καταργ-έω G2673
To render idle, abolish, nullify, destroy; to bring to nothing, release from obligation, or sever a relationship.
Katargeo is one of Paul's most powerful theological verbs, appearing almost exclusively in his letters. Built from kata ('down') and argeo ('be idle'), it literally means to render something inoperative — but its actual range stretches from legal nullification to cosmic destruction. Paul uses it to describe what God does to the old order: the law's condemnation is abolished (2 Cor 3:11), death itself will be destroyed (1 Cor 15:26), and the 'rulers of this age' are being brought to nothing (1 Cor 2:6). The multilingual evidence is revealing: Spanish splits the range between abolir, anular, and destruir, while German consistently reaches for zunichtemachen ('to make into nothing'), capturing the word's core force. The two relational uses in Romans 7 — being 'released' from the law as a widow is released from marriage — show how versatile this verb of undoing truly is.
1. abolish, bring to an end — To abolish, bring to an end, render inoperative — the dominant Pauline sense at 16 occurrences. Something that once had force or authority is now made powerless or obsolete. In 1 Cor 13:8-10, prophecy and knowledge will be 'done away with' when the perfect comes; in 2 Cor 3:7-14, the old covenant glory is 'being abolished.' Spanish abolir and French abolir both map directly. The passive 'being abolished' forms are especially important: these things fade not by human effort but by divine supersession (Rom 6:6; 1 Cor 2:6; 2 Tim 1:10). 16×
AR["أَبطَلتُ","أَبطَلَ","أُبطِلَت","الزائِلينَ","الزّائِلُ","الزّائِلِ","الَّذي-أَبْطَلَ","سَتُبطَلُ","سَيُبطَلُ","يَزولُ","يُبطَلَ","يُبطَلُ","يُبطِلُ","يُلغيَ"]·ben["অকার্যকর-করেছেন","দূর-হচ্ছে।","নষ্ট-করতে","নষ্ট-হয়েছে","নিষ্ক্রিয়-হয়","বাতিল-হচ্ছেদের।","বিলুপ্ত-করেছি","বিলুপ্ত-করেন","বিলুপ্ত-হবে;","বিলুপ্ত-হবে।","বিলুপ্ত-হয়","বিলোপ-করে","যা-দূর-হচ্ছিল;","যা-দূর-হচ্ছে","যা-দূর-হচ্ছের।"]·DE["zunichtemachen"]·EN["He-abolishes","I-have-done-away-with","being-abolished","has-been-abolished","having-abolished","is-abolished","it-is-abolished","it-will-be-done-away","might-be-done-away-with","they-will-be-done-away","to-abolish","will-be-done-away"]·FR["abolir"]·heb["בְּטֵלָה","בִּטֵּל","בִּטֵּל-הַ-","בִּטַּלְתִּי","בָּטֵל","בֻּטְּלָה","הַבָּטֵל","הָעוֹבְרִים","יְבַטֵּל","יִבָּטֵל","לְבַטֵּל","מְבֻטָּל","שֶׁ-יְבֻטַּל","תִּבָּטֵל","תִּבָּטַלְנָה"]·HI["जो-समाप्त-हो-रही-थी","जो-समाप्त-हो-रही-थी-उस","जो-समाप्त-हो-रही-है","त्याग-दिया-है","नअश-किय","नाश-किया-जाता-है","निकम्मे-होनेवालों","निरकरित-करके","निरस्त-हो","मित-दिय-गय","वह-समाप्त-कर-दे","व्यरथ-करने","समाप्त-होंगी","समाप्त-होगा","समाप्त-होती-है"]·ID["Ia-menghapuskan","akan-berakhir","aku-meninggalkan","berlalu","dibinasakan","dihancurkan","dihapuskan","itu-akan-berakhir","membatalkan,","menghapus","yang-akan-binasa","yang-berlalu","yang-membatalkan"]·IT["abolire","rendere-inefficace"]·jav["Panjenenganipun-mungkasi","badhé-kasirnakaken","badhé-sirna.","dipun-pungkasi.","dipun-pungkasi;","dipun-sirnakaken","dipunsirnakaken","ingkang-dipun-pungkasi","ingkang-dipun-pungkasi.","kula-nilar","ngicalaken","sampun-kabucal","sampun-mbatalaken,"]·KO["멸해지기-를","무효로-만들기","사라져가는","사라져가는-것의","사라져가는-것이","없어진다","폐하시면","폐하신","폐하신,","폐하였다","폐해졌노라","폐해지고","폐해지는","폐해지는니라","폐해지리라"]·PT["aboli","abolir","anular","desvanece","estão-sendo-anulados","foi-abolido","que-estava-desvanecendo","seja-anulado","será-abolido.","serão-abolidas;","tendo-abolido,","tendo-destruído","é-abolida"]·RU["-тело","истребляется","преходящего","преходящее","преходящую","упразднено","упразднив,","упразднившего","упразднил-я","упразднит","упразднится","упразднить","упраздняемых","упраздняется","упразднятся"]·ES["aboliendo","anular","es-abolida","es-quitado","fuese-destruido","ha-sido-abolido","haya-abolido","he-dejado","que-anuló","que-se-desvanece","será-abolido","serán-abolidas","siendo-anulados"]·SW["akiibatilisha","aliyeiharibu","atakapoondoa","ataondolewa","imeondolewa","kuibatilisha","kutaondolewa","niliviacha","ubatilishwe","uliokuwa-ukipita;","unaondolewa.","unaopita","unaopita.","utaondolewa","wanaobatilishwa.","yataondolewa"]·TR["Mesih'te","geçersiz