καταλαμβάνω G2638
To seize, overtake, or comprehend; of grasping physically, mentally, or spiritually—catching someone in the act or attaining a goal.
A richly layered verb whose root idea is 'to lay hold of.' In the Gospels it describes darkness overtaking or failing to overcome the light (John 1:5), while in Acts it shifts to intellectual and spiritual perception—Peter 'grasping' that God shows no partiality (Acts 10:34). Paul uses it of the runner who strains to 'lay hold of' the prize (Phil 3:12–13), and in the Pericope Adulterae it denotes catching a woman in the very act of sin (John 8:4). The Spanish and German glosses reveal the same spread: 'comprender' (comprehend) alongside 'alcanzar' (reach/attain) and 'ergreifen' (seize).
Senses
1. overtake or come upon — Overtake or come upon: Used of darkness, calamity, or a pursuing force that catches up with someone. In John 1:5 the darkness neither 'overtook' nor 'overcame' the light—the Greek ambiguity is deliberate. Mark 9:18 uses it of a spirit seizing a boy. Spanish 'agarre/alcance' captures both the physical grip and the idea of catching up. 4×
AR["تُدْرِكْ", "تُدْرِكْهُ", "يَأْخُذُهُ", "يُدْرِكَ"]·ben["গ্রহণ-করল", "ধরবে", "ধরে"]·DE["ergreifen"]·EN["it-seizes", "may-overtake", "overcame", "should-overtake"]·FR["saisir"]·heb["הִשִּׂיג", "יִתְפֹּס", "תַּשִּׂיג", "תָּפַשׂ"]·HI["पकड़-ले", "पकड़े", "पकदे", "समझा।"]·ID["menangkap", "mengalahkannya.", "menguasai"]·IT["afferrare"]·jav["mangertos.", "nguwasani.", "nyandhak.", "nyekel"]·KO["깨닫지-못했다", "덮치지-않도록.", "붙잡으면", "사로잡지"]·PT["apodere", "surpreenda", "venceram."]·RU["застал", "объяла", "схватит"]·ES["agarre", "alcance", "aprehendió"]·SW["anampata", "iwapate", "liwafikie", "shinda"]·TR["kavrayamadı", "yakalamasın", "yakalasa", "yakalasın"]·urd["سمجھی۔", "پکڑ-لے", "پکڑے"]
2. comprehend or perceive mentally — Comprehend or perceive mentally: A cognitive metaphor—what the mind 'grasps.' Peter katalambanō-s that God is no respecter of persons (Acts 10:34); Paul prays believers may katalambanō the breadth and depth of Christ's love (Eph 3:18). French and German both use 'saisir/ergreifen,' showing the same physical-to-mental bridge across languages. 4×
AR["أَدْرَكْتُ", "أَن-تُدرِكوا", "أُدْرِكُ", "مُدْرِكِينَ"]·ben["উপলব্ধি-করিলাম", "বুঝছি", "বুঝতে", "বুঝে"]·DE["ergreifen", "ergreift"]·EN["I-perceive", "having-perceived", "to-comprehend", "understood"]·FR["saisir"]·heb["הֵבִינוּ", "לְהָבִין", "מֵבִין", "מָצָאתִי"]·HI["पाया", "पुरुष", "समझता-हूं", "समझन"]·ID["kutemukan", "memahami", "menyadari"]·IT["afferrare"]·jav["kula-mangertos,", "mangertos", "manggih", "nggayuh"]·KO["깨닫는다", "깨닫도록", "알아보고", "알았다"]·PT["compreendi", "de-compreender", "tendo-percebido"]·RU["нашёл", "понимаю", "постигнуть", "уразумев"]·ES["comprender", "comprendo", "comprendí", "habiendo-comprendido"]·SW["kuelewa", "naelewa,", "nilipata", "wakigundua"]·TR["anladım", "anlıyorum", "kavramak", "kavrayınca"]·urd["سمجھ-کر", "سمجھتا-ہوں", "سمجھنے-کو", "میں-نے-پایا"]
3. lay hold of or attain — Lay hold of or attain a goal: The athletic and spiritual pursuit sense—straining to seize a prize. Paul confesses he has not yet 'laid hold' but presses on (Phil 3:12–13). The Gentiles paradoxically 'attained' a righteousness they were not pursuing (Rom 9:30). Spanish 'alcanzar' (to reach, attain) aligns perfectly with this earnest-pursuit meaning. 4×
