Lexical Summary katakaió: To burn up, consume by fire, utterly destroy by burning. Original Word: κατακαίω 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 Originfrom kata and kaió Definition to burn up NASB Translation burn (4), burned (8), burning (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 2618: κατακαίωκατακαίω): 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. 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. 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. 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 katékaionLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Matthew 3:12 V-FIA-3SGRK: 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 Matthew 13:40 V-PIM/P-3S Luke 3:17 V-FIA-3S Acts 19:19 V-IIA-3P 1 Corinthians 3:15 V-FIP-3S Hebrews 13:11 V-PIM/P-3S Revelation 8:7 V-AIP-3S Revelation 8:7 V-AIP-3S Revelation 8:7 V-AIP-3S Revelation 17:16 V-FIA-3P Revelation 18:8 V-FIP-3S Strong's Greek 2618 |
    |