1×
- grasped [it].1×
- I was grasped1×
- I shall grasp1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- καταλάβῃ·2×
- κατέλαβεν.¶1×
- κατέλαβεν1×
- κατείληφθη1×
- κατελήμφθην1×
- κατελαβόμην1×
- κατειληφέναι·1×
- κατειλημμένην1×
- καταλάβῃ,1×
- καταλάβω1×
- καταλάβητε.1×
- καταλαμβάνομαι1×
Key Verses
-
Philippians 3:12
Not that I have already obtained, or am already made perfect; but I press on, that I may take hold of that for which also I was taken hold of by Christ Jesus.
Paul uses this word to describe his active pursuit of the spiritual maturity that Christ had already claimed him, highlighting the dynamic nature of Christian growth.
-
John 1:5
The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness hasn’t overcome it.
The darkness fails to overtake the light, illustrating the ultimate inability of evil to extinguish divine truth and life.
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Ephesians 3:18
may be strengthened to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and height and depth,
This occurrence calls believers to a deep, intuitive comprehension of Christ's love that transcends mere intellectual understanding.