kıldım","geçersiz kılsın","geçersiz kılınacak","geçersiz kılınanın-","geçersiz kılınır","geçersiz-kılınsın","iptal-etmek","kendinde","o-","ortadan-kaldırılmıştır","yok-eden"]·urd["باطل-کر-کے","باطل-ہو-جائے-گا","باطل-ہونے-والے-ہیں","باطل-ہوں-گی","بیکار-کرے","بیکار-کیا-جاتا-ہے","بے-اثر-کرنے-والے","بےکار-کرنا","ختم-ہو-گیا","ختم-ہوتا-ہے","ختم-ہوتی-تھی","ختم-ہونے-والا","ختم-ہونے-والے-کا","ناکارہ-ہو","چھوڑ-دیں"]
Rom 6:6, 1 Cor 2:6, 1 Cor 13:8, 1 Cor 13:8, 1 Cor 13:10, 1 Cor 13:11, 1 Cor 15:24, 1 Cor 15:26, 2 Cor 3:7, 2 Cor 3:11, 2 Cor 3:13, 2 Cor 3:14 (+4 more)
▼ 4 more senses below
Senses
2. nullify, invalidate — To nullify or invalidate a legal or promissory claim — 5 occurrences, all in Romans and 1 Corinthians. Paul's urgent rhetorical questions drive this sense: 'Do we then nullify the law through faith?' (Rom 3:31); 'Has God's faithfulness been nullified?' (Rom 3:3). The rendering anulamos in Spanish and the German zunichtemachen both capture the forensic weight. Luke 13:7's use — the barren fig tree 'renders the ground useless' — provides the lone non-Pauline instance and preserves the original agricultural meaning of making something idle or unproductive. 5×
AR["أُلغِيَ","تُعَطِّلُ","نُبطِلُ","يُبطِلُ","يُبْطِلَ"]·ben["আমরা-ব্যর্থ-করি","নষ্ট-করছে","বাতিল-করেন,","ব্যর্থ-করবে?","ব্যর্থ-হয়েছে"]·DE["zunichtemachen","καταργεῖ"]·EN["do-we-nullify","has-been-nullified","he-might-nullify","it-renders-useless","will-nullify"]·FR["abolir"]·heb["בֻטְּלָה","יְבַטֵּל","מְבַטְּלִים-אֲנַחְנוּ","מַשְׁחִיתָה","תְּבַטֵּל"]·HI["निकम्मे-करे","निरस्त-करते-हैं","निरस्त-करेगा","निरस्त-हुई","रोके-रखता-है?"]·ID["akan-membatalkan?","dibatalkan","kami-batalkan","membatalkan","menghalangi"]·IT["katargei","rendere-inefficace"]·jav["badhé-batal?","batal","kasirnakaken,","kita-batal-aken","nganggurakeni"]·KO["쓸모없게-하느냐","폐하느냐","폐하려고","폐하리라","폐해졌으니"]·PT["anulamos","anulará","anule","foi-anulada","ocupa"]·RU["истощает","уничтожено","упразднит","упразднить","упраздняем"]·ES["anulamos","anulará","anule","ha-sido-anulada","inutiliza"]·SW["avibatilishe,","imevunjwa","tunabatilisha","unaidhuru","utabatilisha"]·TR["boşa-işgal-ediyor","geçersiz-kılacak","geçersiz-kılınmıştır","geçersiz-mi-kılıyoruz"]·urd["باطل-کرے","باطل-کرے-گی","باطل-ہو-گیا","بے-فائدہ-کرتی-ہے","ہم-باطل-کرتے-ہیں"]
3. destroy, bring to nothing — To destroy, annihilate an opposing power — 3 occurrences where the force goes beyond mere cessation to active violent overthrow. Christ will 'destroy' the one who has the power of death, the devil (Heb 2:14); the lawless one will be destroyed at Christ's coming (2 Thess 2:8); even the stomach and food 'God will destroy' (1 Cor 6:13). Spanish destruir and destruyera confirm the escalation beyond abolir. This is katargeo at its most eschatological and militant. 3×
AR["سَيُبْطِلُ","يُبْطِلَ"]·ben["নষ্ট-করবেন","বিলুপ্ত-করবেন।","ব্যর্থ-করেন"]·DE["zunichtemachen"]·EN["he-might-destroy","will-abolish","will-destroy"]·FR["abolir"]·heb["יְבַטֵּל"]·HI["नशत-करेग","निकम्मे-करेगा","निष्क्रिय-करे"]·ID["Ia-membinasakan","akan-menghancurkan","akan-menghapuskan."]·IT["abolire","rendere-inefficace"]·jav["badhé-nyirnaaken.","bakal-nglebur","ngremuk"]·KO["무력케-하려-함이니","폐하시리라","폐할-것이다"]·PT["aniquilará","anulará","destruísse"]·RU["лишить-силы","упразднит","упразднит."]·ES["anulará","destruirá","destruyera"]·SW["amharibu","atamharibu","ataviangamiza."]·TR["bunları","etkisiz-kılsın","yok-edecek"]·urd["باطل-کرے-گا","بے-اثر-کرےگا","ختم-کرے"]
