Word Study for G2621 (κατάκειμαι)

katákeimai /kat-ak'-i-mahee/ Ask about this word

Rootfrom κατά and κεῖμαι

Meaningto lie down, i.e. (by implication) be sick; specially, to recline at a meal

KJV usagekeep, lie, sit at meat (down).

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of katákeimai — 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 katákeimai, represented by G2621, is derived from κατά and κεῖμαι and literally means to lie down. It appears 11 times across 11 unique verses in the Bible. Its meaning extends from the simple act of reclining to eat a meal to the state of being confined by sickness or paralysis.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In the biblical narrative, G2621 is used in two primary contexts. First, it describes the posture of reclining for a meal, a common custom of the time. Jesus is often depicted as he sat at meat G2621 in fellowship with others, including publicans and sinners in his own house Mark 2:15 and at a great feast hosted by Levi Luke 5:29. This same posture is referenced in Paul's warning to believers about being seen as they sit at meat G2621 in an idol's temple 1 Corinthians 8:10. Second, the word denotes a state of physical helplessness due to illness. The father of Publius lay G2621 sick with a fever Acts 28:8, and a paralytic lay G2621 on his bed before being lowered through a roof to be healed by Jesus Mark 2:4.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words expand upon the contexts in which one might lie down:

G2895 krábbatos (bed): This word for a mattress is often found in connection with G2621, describing the object on which a sick person would lie. For example, a man sick of the palsy kept G2621 his bed for eight years Acts 9:33.
G3886 paralýō (sick of the palsy): This term, meaning to be paralyzed or enfeebled, describes the condition that forces a person to lie G2621 down, as seen with Aeneas, who was healed by Peter Acts 9:33.
G4873 synanákeimai (sit ... together with): Meaning to recline in company with at a meal, this word clarifies the social nature of the act. It is used alongside G2621 to describe how many sinners sat also together with Jesus and his disciples at a meal Mark 2:15.

Theological Significance

The use of G2621 carries significant theological weight, illustrating key aspects of Christ's ministry and our relationship to Him.

Posture of Fellowship: To sit at meat G2621 with someone signified acceptance and communion. By reclining with publicans and sinners, Jesus demonstrated his ministry of inclusion and grace (Mark 2:15, Luke 5:29).
Position of Helplessness: To lie G2621 down in sickness represents a state of human vulnerability and the need for divine intervention. Individuals who lay sick with paralysis Mark 2:4 or other long-term ailments John 5:6 were positioned to receive miraculous healing from Jesus, demonstrating His power over physical affliction. After his healing, one man takes up the bed where he formerly lay G2621 and departs, glorifying God Luke 5:25.
Context for Worship: The reclining posture at meals provided the setting for profound acts of devotion. A woman was able to anoint Jesus' head with very precious ointment precisely because he sat at meat G2621, an act of honor and worship Mark 14:3.

Summary

In summary, G2621 katákeimai does more than describe a physical position. It frames two contrasting but central scenes in the Gospels: the intimacy of fellowship at a meal and the desperation of sickness. The word places individuals in a state of either social communion or profound need, both of which are met by the presence and power of Jesus Christ. It vividly portrays scenes of both communal celebration and personal restoration.

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 a verb across 12 occurrences, inflected in 6 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form.

Imperfect Middle Or Passive Deponent Indicative 3rd Singular 4×
Present Middle Or Passive Deponent Participle Accusative Singular Masculine 3×
Present Middle Or Passive Deponent Infinitive 2×
Present Middle Or Passive Deponent Indicative 3rd Singular 1×
Present Middle Or Passive Deponent Participle Genitive Singular Masculine 1×
Present Middle Or Passive Deponent Participle Nominative Plural Masculine 1×

Nominative: The subject of the verb.
Genitive: Possession or source — often "of".
Accusative: The direct object of the verb.
Singular: One.
Plural: More than one.
Masculine: Masculine grammatical gender.
3rd: Third person — the one spoken about ("he"/"they").
Present: Action in progress or repeated — happening now or continually.
Imperfect: Ongoing or repeated action in the past — "was doing".
Middle: The subject acts on or for itself.
Passive: The subject is acted upon.
Passive Deponent: Passive in form but active in meaning.
Middle Or Passive: Can be read as middle or passive; context decides.
Indicative: A plain statement of fact.
Infinitive: The verb as a noun — "to do".
Participle: A verbal adjective — describes while carrying the verb's action.

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 5 of the 27 books. Most frequent in Mark (4 verses); never once in the other 22.

Mark

Luke

John

Acts

1 Corinthians

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.