καταβαίνω G2597
To go down, come down, descend; physical downward movement of persons, objects, or divine manifestations.
The standard Greek verb for downward movement, compounding kata ('down') with baino ('go'). It describes Jesus descending from mountains (Matt 8:1), the Spirit descending like a dove at baptism (Matt 3:16), rain and floods descending upon a house (Matt 7:25, 27), and angels ascending and descending on the Son of Man (John 1:51). The verb also carries theological weight when applied to divine descent—bread from heaven (John 6:33, 41, 50, 51, 58), the new Jerusalem coming down from God (Rev 21:2). All target languages use dedicated descent verbs: Spanish 'bajó/descendió,' French 'descendre,' German 'hinabsteigen.'
Senses
1. go/come down physically — The core and dominant sense (79 occurrences): physical downward movement from a higher to a lower location. Covers persons descending mountains, traveling from elevated cities, going down to water, and divine/heavenly figures descending. Key passages include the Spirit descending at Jesus' baptism (Matt 3:16), rain descending on a house (Matt 7:25), and the bread of life descending from heaven (John 6:33). Spanish 'bajó/descendió,' French 'descendre,' and German 'hinabsteigen/steigt herab' all uniformly express directional downward motion. 79×
AR["نازِلًا", "نازِلَةٌ", "نَازِلًا", "نَازِلِينَ", "نَزَلَ", "نَزَلَت"]·ben["তিনি-নেমে-গেলেন", "নামছে", "নামল", "নামলেন", "নামিলেন", "নেমে-আসছে", "নেমে-আসে", "নেমে-এসেছে", "নেমেছিল", "নেমেছেন"]·DE["hinabsteigen", "steigt-herab"]·EN["came-down", "coming-down", "descending", "he-came-down", "he-descended", "he-went-down", "went-down"]·FR["descendre"]·heb["יָרְדָה", "יָרַד", "יוֹרְדִים", "יוֹרֵד", "יוֹרֶדֶת"]·HI["उतरआया", "उतरता-हुआ", "उतरती-हुई", "उतरते", "उतरते-हुए", "उतरा", "उतरी", "वोह-उतर"]·ID["Dia-turun", "Ia-turun", "ia-turun", "turun", "turunlah"]·IT["discendere", "scendere"]·jav["mandhap", "mudhun", "piyambakipun-mandhap", "sampun-tumurun", "tumurun"]·KO["그가-내려갔다", "내려갔다", "내려오는", "내려오는-것-을", "내려오는-것을", "내려와서", "내려왔다", "내려왔으니", "내렸다"]·PT["descendo", "desceu"]·RU["нисходящих", "сошла", "сошёл", "сходящего", "сходящий"]·ES["bajó", "descendiendo", "descendió"]·SW["akashuka", "akishuka", "alishuka", "ameshuka", "ika-shuka", "ikishuka", "ilishuka", "wakishuka"]·TR["-ise", "indi", "inen"]·urd["اترا", "اُترا", "اُترتا", "اُترتا-ہوا", "اُترتی-ہوئی", "اُترتے-ہوئے", "برسی"]
Matt 3:16, Matt 7:25, Matt 7:27, Matt 14:29, Matt 24:17, Matt 27:40, Matt 27:42, Matt 28:2, Mark 1:10, Mark 13:15, Mark 15:30, Mark 15:32 (+38 more)
2. sense 2 — A figurative-prophetic use (2 occurrences) expressing forced abasement or descent into Hades, both addressed to cities in divine judgment. At Matthew 11:23 and Luke 10:15, Jesus declares 'you will be brought down to Hades' regarding Capernaum. English 'you will be brought down' and Spanish 'descenderás' preserve the passive/future judgment tone. The verb's physical 'going down' merges with the cosmological concept of descent to the underworld, producing a metaphor of catastrophic divine humiliation. 2×
AR["تَنزِلينَ", "سَتَنْحَدِرينَ"]·ben["নামবে"]·DE["steigt-herab"]·EN["you-will-be-brought-down", "you-will-go-down"]·FR["descendre"]·heb["תֵּרְדִי", "תֵּרֵדִי"]·HI["उतारा-जाएगा", "गिरयअ-जअयेग"]·ID["diturunkan"]·IT["scendere"]·jav["badhé-dipun-andhapaken!", "dipun-andhap"]·KO["내려가리라"]·PT["descerás"]·RU["низвергнешься"]·ES["descenderás"]·SW["utashushwa", "utashushwa!"]·TR["indirileceksin", "ineceksin"]·urd["اترے-گا", "اُتاری-جائے-گی"]
3. sense 3 — A singular occurrence at Luke 22:44 describing Jesus' sweat 'falling down' like drops of blood in Gethsemane. English 'falling' and Spanish 'cayendo' shift from the typical 'descend' to 'fall,' reflecting the unusual subject (sweat rather than a person). The downward motion here is of liquid dripping to the ground, extending the verb's spatial semantics from volitional travel to gravitational descent of bodily fluid under extreme duress. 1×
AR["نازِلَةً"]·ben["নামছে"]·DE["steigt-herab"]·EN["falling"]·FR["descendre"]·heb["יוֹרְדוֹת"]·HI["गिरती-हुईं"]·ID["jatuh"]·IT["scendere"]·jav["ndlewer"]·KO["떨어지는"]·RU["падающие"]·ES["cayendo"]·SW["yakishuka"]·TR["düşen"]·urd["گرتے-ہوئے"]
Related Senses
H0935 1. come, arrive (Qal) (2413×)G1473 1. first person singular pronoun (2084×)H3318 1. Qal: go out, depart, come forth (891×)H7725 1. to return, come/go back (Qal) (874×)H5927 1. go up, ascend (Qal) (779×)H7971 1. to send, dispatch (Qal) (701×)G2064 1. come / arrive (physical movement toward) (588×)H5307 1. Qal: fall down physically (339×)H5375 1. Qal: to lift up, raise (330×)H5975 1. to stand, stand up (310×)H5674a 1. Qal: pass by, pass through (256×)H3381 1. Qal: to go down, descend (physical movement) (242×)G1831 1. go/come out physically (193×)H5337 1. deliver, rescue, save (Hifil) (188×)H7901 1. lie down, rest, sleep (183×)G1525 1. enter a place physically (179×)H7812 1. prostrate oneself, bow down, worship (173×)H3318 2. Hifil: bring out, lead out, take out (persons) (172×)H7725 2. to bring back, restore (Hifil) (151×)H5674a 2. Qal: cross over (134×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
καταβαίνω, Doric dialect κᾰβαίνω Refs 7th c.BC+: future -βήσομαιRefs 8th c.BC+perfect -βέβηκ; Boeotian dialect participle καταβεβάων Refs: aorist κατέβην Refs 8th c.BC+; poetry 3rd.pers. plural κατέβαν LXX+8th c.BC+, Laconian dialect κάβασι Refs 5th c.BC+; Epic dialect 1st pers. plural subjunctive καταβήομεν (variant{-βείομεν}) Refs 8th c.BC+; late 3rd.pers. singular optative κατάβοι LXX+1st…