AR["أَدْرَكَتْ", "أَنّي-قَدْ-أَدْرَكْتُ", "أُدْرِكَ", "تُدْرِكوا"]·ben["তোমরা-পাও।", "ধরি", "ধরেছি", "প্রাপ্ত-হল"]·DE["ergreifen"]·EN["I-may-lay-hold", "attained", "to-have-laid-hold", "you-may-obtain"]·FR["saisir"]·heb["אַשִּׂיג,", "הִשִּׂיגוּ", "כִּבְכָר-הִשַּׂגְתִּי.", "תַּשִּׂיגוּ"]·HI["पकदे-हुए.", "पाई", "प्राप्त-करो", "मैन-पकदुन,"]·ID["aku menangkap", "kamu-meraih", "memperoleh", "telah menangkap"]·IT["afferrare"]·jav["kula-nyekel", "panjenengan-angsalaken.", "pikantuk", "sampun-nyekel"]·KO["붙잡았다고.", "얻었다", "잡으리라", "잡으면,"]·PT["alcanceis.", "alcançaram", "eu-alcance", "ter-alcançado"]·RU["достигну", "достигшим", "получить.", "праведность"]·ES["alcance", "alcanzaron", "haber-alcanzado", "obtengáis"]·SW["kuwa-nimepata", "mpate.", "nikapate", "yalipata"]·TR["alasınız", "ulaştı", "yakalamis", "yakalayabilirim"]·urd["پا-لی", "پاؤ", "پکڑا-ہوا", "پکڑوں"]
4. catch in the act — Catch in the act of wrongdoing: A forensic or judicial sense—to apprehend someone red-handed. Both John 8:3 and 8:4 use the passive participle: the woman 'having been caught' in adultery. Spanish 'sorprendida' (surprised, caught) and the perfect tense emphasize the completed, undeniable nature of the apprehension. 2×
AR["قُبِضَت", "مَقبوضَة"]·ben["ধরা", "ধরা-পড়েছে"]·DE["ergreifen"]·EN["has-been-caught", "having-been-caught"]·FR["saisir"]·heb["נִתְפְּסָה"]·HI["पकड़ी-गई"]·ID["tertangkap"]·IT["afferrare"]·jav["dipun-cepeng", "dipun-cepeng,"]·KO["잡혔다", "잡힌"]·PT["apanhada", "foi-apanhada"]·RU["поймана", "пойманную"]·ES["ha-sido-sorprendida", "sorprendida"]·SW["aliyekamatwa", "amekamatwa"]·TR["yakalandı", "yakalanmış"]·urd["پکڑی-گئی"]
5. be seized or apprehended — Be seized or apprehended by another: The divine passive—Paul declares he was 'laid hold of' by Christ Jesus (Phil 3:12). This is not self-effort but being grasped from outside. Spanish 'fui alcanzado' (I was reached/overtaken) beautifully conveys the reversal: the pursuer becomes the pursued, seized by grace. 1×
AR["أُدْرِكْتُ"]·ben["ধরা-হয়েছিলাম"]·DE["ergreifen"]·EN["I-was-laid-hold-of"]·FR["saisir"]·heb["הֻשַּׂגְתִּי,"]·HI["मैन-पकद-गय,"]·ID["aku ditangkap"]·IT["afferrare"]·jav["kula-dipuncekel"]·KO["붙잡혔노라,"]·PT["fui-alcançado"]·RU["достигнут-был"]·ES["fui-alcanzado"]·SW["nilikamatwa"]·TR["yakalandim"]·urd["پکڑا-گیا"]
Related Senses
G0846 1. third-person pronoun reference (5552×)H???? 1. (4670×)H6213a 1. do, perform, act (2383×)G4160 1. do, act, perform (473×)H5221 1. Hifil: to strike in battle, smite enemies (362×)H0899b 1. garment, article of clothing (216×)H6213a 2. make, construct, fabricate (148×)H3772 1. cut a covenant / make a pact (97×)H5060 1. touch physically (Qal) (96×)H3615 1. complete a task (Piel) (85×)H3772 2. cut off / destroy (Hifil causative) (81×)H3920 1. capture, seize (Qal) (76×)H???? 12. (76×)H3772 3. be cut off / be eliminated (Niphal) (74×)H6213a 3. be done, be made (Niphal) (73×)G4160 2. make, construct, create (62×)H3847 1. Qal: put on, wear (60×)H8210 1. pour out (liquid/libation) (59×)G2440 1. garment or clothing (general) (54×)H4191 4. kill / put to death (Hifil causative) (50×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
καταλαμβάνω, future -λήψομαιRefs 5th c.BC+, Ionic dialect -λάμψομαιRefs 7th c.BC+: perfect -είληφαRefs 5th c.BC+ c.BC)), -λελάβηκα Refs 6th c.BC+:—passive, Ionic dialect aorist -ελάμφθηνRefs; -ελάφθην Refs 4th c.BC+: perfect in middle sense, Refs 1st c.BC+:—seize, lay hold of, with accusative, τοῦ κατὰ νῶτα λαβών Refs 8th c.BC+; πάντα φυλακαῖς κ. Refs 5th c.BC+; φάσκων Ποσειδῶ πρότερον Ἀθηνᾶς…