κατένωπα G2714
before, in the presence of, in the sight of; directly before or opposite
This preposition means 'before,' 'in the presence of,' or 'in the sight of,' with connotations of being directly opposite or right before someone. Ephesians 1:4 describes God choosing us 'to be holy and blameless before him in love.' Colossians 1:22 says Christ reconciled us 'to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him.' Jude 24 ascribes to God power 'to present you blameless before the presence of his glory.' Classical usage includes 'over against,' 'right opposite,' and various compounds with face/presence words. All New Testament uses appear in doxological or theological contexts describing standing before God's presence.
Senses
1. sense 1 — The sense emphasizes standing in God's direct presence, before his face, in his sight. All three uses connect the preposition with standing blameless or holy before God—the goal of election (Ephesians 1:4), reconciliation (Colossians 1:22), and preservation (Jude 24). The word suggests not just proximity but direct visual presence—face-to-face positioning. The compound form (κατά + ἐνώπιον) intensifies 'before' or 'in presence of.' The Spanish 'delante de,' French 'devant,' and German 'vor' all mean 'before/in front of.' This is the believer's ultimate destiny: to stand before God's glorious presence, presented as holy and blameless through Christ's work. 3×
amh["በፊት"]·AR["أمام", "أمامَهُ", "أَمامَ"]·ben["-সামনে", "সম্মুখে", "সামনে"]·ces["před"]·dan["foran-"]·DE["vor"]·ell["κατενώπιον"]·EN["before"]·FR["devant", "κατενώπιον"]·guj["સામે"]·hat["devan"]·hau["gaban"]·heb["לְפָנָיו", "לִפְנֵי", "לפני"]·HI["सअमने", "सामने"]·hun["elé"]·ID["di hadapan", "di-hadapan"]·IT["davanti-a", "katenōpion"]·jav["ing-ngarsanipun", "wonten-ing-ngarsané", "wonten-ngarsanipun"]·JA["-の前-に"]·KO["-앞에"]·mar["समोर-"]·mya["-၏ရှေ့မှောက်၌"]·nld["voor-het-aangezicht"]·nor["foran"]·pnb["ساہمنے"]·pol["przed"]·PT["diante", "perante"]·ron["înaintea"]·RU["перед", "пред", "пред-"]·ES["delante-de"]·SW["mbele", "mbele-ya"]·swe["inför"]·tam["முன்பாக"]·tel["ఎదుట"]·tgl["sa-harap"]·TH["ต่อหน้า"]·TR["huzurunda", "önünde"]·ukr["перед"]·urd["سامنے"]·VI["trước"]·yor["níwájú"]·yue["喺⋯面前"]·ZH["在面前"]
Related Senses
H3808 1. simple negation (not) (4839×)G1722 1. locative: in, within (2442×)H1004b 1. house, dwelling, building (2015×)G3756 1. not (negation particle) (1635×)H4480a 1. source or separation (1198×)H5892b 1. city, town (1093×)G1519 1. direction: into, to, toward (1061×)H3427 1. Qal: to dwell, inhabit (937×)G1537 1. from, out of (source/origin) (886×)H8034 1. Name (designation / identifier) (856×)G3361 1. subjective negation (not) (834×)G1909 1. on, upon (spatial surface) (757×)H0369 1. existential negation: there is not (738×)H5869a 1. in the eyes/sight of (evaluative) (734×)H5650 1. Servant, attendant, subject (723×)H0408 1. prohibitive negation do-not (712×)G2443 1. so that, in order that (purpose/result) (665×)G0575 1. from (649×)G1223 1. through, by means of (582×)H3541 1. thus, so, in this manner (569×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
κατένωπα Refs 2nd c.AD+, κατενῶπα or κατ᾽ ἐνῶπα Refs 3rd c.BC+, over against, right opposite, c.genitive, Refs 8th c.BC+:—alsoκατεν-ενώπιον, τινος LXX+NT+6th c.AD+. Included with: κατεξᾰγιάζω, assay, Refs