κᾰθαρ-ισμός G2512
Purification, cleansing; the ritual or ceremonial act of making clean, especially in Jewish religious practice.
Katharismos is the noun form of katharizō ('to cleanse') and denotes the process or rite of purification. In the Gospels it appears in distinctly Jewish ceremonial contexts: the stone jars at Cana are 'for the Jewish rites of purification' (John 2:6), the dispute between John's disciples and a Jew concerns purification (John 3:25), and Jesus sends healed lepers to offer what Moses commanded 'for your cleansing' (Mark 1:44; Luke 5:14). Luke 2:22 refers to the Mosaic purification after childbirth. Hebrews 1:3 elevates the term to Christ's ultimate 'purification for sins.' Spanish purificación and French purification mirror the word precisely.
Senses
1. purification — Purification, ceremonial cleansing—the ritual act of becoming or being declared ritually clean. The word connects directly to Torah-prescribed washings and offerings. Jesus directs healed lepers to complete their Mosaic purification (Mark 1:44; Luke 5:14). The water jars at Cana serve 'the Jewish purification rites' (John 2:6), and a purification dispute frames the Baptist's final testimony (John 3:25). Luke 2:22 places Mary and Joseph at the temple for post-birth purification. In Hebrews 1:3, the concept reaches its theological apex: Christ himself accomplished 'purification for sins.' Spanish purificación and German Reinigung confirm the consistent ritual-cleansing sense. 7×
AR["التَّطهيرِ", "التَّطْهِيرِ", "تَطْهيرَ", "تَطْهِيرِ", "تَطْهِيرِكَ", "تَطْهِيرِهِمَا", "طَهارَتِكَ"]·ben["শুচিকরণ", "শুদ্ধি", "শুদ্ধিকরণ", "শুদ্ধিকরণের"]·DE["Reinigung", "καθαρισμοῦ"]·EN["cleansing", "purification"]·FR["purification"]·heb["טִהֲרַת", "טִהוּר", "טָהֳרָה", "טָהֳרָתְךָ"]·HI["के-विषय-में", "शुद्धि", "शुद्धिकरण", "शुद्धिकरण।"]·ID["itu", "pentahiran", "penyucian", "penyucian."]·IT["katharismon", "katharismou", "purificazione"]·jav["karesikan", "pangrucat", "panyucen", "panyucen.", "panyucian", "panyucèn"]·KO["정결-", "정결-의", "정결-의식", "정결케-함을", "정결함", "정결함-의"]·PT["de-purificação.", "purificação"]·RU["очищение", "очищении", "очищению", "очищения"]·ES["-purificación", "purificación"]·SW["kutakaswa", "utakaso"]·TR["arınma", "arınmanın", "arınmasının", "arınmayı", "temizlenmesinin"]·urd["-کی", "طہارت", "پاک-کرنے-کے", "پاکی", "پاکی-کے", "پاکیزگی", "پاکیزگی-کے"]
Related Senses
H3548 1. priest, cultic officiant (750×)G5547 1. Christ, Messiah, Anointed One (540×)H5030 1. Prophet, divine spokesperson (317×)H5930a 1. burnt offering (sacrifice) (286×)H3881 1. Levites (priestly class) (283×)G4396 1. prophet, spokesperson of God (146×)H6944 1. sanctuary, holy place (129×)G0749 1. high priest, chief priest (123×)H6944 2. holiness, sacredness (abstract quality) (123×)G5330 1. Pharisee (99×)G4336 1. pray to God (86×)H6944 3. holy things, sacred offerings (plural) (86×)H3722a 1. make ritual atonement (Piel) (85×)H6912 1. bury (Qal active) (82×)H6419 1. pray (Hitpael) (80×)H6944 4. holiness (with possessive pronoun) (77×)H6942 1. sanctify, consecrate (Piel factitive) (76×)H2930a 1. Qal: be/become unclean (75×)H7819a 1. slaughter an animal (Qal active) (72×)H1486 1. lot (object cast for decisions) (71×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
κᾰθαρ-ισμός, ὁ, later form for καθαρμός, LXX+NT+2nd c.AD+.