Lexical Summary katakluzó: To flood, to inundate, to overwhelm Original Word: κατακλύζω Strong's Exhaustive Concordance overflow, flood, inundateFrom kata and the base of kludon; to dash (wash) down, i.e. (by implication) to deluge -- overflow. see GREEK kata see GREEK kludon NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom kata and the same as kludón Definition to inundate NASB Translation flooded (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 2626: κατακλύζωκατακλύζω: 1 aorist passive participle κατακλυσθείς; from (Pindar, Herodotus), Aeschylus down; to overwhelm with water, to submerge, deluge, (cf. κατά, III. 4): 2 Peter 3:6. (the Sept. several times for שָׁטַף.) Topical Lexicon Overview Strong’s Greek number 2626 appears only once in the New Testament, in 2 Peter 3:6, where it depicts the cataclysmic inundation of Noah’s day. The single use of the word underscores the singularity of that historical event and highlights Peter’s purpose: to remind scoffers that divine judgment has tangible precedent. Biblical Context 2 Peter 3 forms a sustained argument against those who denied the coming “day of the Lord.” Peter reinforces his case by pointing to creation (3:5), the Flood (3:6), and the future conflagration (3:7). The verb at 3:6 portrays the old world “having been overwhelmed,” showing that the Flood was not a localized incident but a total, God-ordained judgment. The narrative links directly back to Genesis 6–9, confirming the historical nature of that account and affirming its theological weight for the New Covenant community. : “through which the world of that time perished in the flood.” (2 Peter 3:6) Theological Significance 1. Judgment and Mercy: The verb encapsulates both the severity of God’s judgment and, implicitly, the preservation of Noah and his family. The same waters that destroyed the ungodly lifted the ark (Genesis 7:17, 23). Historical Background First-century Greco-Roman culture featured flood myths, yet Peter treats the Genesis account as factual history, not mythic allegory. His readers, dispersed across Asia Minor, lived amid philosophical skepticism and Epicurean materialism. By invoking a universally known episode from Hebrew Scripture, Peter calls the church to stand against cultural pressures that denied supernatural intervention. Relation to Old Testament Usage The Septuagint repeatedly employs cognate terms (for example, Genesis 6:17; 7:6) to translate the Hebrew מַבּוּל (mabbul). Peter’s choice of vocabulary intentionally echoes those texts, forging an unbroken line between the Greek Old Testament and the apostolic witness. This intertextual connection confirms that the apostles interpreted Genesis 6–9 literally and expected the church to do the same. Typological and Eschatological Implications • Prefigure of Final Judgment: Just as the antediluvian world was overwhelmed by water, the present heavens and earth are “reserved for fire” (2 Peter 3:7). Ministry Applications 1. Evangelism: The historical Flood supplies a powerful apologetic—God has acted decisively before; He will act again. Homiletical Observations • Emphasize the twin themes of destruction and deliverance. Devotional Reflection The single New Testament occurrence of Strong’s 2626 reminds believers that God does not need multiple demonstrations to establish His certainty. One global deluge, once recorded, is sufficient to silence unbelief and strengthen faith. In a world that still mocks divine intervention, the remembrance that “the world of that time perished in the flood” calls every generation to humble repentance and steadfast hope in the God who both judges and saves. Forms and Transliterations κατακλύζοντα κατακλύζοντι κατακλύζοντος κατακλύζων κατακλύσει κατακλυσθεις κατακλυσθείς κατακλυσθεὶς κατακλυσθήσονται κατέκλυσεν κατεκλύσθησαν kataklustheis kataklystheis kataklystheìsLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts |
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