Word Study for G2513 (καθαρός)

katharós /kath-ar-os'/ Ask about this word

Rootof uncertain affinity

Meaningclean (literally or figuratively)

KJV usageclean, clear, pure.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of katharós — the range of meaning it carries, how Scripture actually uses it, and where it points. Written for readers who don’t know the original language.

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Greek word katharós, represented by G2513, serves as a foundational term for being clean, clear, or pure. It appears 28 times across 24 unique verses, signifying its importance in describing both literal and figurative states of purity. Beyond simple cleanliness, it conveys concepts of moral blamelessness, ceremonial cleanness, and unadulterated quality.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In scripture, G2513 is used in several key contexts. Literally, it describes the "clean linen cloth" used to wrap the body of Jesus Matthew 27:59. Figuratively, it is most often applied to the inner state of a person. Jesus pronounces a blessing on the "pure in heart," stating they will see God Matthew 5:8. The goal of Christian teaching is described as "charity out of a pure heart" 1 Timothy 1:5. In an eschatological sense, the term describes the perfect quality of the New Jerusalem, where the street is "pure gold" and the river of life is "pure" (Revelation 21:21, Revelation 22:1).

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words expand upon the concept of purity and cleanliness:

G2511 katharízō (to cleanse): This is the verb form, signifying the action of making something pure. It is used to describe the purging of one's conscience from dead works Hebrews 9:14 and cleansing from all sin 1 John 1:7.
G48 hagnízō (to purify): This word refers to the act of making clean, often morally or ceremonially. It is used when believers are described as having purified their souls in order to love one another from a pure G2513 heart 1 Peter 1:22.
G3392 miaínō (to defile): As an antonym, this term for contamination provides a direct contrast. It is used to describe those whose minds and consciences are defiled, unlike the pure G2513, to whom all things are pure Titus 1:15.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of G2513 is significant, establishing a framework for understanding spiritual life.

The Purity of Heart: The term places emphasis on an internal state over external ritual. Being pure in heart is the condition for seeing God Matthew 5:8 and is the wellspring of genuine love and unfeigned faith 1 Timothy 1:5.
Divine Cleansing: Purity is presented as a result of God's action, not just human effort. Believers are made clean through the word of Christ John 15:3, and they draw near to God with bodies washed with pure water Hebrews 10:22.
The Nature of True Religion: The concept is a defining characteristic of authentic faith. James describes "pure religion" as being demonstrated through active compassion and by keeping oneself unspotted from the world's corruption James 1:27.
Eschatological Perfection: In Revelation, the word is used to describe the perfect and uncorrupted nature of the eternal kingdom. The clothing of the saints is clean linen, representing their righteousness Revelation 19:8, and the very foundation of the new creation is described as pure Revelation 21:18.

Summary

In summary, G2513 is far more than a simple descriptor. It is a cornerstone of biblical ethics and theology, defining the moral and spiritual state required for fellowship with God. Spanning from the literal cleanliness of an object to the absolute purity of the new heavens and new earth, katharós illustrates the Bible's call to a holiness that is internal, divinely granted, and ultimately perfected in eternity.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists the renderings but not their weight. These are counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the bar under each is how often the translators actually reached for it. Select one to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Greek New Testament, this word appears as an adjective across 28 occurrences, inflected in 11 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form.

Accusative Singular Neuter 4×
Nominative Plural Masculine 4×
Nominative Singular Neuter 4×
Dative Singular Feminine 3×
Genitive Singular Feminine 3×
Nominative Plural Neuter 3×
Nominative Singular Masculine 3×
Dative Plural Masculine 1×
Dative Singular Masculine 1×
Dative Singular Neuter 1×
Nominative Singular Feminine 1×

Nominative: The subject of the verb.
Genitive: Possession or source — often "of".
Dative: The indirect object — often "to" or "for".
Accusative: The direct object of the verb.
Singular: One.
Plural: More than one.
Masculine: Masculine grammatical gender.
Feminine: Feminine grammatical gender.
Neuter: Neuter grammatical gender.

Theographic Context

Context

The people, places, and span of history the verses containing this word touch on — drawn from the theographic tagging of Scripture. Select any name to isolate its verses in the occurrence list.

Biblical Distribution

Distribution

Appears in 24 verses across 12 of the 27 books. Most frequent in Revelation (6 verses); never once in the other 15.

Matthew

Luke

John

Acts

Romans

1 Timothy

2 Timothy

Titus

Hebrews

James

1 Peter

Revelation

Every Occurrence

Concordance

Every verse where the word is tagged in the King James text. Filter by book, by the English word the translators chose, or search within the verses.

Sources. Definition and numbering: James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890). Morphology: STEPBible / Tyndale House (CC BY). Verse tagging: the King James text keyed to Strong’s numbers. Every count on this page is computed from the tagged corpus, not estimated.