καταπίπτω G2667
to fall down, drop down, collapse; to fall from a higher to lower position
This verb means to fall or drop down, typically from an upright or higher position. Luke 8:6 describes seed that 'fell' on rocky ground in the parable of the sower. Acts 26:14 records Paul's Damascus road encounter: 'we all fell to the ground.' Acts 28:6 describes people watching Paul, expecting him to swell up or 'suddenly fall down dead' after the viper bite. Classical usage includes falling, dropping, being struck down, and metaphorically, spirits falling or becoming base. The New Testament uses span agricultural (seeds falling), theophanic (falling before divine presence), and expected medical (falling dead from venom).
Senses
1. sense 1 — The sense is falling from higher to lower position, whether seeds, people struck to ground, or anticipated collapse. The parable's seed 'fell' on different soils—passive motion downward. Paul and companions 'fell to the ground' before the risen Christ—knocked down by divine encounter. The Maltese expected Paul to 'fall down' dead—collapse from snakebite. The aorist participle (καταπεσόντων) in Acts 26:14 emphasizes completed action—having fallen, we all lay on the ground. The Spanish and German glosses use simple falling verbs ('caer/fallen'). Whether seeds, people before glory, or expected death, the word marks downward motion from standing or higher state to prostrate or lower position. 3×
AR["سَقَطَ", "لَمَّا-سَقَطْنَا", "يَسقُطُ"]·ben["পড়ল", "পড়িতে", "পড়িয়া"]·DE["κατέπεσεν", "καταπίπτειν", "καταπεσόντων"]·EN["fell", "having-fallen-down", "to-fall-down"]·FR["Claudius", "tomber"]·heb["לִנְפֹּל", "נָפַל", "נָפַלְנוּ"]·HI["गिरना", "गिरनेपर", "गिरा"]·ID["jatuh"]·IT["cadere", "katepesen"]·jav["dhawah"]·KO["넘어지니", "떨어졌다", "쓰러지기를"]·PT["cair", "caiu", "tendo-caído"]·RU["упавших", "упало", "упасть"]·ES["caer", "cayó", "habiendo-caído"]·SW["ilianguka", "kuanguka", "tulioanguka"]·TR["düşecek", "düştü", "düşünce"]·urd["گر-پڑنا", "گر-پڑنے", "گِرا"]
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
καταπίπτω, future -πεσοῦμαι: aorist κατέπεσον, poetry κάππεσον (the only tense used by Refs 8th c.BC+(Epid.); late 3rd.person etc for 1st.person, 2nd.person singular optative -πέσειεν Refs 2nd c.AD+ (variant{-οιεν}): perfect -πέπτωκα:—fall, drop, Refs 8th c.BC+; πληγεὶς κ. Refs 6th c.BC+passive of καταβάλλω, πρὸς ἡμῶν κάππεσε, ={κατεβλήθη}, Refs 4th c.BC+ __2 metaphorically, παραὶ ποσὶ κάππεσε…