Lexical Summary katapiptó: To fall down, to fall away Original Word: καταπίπτω Strong's Exhaustive Concordance fall down From kata and pipto; to fall down -- fall (down) see GREEK kata see GREEK pipto NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom kata and piptó Definition to fall down NASB Translation fall down (1), fallen (1), fell (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 2667: καταπίπτωκαταπίπτω; 2 aorist κατέπεσον; (from Homer down); to fall down: Acts 28:6; εἰς τήν γῆν, Acts 26:14; ἐπί τήν πέτραν, Luke 8:6 T Tr WH. Topical Lexicon Meaning and Semantic Range Strong’s Greek 2667 portrays a sudden downward motion that ends in helplessness or collapse. It is a vivid, kinetic verb that often signals the decisive moment when human strength or stability gives way. The image can indicate physical prostration, the exhaustion of life, or the inability of something to take root and flourish. Occurrences in the New Testament 1. Luke 8:6 Although few in number, these occurrences span parable, personal testimony, and narrative history. Together they trace a movement from fruitlessness, to arresting revelation, to preserved life—showing how “falling” can either disclose spiritual deficit or become the very point at which divine power intervenes. Luke 8:6 – The Seed on Rocky Ground “Other seed fell on rocky ground, and when it came up, the seedlings withered because they had no moisture.” (Luke 8:6) Here the verb accentuates the futility of seed that drops onto inhospitable soil. The fall is not orderly planting but an uncontrolled descent onto a surface incapable of sustaining life. The emphasis is not on the seed’s effort but on the ground’s hardness. In ministry this warns that even the purest gospel can lie inert where hearts remain impervious. It encourages prayer for the Spirit to plow stony places so that what “falls” may instead be “planted.” Acts 26:14 – The Damascus Road Encounter “We all fell to the ground, and I heard a voice saying to me in Aramaic, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’” (Acts 26:14) Paul recounts how light from heaven overpowered him and his companions, hurling them earthward. The fall underscores divine sovereignty: before revelation can be received, human autonomy must be leveled. Far from mere physical collapse, the moment signals surrender. Paul’s persecuting zeal is literally brought low; his commission will now rise from the dust. The scene remains a paradigm for conversion—the humbled sinner hears the risen Christ only after every proud stance has toppled. Acts 28:6 – The Island of Malta “The people expected him to swell up or suddenly drop dead; but after they had waited a long time and saw nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds and said he was a god.” (Acts 28:6) Here the word appears in the infinitive: the islanders assumed that Paul would “fall down” lifeless after the viper bite. Their expectation contrasts sharply with reality; grace overrules the anticipated collapse. The verb, therefore, heightens the miracle: what nature threatens, God restrains, turning an assumed catastrophe into a testimony. For contemporary believers, every spared fall becomes an occasion for witness. Theological and Devotional Themes 1. Human Frailty: Each use reminds that mankind is but dust. Whether seed, apostle, or islander, all stand a heartbeat away from collapse. Practical Ministry Applications • Preaching: Highlight the necessity of brokenness before new birth. Encourage listeners not to dread the moment they are “brought low,” for God meets them there. Historical and Cultural Insights First-century hearers linked falling to either worshipful prostration or ominous demise. Luke’s usage subverts both expectations: the seed’s fall does not produce harvest, and Paul’s anticipated fall never arrives. Such subversion would have made the lesson memorable, reinforcing the truth that God’s ways transcend cultural assumptions. Conclusion Strong’s Greek 2667 captures crucial turning points where human prospects plummet and divine purpose breaks in. Whether warning against superficial response, depicting the humbling that precedes conversion, or displaying miraculous protection, its three appearances collectively testify that the Lord rules over every fall—and often turns it into the very means of His redemptive work. Forms and Transliterations καταπεσοντων καταπεσόντων καταπιπτειν καταπίπτειν καταπίπτετε καταπίπτοντας καταπιστεύετε κατάπλασαι καταπλάσσει κατεπεσεν κατέπεσεν katapesonton katapesontōn katapesónton katapesóntōn katapiptein katapíptein katepesen katépesenLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Luke 8:6 V-AIA-3SGRK: καὶ ἕτερον κατέπεσεν ἐπὶ τὴν NAS: Other [seed] fell on rocky INT: And other fell upon the Acts 26:14 V-APA-GMP Acts 28:6 V-PNA Strong's Greek 2667 |
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