κατέχω G2722
To hold fast, retain; to restrain or suppress; to possess or occupy; passively, to be held or bound; nautically, to head toward a destination.
Built from kata + echō ('hold down'), this verb carries the core image of maintaining a firm grip — whether on a cherished tradition or on a person one will not release. Paul urges the Thessalonians to 'hold fast what is good' (1 Thess 5:21), while in Romans 1:18 the wicked 'suppress the truth in unrighteousness.' The same word describes possessing property (2 Cor 6:10), being held captive by illness (John 5:4), and steering a ship toward shore (Acts 27:40). Spanish distinguishes beautifully between 'retener' (to retain, hold fast) and 'retenían' (they were holding back), while 'se dirigían' (they were heading) captures the nautical extension.
Senses
1. hold fast, retain — To hold firmly onto something valuable — faith, tradition, teaching, or moral conviction — and refuse to let it go. In Luke 8:15 the good soil represents those who hear the word and 'hold it fast' in an honest heart, and in 1 Corinthians 11:2 Paul commends the church for holding to the traditions he delivered. Spanish 'retened' (hold fast, imperative) and 'retener' (to retain) emphasize the active, intentional grip on what is received. Philemon 1:13 shows the personal dimension: Paul would have liked to 'keep' Onesimus with him. 8×
AR["أَن-أَحتَفِظَ", "تَحفَظونَ", "تَمسِكونَ", "تَمَسَّكوا", "تَمَسَّكْنَا", "لِنَتَمَسَّكْ", "يَحفَظونَ"]·ben["আমরা-ধরে-রাখি", "তোমরা-ধরে-রাখ।", "ধরে-রাখ", "ধরে-রাখ,", "ধরে-রাখি", "ধরে-রাখে", "রাখতে"]·DE["festhalten", "hält-fest"]·EN["hold-fast", "let-us-hold-fast", "to-keep", "we-hold-fast", "you-hold-fast"]·FR["retenir"]·heb["אוֹחֲזִים", "הַחֲזִיקוּ", "לִ-שְׁמֹר", "מַחֲזִיקִים", "מַחֲזִיקִים-אַתֶּם", "נַחֲזִיק"]·HI["तुम-थामे-रहो", "थाम-रखें", "थामे-रखते-हैं", "थामे-रहें", "थामे-हो", "पकदे-रखो", "रखन"]·ID["Marilah-kita-berpegang", "kamu-memegang-teguh,", "kamu-pegang", "kita-pertahankan", "memegang-teguh", "menahan,", "peganglah"]·IT["katechousin", "trattenere"]·jav["kita-cepeng", "nahan,", "nyimpen", "padha-cekel.", "panjenengan-cepeng.", "panjenengan-nyepeng", "sumangga-kita-nggegem"]·KO["간직하네", "간직한다", "간직한다면", "붙잡아-두기를", "붙잡으라.", "붙잡으면", "붙잡자"]·PT["Retenhamos", "retende", "retendes,", "reter,", "retivermos", "retéis.", "retêm"]·RU["будем-держать", "держите", "держите.", "удержать,", "удерживают", "удержим"]·ES["la-retienen", "retened", "retener", "retengamos", "retenéis"]·SW["kushikilia", "mnashika.", "mnashikilia", "shikeni", "tukishikilia", "tunashikilia", "tushikilie", "wanalishika"]·TR["alıkoymak,", "tutarlar,", "tutarsak", "tutun", "tutunalım", "tutuyorsunuz"]·urd["تھامو", "تھامے-رکھتے-ہو", "تھامے-رکھتے-ہیں", "تھامے-رہیں", "رکھنا"]
2. restrain, suppress — To hold back, restrain, or suppress something or someone from acting, advancing, or becoming known. Romans 1:18 declares God's wrath against those who 'suppress' (katechontōn) the truth, while 2 Thessalonians 2:6-7 speaks of a mysterious restrainer who holds back the man of lawlessness. In Luke 4:42 the crowds tried to 'hold' Jesus and keep him from leaving. Spanish 'que retienen' (who suppress) and 'que detiene' (who restrains) reflect the forceful withholding. 4×
