καθότι G2530
Because, inasmuch as, according as; a causal or proportional conjunction linking reason or manner to an outcome.
A conjunction drawn from the phrase 'kath' ho ti' — literally 'according to what' — that introduces either a reason or a standard of proportion. In Luke-Acts it most often functions causally: 'because Abraham also is a son of Abraham' (Luke 19:9), or 'because it was not possible for death to hold him' (Acts 2:24). But in Acts 2:45 and 4:35 it shifts to a proportional sense: distribution was made 'as' or 'according as' anyone had need. Spanish captures this split neatly — 'porque' for the causal and 'según' for the proportional — while French and German consistently use causal equivalents ('parce-que,' 'weil'), suggesting the proportional nuance is subtler cross-linguistically.
Senses
1. sense 1 — Causal conjunction meaning 'because' or 'inasmuch as,' introducing the ground or reason for a preceding statement. In Luke 1:7 it explains why Elizabeth had no child ('because Elizabeth was barren'); in Acts 2:24 it gives the theological reason for the resurrection ('because it was not possible for him to be held by death'). Spanish 'por-cuanto' and 'puesto-que' both emphasize the causal grounding. 4×
AR["لِأَنَّ","لِأَنَّهُ"]·ben["কারণ","যেহেতু"]·DE["weil"]·EN["because"]·FR["parce-que"]·heb["בִּ-אֲשֶׁר","מִפְּנֵי-שֶׁ","מִפְּנֵי-שֶׁ-"]·HI["उसे","क्योंकि","जिस-कारण"]·ID["karena"]·IT["kathoti","poiche"]·jav["amargi"]·KO["손들-로","왜냐하면"]·PT["porque","visto-que"]·RU["потому-что","потому-что-"]·ES["por-cuanto","porque","puesto-que"]·SW["kwa-sababu","kwa-sababu-"]·TR["buna-göre","çünkü"]·urd["کیونکہ"]
2. sense 2 — Proportional or comparative conjunction meaning 'as' or 'according as,' indicating the degree or manner in which something is done. In Acts 2:45 and 4:35, possessions were distributed 'as anyone had need.' The Spanish 'según' (according to) precisely captures this proportional sense, distinguishing it from the purely causal usage. French and German translations default to causal terms, but the context of proportional distribution clarifies the distinct meaning. 2×
AR["كَمَا"]·ben["অনুসারে","যেমন"]·DE["weil"]·EN["as"]·FR["parce-que"]·heb["כַּאֲשֶׁר"]·HI["किसी-को"]·ID["sebagaimana"]·IT["poiche"]·jav["miturut"]·KO["따라"]·PT["conforme"]·RU["по-мере-того-как-"]·ES["según"]·SW["kama"]·TR["buna-göre","göre-"]·urd["جیسے"]
BDB / Lexicon Reference
καθότι, Ionic dialect κατ-, for καθ᾽ ὅ τι (which should perhaps be written) in what manner, Refs 5th c.BC+; κ. γέγραπται as is written, Refs 3rd c.BC+, etc.; so far as, inasmuch as, Refs 2nd c.BC+