4. release, set free from — To release or set free from a binding obligation — 2 occurrences, both in Romans 7. A married woman 'has been released' from the law of her husband when he dies (Rom 7:2); believers 'were released' from the law, having died to what bound them (Rom 7:6). Spanish liberada/liberados and the English 'released' both shift from the abolition frame to an emancipation frame. The passive voice emphasizes that this freedom comes through death — a paradox Paul develops at length. 2×
AR["تَحَرَّرَتْ","تَحَرَّرْنَا"]·ben["আমরা-নিষ্ক্রিয়-হলাম","নিষ্ক্রিয়-হয়েছে"]·DE["zunichtemachen"]·EN["she-has-been-released","we-were-released"]·FR["abolir"]·heb["שֻׁחְרְרָה","שֻׁחְרַרְנוּ"]·HI["छुट-गई-है","छुटाये-गए"]·ID["kita-dilepaskan","terlepas"]·IT["rendere-inefficace"]·jav["dipunbebasaken","kita-dipunbebasaken"]·KO["자유롭게-되었다"]·PT["está-livre","fomos-libertados"]·RU["-мужа","освобождены"]·ES["ha-sido-liberada","hemos-sido-liberados"]·SW["amewekwa-huru","tumewekwa-huru"]·TR["serbest-bırakıldık","serbest-bırakılır"]·urd["وہ-آزاد-ہو-گئی","ہم-آزاد-ہوئے"]
5. sever, estrange from — To sever or estrange from a relationship — a single striking occurrence in Galatians 5:4, where Paul warns the Galatians: 'You have been severed from Christ, you who seek justification by the law.' The Spanish fuisteis-abolidos is telling — it struggles to find the relational vocabulary, defaulting to the abolition frame. But the Greek here is distinctly personal and relational: it is not a law or institution being nullified but persons being cut off from a living relationship with Christ. This lone usage represents the interpersonal extreme of katargeo's semantic range. 1×
AR["تَبَرَّأتُم"]·ben["বিচ্ছিন্ন-হয়েছিলে"]·DE["zunichtemachen"]·EN["you-were-severed"]·FR["abolir"]·heb["נִתְנַתַּקְתֶּם"]·HI["तुम-अलग-हो-गये"]·ID["kamu-terputus"]·IT["abolire"]·jav["Panjenengan-sami-sampun-kapisahaken"]·KO["끊어졌노라"]·PT["fostes-separados"]·RU["упразднены-вы-от"]·ES["fuisteis-abolidos"]·SW["mmetengwa"]·TR["kesildiniz"]·urd["بے-اثر-ہو-گئے"]
Related Senses
H1961 1. be, exist, was (Qal copular/existential) (3505×)G1510 1. copulative, linking predication (2095×)G1096 1. become, change state (421×)G1096 2. happen, occur, take place (158×)G1510 2. participial, being (circumstantial/attributive) (157×)H3426 1. there is, there are (existence) (129×)G1510 3. infinitival, to be (128×)G1510 4. subjunctive/imperative, may be / let be (83×)H1934 1. to be, exist (65×)H1961 2. become, come to be (Qal inchoative) (55×)G5225 1. to be, to exist (45×)H0194 1. (45×)G1096 3. come, arrive, appear (28×)G1096 4. let it be, may it be done (22×)H0383 1. there is/are, to exist (Aramaic existential particle) (19×)G1096 5. may it never be! (16×)G1510 5. existential, there is/exists (15×)G5225 2. possessions, property, goods (14×)G1096 6. be, exist, find oneself (13×)H7136a 1. happen, occur, befall (12×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
καταργ-έω, leave unemployed or idle, Refs 5th c.BC+; κατηργηκέναι τοὺς καιρούς to have missed the opportunities, Refs 2nd c.BC+ make the ground useless, cumber it, NT __2 cause to be idle, hinder in one's work, LXX+1st c.AD+passive, LXX; to be rendered or lie idle, Refs 3rd c.AD+ __II make of no effect, NT.Rom.3.3,31, +others:—passive, to be abolished, cease, NT to be set free from.., NT; to be parted, Refs.