2618. katakaió
Lexical Summary
katakaió: To burn up, consume by fire, utterly destroy by burning.

Original Word: κατακαίω
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: katakaió
Pronunciation: kat-ak-ah'-yo
Phonetic Spelling: (kat-ak-ah'-ee-o)
KJV: burn (up, utterly)
NASB: burned, burn, burning
Word Origin: [from G2596 (κατά - according) and G2545 (καίω - burning)]

1. to burn down (to the ground), i.e. consume wholly

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
burn up

From kata and kaio; to burn down (to the ground), i.e. Consume wholly -- burn (up, utterly).

see GREEK kata

see GREEK kaio

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
from kata and kaió
Definition
to burn up
NASB Translation
burn (4), burned (8), burning (1).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon
STRONGS NT 2618: κατακαίω

κατακαίω): imperfect 3 person plural κατέκαιον; future κατακαύσω; 1 aorist infinitive κατακαῦσαι; passive, present κατακαίομαι; 2 aorist κατεκαην; 2 future κατακαήσομαι (cf. Tdf. Proleg., p. 123; WH's Appendix, p. 170a); 1 future κατακαυθήσομαι (Kühner, 1:841; (Veitch, under the word καίω; Buttmann, 60 (53); Winers Grammar, 87 (83))); the Sept. chiefly for שָׂרַף; from Homer down; to burn up (see κατά, III. 4), consume by fire: τί, Matthew 13:30; Acts 19:19; passive, 1 Corinthians 3:15; Hebrews 13:11; 2 Peter 3:10 (Tr WH εὑρεθήσεται, see εὑρίσκω, 1 a. at the end); Revelation 8:7; with πυρί added, Matthew 3:12; Matthew 13:40 R L T WH, but G Tr καίω; Luke 3:17 (Exodus 29:14; Exodus 32:20 Alex., etc.; see καίω); ἐν πυρί (often so in the Sept.), Revelation 17:16; Revelation 18:8. (καίω and κατακαίω are distinguished in Exodus 3:2.)

Topical Lexicon
Semantic Range and Imagery

The verb carries the idea of fire reducing something to ashes. Its imagery is never partial or cosmetic; whatever is subjected to it is wholly consumed. This totality underscores divine finality—whether in judgment, purification, or sacrificial disposal.

Canonical Distribution

Used twelve times, the word spans Gospels, Acts, Pauline epistle, Hebrews, and Revelation. The distribution clusters around four settings: prophetic preaching (Matthew, Luke), apostolic warning (1 Corinthians), sacrificial protocol (Hebrews), and apocalyptic judgment (Revelation), with one historical narrative (Acts).

Agrarian and Eschatological Parables (Matthew 3:12; 13:30, 40; Luke 3:17)

John the Baptist and Jesus employ rural scenes familiar to Galilean listeners. The harvester separates valuable grain from worthless chaff or weeds; the latter are “burned up with unquenchable fire.” The imagery brings together present exhortation and future consummation: repentance must occur now, because the fiery end is certain then. The permanence of the fire supports the doctrine of irrevocable judgment.

Ecclesiological Testing (1 Corinthians 3:15)

Paul applies the metaphor to ministry workmanship. “If it is burned up, he will suffer loss, but he himself will be saved—yet only as if through the flames.” The fire here is evaluative, not punitive. Works of inferior quality—those built on the foundation of Christ yet driven by human pride or carnality—will be consumed. The passage safeguards assurance of salvation while stressing accountability for stewardship.

Sacrificial Disposal Outside the Camp (Hebrews 13:11)

Temple regulations required that the sin-offering carcasses be taken outside the camp and burned. The writer to the Hebrews links this with Jesus’ own suffering “outside the gate,” encouraging believers to bear reproach with Him. The verb therefore anchors an exhortation to costly discipleship founded on atonement already accomplished.

Repentance and Renunciation of Sorcery (Acts 19:19)

In Ephesus, new converts express repentance by publicly burning expensive occult scrolls. The irreversible destruction of valuable property illustrates genuine conversion: no retreat, no secret fascination with former darkness. The episode models tangible fruit worthy of repentance and serves as a precedent for forsaking idolatry in every age.

Apocalyptic Conflagrations (Revelation 8:7; 17:16; 18:8)

Revelation uses the verb for catastrophic judgments on nature and on the world system symbolized by Babylon.
Revelation 8:7 records a third of earth, trees, and grass “burned up,” signaling ecological upheaval under divine wrath.
Revelation 17:16 depicts political powers that “burn her with fire,” showing God’s sovereignty even over human aggression.
Revelation 18:8 announces Babylon’s swift destruction: “she will be consumed by fire, for mighty is the Lord God who judges her.”

Together these scenes affirm that evil structures, no matter how entrenched, will be utterly removed.

Theological Themes

1. Final Judgment: The verb consistently portrays an irreversible end for the ungodly and for works devoid of eternal value.
2. Purification: Fire also refines, separating the precious from the worthless (1 Corinthians 3).
3. Sacrificial Fulfillment: Hebrews ties the burning of sin offerings to Christ’s once-for-all sacrifice.
4. Repentant Action: Acts 19 turns judgment inward, urging believers to destroy idols in their own lives.

Historical Backdrop

First-century listeners knew agricultural burn-offs, temple sacrifices, Roman executions by fire, and legal decrees requiring proscribed books to be burned. These concrete practices supplied the semantic richness the New Testament writers drew upon.

