κατατομή (katatomē)
katatomē
mutilation
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The noun katatomē literally means a cutting down or mutilation. In the New Testament, it appears only once, in Philippians 3:2, where Paul uses it as a sharp sarcasm against opponents who demanded circumcision. By choosing this word, he contrasts their physical marking of the body with the true spiritual reality of the Christian faith.
The term is built from kata ("down") and tomē ("a cut"), forming a deliberate play on words with peritomē, which means circumcision. While peritomē refers to the God-ordained sign of the covenant, katatomē describes it as a harmful mutilation when imposed as a requirement for salvation. This distinction highlights Paul’s view that relying on physical rituals undermines the work of Christ.
Translators typically render this word as "mutilation" to capture its negative and derogatory tone. The usage reflects a theological argument rather than a medical description, emphasizing that true identity comes from the Spirit, not from human effort or bodily alteration.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word katatomē appears only once in the New Testament, tucked inside Paul’s sharp warning to the Philippians. He uses it to describe a physical ritual not as a holy sign, but as a harmful cutting. This was his way of saying that relying on outward marks for salvation misses the point entirely.
For your faith today, this offers a freeing reminder. Your standing before God does not depend on external performance or human effort. It rests securely in what Christ has already done. When you feel pressured to earn favor through rules or rituals, remember that true identity is found in the Spirit, not in bodily alteration.
This passage invites you to rest in grace. You are accepted by God not because of what you do to your body, but because of who Jesus is. Let this truth bring peace and freedom from the burden of trying to prove yourself through external standards.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- false circumcision;1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- κατατομήν·1×
Key Verses
-
Philippians 3:2
Beware of the dogs; beware of the evil workers; beware of the false circumcision.
Paul uses this rare term here as a sarcastic contrast to true circumcision, labeling legalistic requirements for salvation as harmful mutilation rather than divine blessing.