English · KJV
G2618

κατακαίω

katakaíō /kat-ak-ah'-ee-o/ Ask about this word
Rootfrom κατά and καίω
Meaningto burn down (to the ground), i.e. consume wholly
KJV usageburn (up, utterly).

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of katakaíō — 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 katakaíō, represented by G2618, means to burn down (to the ground) or consume wholly. It appears 12 times across 11 unique verses in the Bible. This term signifies a thorough and complete destruction by fire, often used in contexts of judgment, purification, or finality.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In scripture, G2618 is frequently used to illustrate divine judgment. In the parables of the harvest, it describes the fate of what is worthless, such as the tares which are gathered and burned in the fire Matthew 13:40 and the chaff which is burned up with unquenchable fire Matthew 3:12. The word also carries eschatological weight, describing the apocalyptic judgment where the third part of trees and all green grass are burnt up Revelation 8:7, the great whore is burned with fire Revelation 17:16, and the earth itself and its works are ultimately burned up 2 Peter 3:10. In a different context, it depicts a definitive act of repentance, as when new believers in Ephesus burned their magic books Acts 19:19.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help frame the context of total consumption and judgment associated with G2618:

  • G4442 pŷr (fire): This word is almost always present alongside G2618, as fire is the agent of the complete burning. It is specified as "unquenchable fire" in the judgment of the chaff Luke 3:17.
  • G4816 syllégō (to collect): This verb is used for the action preceding the burning in parables, where the tares are first gathered together before being consumed Matthew 13:30.
  • G1245 diakatharízō (to cleanse perfectly, i.e. (specially) winnow): This describes the process of separation, such as purging a floor to separate wheat from the chaff that will be burned up Matthew 3:12.
  • G2210 zēmióō (to experience detriment): This word is used in direct consequence to G2618, where if a man's work is burned, he will suffer loss 1 Corinthians 3:15.

Theological Significance

The theological significance of G2618 is centered on concepts of judgment, purification, and finality.

  • Divine Judgment: The word is a powerful descriptor of God's final judgment against evil and worthlessness. This is seen in the destruction of the symbolic city of Babylon, which will be utterly burned because the Lord God who judgeth her is strong Revelation 18:8.
  • Eschatological Purification: Its use in 2 Peter 3:10 illustrates a cosmic renewal where the present heavens and earth are consumed by fire, paving the way for a new creation.
  • The Testing of Works: The concept is uniquely applied to the believer's life in 1 Corinthians 3:15. Here, the fire does not destroy the person but tests the quality of their works. If the works are burned, the individual suffers loss but is still saved.
  • Atonement and Separation: In the context of the Law, G2618 is used for the bodies of sacrificial animals for sin, which are burned outside the camp, symbolizing the removal of sin Hebrews 13:11.

Summary

In summary, G2618 denotes far more than a simple fire. It is a term of absolute finality, signifying an irreversible consumption. Whether describing the eschatological judgment of the world, the purification of God's floor, the testing of a believer's works, or the complete rejection of a sinful past, katakaíō communicates a decisive and total destruction.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists one rendering for this word. It is counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the number is how many of them use it. Select it to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Greek New Testament, this word appears as a verb across 12 occurrences, inflected in 8 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form. Select any form to read what each part of its name means, and to filter the occurrence list to it.

  • κατεκάη
  • κατακαύσει
  • εὑρεθήσεται
  • κατακαίεται
  • κατακαήσεται
  • κατακαῦσαι
  • κατακαύσουσιν
  • κατέκαιον

Related Words

Related

Other entries the study above points to — each one is drawn from a reference it makes. Follow the trail to see how the words connect.

G4442 πῦρ a primary word G4816 συλλέγω to collect G1245 διακαθαρίζω to cleanse perfectly, i.e. (specially) winnow G2210 ζημιόω to injure, i.e. (reflexively or passively) to experience detriment

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 11 verses across 7 of the 27 books. Most frequent in Matthew and Revelation (3 verses each); never once in the other 20.

3
Matthew
1
Luke
1
Acts
1
1 Corinthians
1
Hebrews
1
2 Peter
3
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, by grammatical form, 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.