Ministry Implications

• Preaching: Proclaim both the certainty of coming judgment and the sufficiency of Christ’s atonement.
• Discipleship: Urge believers to build with materials that endure—faith, hope, love—rather than temporal achievements.
• Church Discipline: Like Acts 19, facilitate visible repentance when hidden sin surfaces.
• Cultural Engagement: Revelation’s usage reminds congregations not to accommodate systems destined for fiery destruction.

Pastoral Exhortation

Let the believer rejoice that sin’s penalty was borne by Christ; let him tremble that useless works will be lost; let him labor for treasures that survive the flames.

Forms and Transliterations
κατακαησεται κατακαήσεται κατακαίειν κατακαιεται κατακαίεται κατακαίουσιν κατακαίων κατακαλυμμα κατακάλυμμα κατακάλυμμά κατακαλύμματα κατακαυθή κατακαυθής κατακαυθησεται κατακαυθήσεται κατακαυθήσονται κατακαυθήτω κατακαυσαι κατακαύσαι κατακαῦσαι κατακαυσει κατακαύσει κατακαύσεις κατακαύσετε κατακαύσουσι κατακαυσουσιν κατακαύσουσιν κατακέκαυμαι κατακεκαυμένα κατακεκαυμένη κατακεκαυμένης κατακεκαυμένοι κατακεκαυμένον κατακεκαυμένος κατακεκαυμένων κατεκαη κατεκάη κατεκαίετο κατεκαιον κατέκαιον κατέκαυσα κατέκαυσαν κατέκαυσας κατέκαυσε κατέκαυσεν katakaesetai katakaēsetai katakaḗsetai katakaietai katakaíetai katakausai katakaûsai katakausei katakaúsei katakausousin katakaúsousin katakauthesetai katakauthēsetai katakauthḗsetai katekae katekaē katekáe katekáē katekaion katékaion
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Interlinear GreekInterlinear HebrewStrong's NumbersEnglishman's Greek ConcordanceEnglishman's Hebrew ConcordanceParallel Texts
Englishman's Concordance
Matthew 3:12 V-FIA-3S
GRK: δὲ ἄχυρον κατακαύσει πυρὶ ἀσβέστῳ
NAS: into the barn, but He will burn up the chaff
KJV: but he will burn up the chaff
INT: and [the] chaff he will burn up with fire unquenchable

Matthew 13:30 V-ANA
GRK: πρὸς τὸ κατακαῦσαι αὐτά τὸν
NAS: them in bundles to burn them up; but gather
KJV: bundles to burn them: but
INT: in order the to burn them

Matthew 13:40 V-PIM/P-3S
GRK: καὶ πυρὶ κατακαίεται οὕτως ἔσται
NAS: are gathered up and burned with fire,
KJV: and burned in the fire;
INT: and in fire is consumed thus it will be

Luke 3:17 V-FIA-3S
GRK: δὲ ἄχυρον κατακαύσει πυρὶ ἀσβέστῳ
NAS: into His barn; but He will burn up the chaff
KJV: the chaff he will burn with fire
INT: and [the] chaff he will burn with fire unquenchable

Acts 19:19 V-IIA-3P
GRK: τὰς βίβλους κατέκαιον ἐνώπιον πάντων
NAS: together and [began] burning them in the sight
KJV: together, and burned them before
INT: the books burnt [them] before all

1 Corinthians 3:15 V-FIP-3S
GRK: τὸ ἔργον κατακαήσεται ζημιωθήσεται αὐτὸς
NAS: work is burned up, he will suffer loss;
KJV: work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss:
INT: the work will be consumed he will suffer loss he himself

Hebrews 13:11 V-PIM/P-3S
GRK: τὰ σώματα κατακαίεται ἔξω τῆς
NAS: [as an offering] for sin, are burned outside
KJV: for sin, are burned without the camp.
INT: the bodies are burned outside the

Revelation 8:7 V-AIP-3S
GRK: τῆς γῆς κατεκάη καὶ τὸ
NAS: of the earth was burned up, and a third
KJV: of trees was burnt up, and
INT: of the earth was burned up and a

Revelation 8:7 V-AIP-3S
GRK: τῶν δένδρων κατεκάη καὶ πᾶς
NAS: of the trees were burned up, and all
KJV: green grass was burnt up.
INT: of the trees was burned up and all

Revelation 8:7 V-AIP-3S
GRK: χόρτος χλωρὸς κατεκάη
NAS: the green grass was burned up.
INT: grass green was burned up

Revelation 17:16 V-FIA-3P
GRK: καὶ αὐτὴν κατακαύσουσιν ἐν πυρί
NAS: her flesh and will burn her up with fire.
KJV: flesh, and burn her with
INT: and her will burn with fire

Revelation 18:8 V-FIP-3S
GRK: ἐν πυρὶ κατακαυθήσεται ὅτι ἰσχυρὸς
NAS: and famine, and she will be burned up with fire;
KJV: and she shall be utterly burned with
INT: with fire she will be burned for mighty [is the]

Strong's Greek 2618
12 Occurrences


κατακαήσεται — 1 Occ.
κατακαίεται — 2 Occ.
κατακαῦσαι — 1 Occ.
κατακαύσει — 2 Occ.
κατακαύσουσιν — 1 Occ.
κατακαυθήσεται — 1 Occ.
κατεκάη — 3 Occ.
κατέκαιον — 1 Occ.

2617b
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