κατευθύν-ω G2720
to make straight, direct, guide; to prosper or grant success to
This verb means to make straight, direct, or guide someone's path, and can also mean to grant success or prosperity. Luke 1:79 prophesies that Messiah will come 'to guide our feet into the way of peace.' First Thessalonians 3:11 is Paul's prayer: 'Now may our God and Father himself, and our Lord Jesus, direct our way to you.' Second Thessalonians 3:5 prays 'May the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and the steadfastness of Christ.' Classical usage includes making straight, guiding, directing affairs, and intransitively prospering or succeeding. The New Testament use is consistently about divine direction—God guiding paths, directing journeys, and steering hearts.
Senses
1. sense 1 — The sense centers on divine guidance and direction, making the way straight. Zechariah's prophecy (Luke 1:79) envisions the Messiah guiding people from darkness and death's shadow into peace's path—directional, redemptive guidance. Paul's prayers (1 Thess 3:11, 2 Thess 3:5) ask God to 'make straight' the way for travel and to 'direct' hearts toward love and endurance. The optative mood in both prayers expresses wish or request for divine action. The Spanish 'dirigir' and German 'leiten' both mean to direct or lead. This is God removing obstacles, clarifying direction, and steering his people's paths and hearts toward right destinations—peace, reunion with fellow believers, God's love, Christ's steadfastness. 3×
AR["يَهْدِيَ", "يُوَجِّهَ"]·ben["পরিচালিত-করতে", "পরিচালিত-করুন", "সরল-করুন"]·DE["leiten", "κατευθῦναι"]·EN["may-direct", "to-direct"]·FR["diriger"]·heb["יְיַשֵׁר", "יְכַוֵּן", "לְהַנְחוֹת"]·HI["सीधा-करने-को", "सेएध-करे", "सेएध-करेइन"]·ID["itu", "kiranya-meluruskan", "kiranya-mengarahkan"]·IT["kateuthunai"]·jav["ngarahaken", "nuntun"]·KO["인도하려고", "인도하시기를"]·PT["dirija", "guiar"]·RU["да-направит", "направить"]·ES["dirigir", "dirija"]·SW["aiongoze", "aziongoze", "kuongoza"]·TR["doğrultsun", "yöneltmek", "yöneltsin"]·urd["راہ-دکھائے", "سیدھا-کرنے", "سیدھا-کرے"]
Related Senses
H2896a 1. good (quality or moral) (305×)H7563 1. wicked person (259×)H7451c 1. moral evil or wickedness (234×)H5771 1. iniquity, sin, wrongdoing (222×)H6662 1. righteous person (substantive) (195×)G0266 1. sin, failure, transgression (173×)H2403b 1. sin, transgression (170×)H2617a 1. Covenant faithfulness, steadfast love (167×)H2398 1. Qal: to sin, commit sin (165×)H6666 1. righteousness, moral uprightness (145×)G5485 1. grace, divine favor (141×)H7451a 1. morally evil, wicked (129×)H2403b 2. sin-offering, sacrifice for sin (120×)G2570 1. good, right, excellent (98×)H6588 1. transgression, offense against God (88×)G0018 1. good (moral quality) (85×)H2896b 1. good, what is good (85×)H7451b 1. evil, wickedness (moral) (83×)H7451a 2. evil, harm, calamity (80×)G1342 1. righteous, upright (of persons) (70×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
κατευθύν-ω, poetry imperfect κατευθύνεσκον Refs:—make or keep straight, τὴν πτῆσιν Refs 4th c.BC+; βιοτῆς οἴακα κατευθύνεσκες ἐν οἴκῳ “IGRom.” [same place]:—passive, αἱ περιφοραὶ κατευθυνόμεναι Refs 5th c.BC+ __2 guide, direct, τὰς φύσεις Refs; τινὰ εἰς τὸν αὑτοῦ δρόμονRefs 4th c.BC+; [ναῦν] Refs; κ. τὰς πράξεις ὁ θεόςRefs 1st c.AD+ __3 κ. τινός demand an account from one, condemn, Refs 5th c.BC+…