καταντ-άω G2658
To arrive at, reach a destination; figuratively, to attain a goal, state, or spiritual maturity
The verb καταντάω traces the arc from physical travel to spiritual aspiration. In the book of Acts it is a workhorse of Paul's missionary itineraries -- he 'arrived at' Derbe, Ephesus, Ptolemais, and other cities along his journeys (Acts 16:1, 18:19, 20:15, 21:7). But when Paul writes to the Philippians or Ephesians, the same verb stretches toward a goal that transcends geography: attaining the resurrection from the dead (Phil 3:11) or arriving at the unity of the faith and the mature measure of Christ (Eph 4:13). The multilingual evidence tracks this shift -- Spanish moves from 'Llegaron' (they arrived) to 'alcanzar' (to attain), marking a clear metaphorical extension.
Senses
1. arrive at, come to (a place) — Physical arrival at a geographic destination -- reaching a city, region, or port through travel. This is the dominant use in Acts, where it structures Paul's missionary journeys: arriving at Derbe and Lystra (Acts 16:1), Ephesus (Acts 18:19, 18:24), Miletus by way of Assos (Acts 20:15), and Ptolemais (Acts 21:7). The glosses across languages are consistently spatial and concrete -- 'Llegaron/Llegó' (Spanish), 'arriver' (French), 'ankommen' (German) -- all standard verbs of physical motion reaching its endpoint. 9×
AR["بَلَغَت", "لَمَّا-بَلَغُوا", "وَصَلنا", "وَصَلَ", "وَصَلَا", "وَصَلُوا", "وَصَلْنَا"]·ben["আমরা-পৌঁছালাম", "আসিল", "আসিলাম", "এলেন", "তাঁরা-পৌঁছালেন", "পৌঁছলেন", "পৌঁছাইয়া", "পৌঁছেছে?"]·DE["ankommen", "gelangt"]·EN["arrived", "did-it-reach", "having-arrived", "we-arrived"]·FR["arriver"]·heb["הִגִּ֫יעַ", "הִגִּיעַ", "הִגִּיעוּ", "הִגַּעְנוּ", "לְהַגִּיעַ"]·HI["आए", "पहुँचकर", "पहुँचा", "पहुँचे", "हम-पहुँचे"]·ID["Dia-tiba", "kami-tiba", "mencapai", "mereka-tiba", "sampai?", "tiba"]·IT["arrivare"]·jav["Rawuh", "dumugi", "kita-dumugi", "rawuh"]·KO["그들이-이르렀다", "도착하여", "도착하였다", "우리가-이르렀다", "이르렀느냐", "이르렀다"]·PT["Chegou", "chegamos", "chegaram", "chegou?", "tendo-chegado"]·RU["Прибыли", "Пришёл", "достигло", "достигнув", "мы-прибыли", "прибыл", "прибыли"]·ES["Llegaron", "Llegó", "habiendo-llegado", "llegamos", "llegaron", "llegó"]·SW["Alifika", "alifika", "liliwajia?", "tulifika", "wakifikia", "walifika"]·TR["Vardı", "ulaşıp", "vardı", "vardık", "vardılar"]·urd["پہنچ-کر", "پہنچا", "پہنچے"]
2. attain, reach (a goal or state) — Figurative attainment of a goal, state, or spiritual condition -- reaching something non-spatial through effort, growth, or divine action. Paul uses it for the aspiration to 'attain to the resurrection from the dead' (Phil 3:11) and the church's calling to 'attain to the unity of the faith and the mature stature of Christ' (Eph 4:13). In Acts 26:7, Israel's twelve tribes serve God hoping to 'attain' the promise. 1 Cor 10:11 extends it temporally: the ends of the ages 'have come upon' the present generation. The multilingual shift from arrival verbs to aspiration verbs -- Spanish 'alcanzar,' French 'arriver' used with abstract objects -- confirms the metaphorical boundary. 4×
AR["أَبْلُغَ", "أَنْ-يَبْلُغُوا", "بَلَغَت", "نَبلُغَ"]·ben["এসেছে।", "পৌঁছাই", "পৌঁছাইতে", "পৌঁছি"]·DE["ankommen", "gelangt"]·EN["I-may-attain", "have-come", "to-attain", "we-arrive"]·FR["arriver", "καταντήσω", "καταντήσωμεν"]·heb["אַגִּיעַ", "הִגִּיעוּ", "לְהַגִּיעַ", "שֶׁנַּגִּיעַ"]·HI["पहुँचने;", "पहुँचे-हैं", "मैन-पहुनच-जऔन", "हुम-पहुनचेन"]·ID["aku mencapai", "kita-mencapai", "mencapai;", "telah-datang"]·IT["arrivare", "katantēsō", "katantēsōmen"]·jav["dumugi?", "kita-dumugi", "kula-dumugi", "sampun-dumugi."]·KO["도달하기를", "도달하도록", "이르렀느니라", "이르리라"]·PT["alcançar;", "chegaram.", "cheguemos", "eu-chegue"]·RU["достигли.", "достигнем", "достигну", "достичь"]·ES["alcanzar", "han-llegado", "llegue", "lleguemos"]·SW["kufikia", "nifikie", "tufike", "umefika."]·TR["ulasalim", "ulasayim", "ulaşmak", "ulaştı"]·urd["پہنچنا", "پہنچوں", "پہنچیں", "پہنچے-ہیں"]
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
καταντ-άω, come down to, arrive, εἰς τὰ βασίλεια, ἐπὶ κοίτην, Refs 1st c.BC+ __2 in a speech or narrative, come to, arrive at a point, Refs 2nd c.BC+; have recourse to, ἐπὶ [τὴν ἡδονήν] Refs 4th c.BC+ O. __3 of persons, κ. εἰς ἑαυτούς attack, commence hostilities against each other, Refs 2nd c.BC+ __4 of events, come upon, Refs 2nd c.AD+; κ. εἴς τινα affect him, Refs 1st c.BC+.83 W.; of…