AR["الحابِسينَ", "المانِعَ", "المانِعُ", "كانوا-يُمسِكونَ"]·ben["দমন-করছে,", "ধরে-রাখতেন", "যে-বাধা-দেয়"]·DE["festhalten", "hält-fest"]·EN["restraining", "suppressing", "were-holding"]·FR["retenir"]·heb["מְעַכֵּב", "מַחֲזִיקִים", "עָצְרוּ"]·HI["दबाए-रखते-हैं", "रोकती-थी", "रोकने-वअल", "रोकने-वअलि"]·ID["menahan", "menahan,", "yang-menahan", "yang-menahan,"]·IT["kateichon", "trattenere"]·jav["nahan", "nahan,", "sami-nyengkerem"]·KO["막는-것을", "막는-자가", "막는-자들의", "붙잡았다"]·PT["que-detém", "que-detêm"]·RU["удерживали", "удерживающее", "удерживающий", "удерживающих"]·ES["que-detiene", "que-retienen", "retenían"]·SW["anayezuia", "kinachozuia", "wakamzuia", "wanazuia,"]·TR["bastıranların", "tutan", "tutanı", "tutuyorlardı"]·urd["روکتے-تھے", "روکتے-ہیں", "روکنے-والا"]
3. possess, occupy — To possess, occupy, or have as one's own — whether a physical seat, property, or status. In Luke 14:9 a guest is told to take the lowest place lest the host say 'give this man your seat,' and in 1 Corinthians 7:30 Paul counsels that those who buy should live as though they do not 'possess.' The paradox of 2 Corinthians 6:10, 'having nothing, yet possessing all things,' plays on this sense. Spanish 'poseyendo' (possessing) and 'ocupar' (to occupy) capture both the abstract and spatial dimensions. 3×
AR["تَحْتَلُّ", "حائِزينَ", "مُمْسِكينَ"]·ben["ধরতে", "ধারণকারী;", "যারা-ধরে।"]·DE["festhalten", "hält-fest"]·EN["possessing", "to-take"]·FR["retenir"]·heb["לְ-אָחֹז", "מַחְזִיקִים"]·HI["रखते-हुए", "रखनेवाले", "रखने।"]·ID["memiliki", "memiliki;", "menempati"]·IT["katechein", "trattenere"]·jav["gadhah;", "ngregem.", "nyepeng"]·KO["소유하는", "소유하는-자들로", "차지하기를"]·PT["a-ocupar", "possuindo", "possuindo;"]·RU["занимать", "содержащие", "удерживающие;"]·ES["a-ocupar", "poseyendo"]·SW["kukaa", "tukimiliki.", "wasiomiliki;"]·TR["ellerinde tutanlar", "tutmaya"]·urd["رکھنے-والے", "لینے"]
4. be held, be bound — In the passive voice, to be held, bound, or gripped by an affliction, obligation, or spiritual condition. John 5:4 describes those 'held' by various diseases at the pool of Bethesda, and Romans 7:6 speaks of having been released from the law that formerly 'held us.' Spanish 'era poseído' (was possessed/held) and 'éramos retenidos' (we were held) convey the involuntary, constrained state. 2×
AR["كَانَ-مُمْسَكًا", "كُنَّا-مَحْبُوسِينَ-فِيهِ"]·ben["আমরা-ধৃত-ছিলাম", "ধরা-ছিল"]·DE["festhalten"]·EN["was-held", "we-were-held"]·FR["retenir"]·heb["אָחַז", "הֻחְזַקְנוּ"]·HI["ग्रस्त-था", "बंधे-जाते-थे"]·ID["menahan-kita,", "menderita"]·IT["kateicheto", "trattenere"]·jav["dipun-cekel", "kita-dipuncekel,"]·KO["걸려-있었다", "매여-있던-것에서"]·PT["éramos-retidos,"]·RU["держался", "так-чтобы"]·ES["era-poseido", "éramos-retenidos"]·SW["alishikwa", "tuliyoshikwa"]·TR["tutuluyordu", "tutuluyorduk"]·urd["میں-گرفتار-تھا", "ہم-بندھے-تھے"]
5. head toward, make for — A nautical technical term meaning to steer or hold a course toward a destination. In Acts 27:40 the sailors cut the anchors, hoisted the foresail, and 'made for' (kateichon) the beach. Spanish 'se dirigían' (they were heading) captures the directional intent, and the underlying image remains consistent: holding the ship firmly on its course, applying the 'hold down' force to navigation. 1×
AR["اتَّجَهُوا"]·ben["ধরিয়া-রাখিতেছিল"]·DE["hält-fest"]·EN["they-were-heading"]·FR["retenir"]·heb["כִּוְּנוּ"]·HI["जातेथे"]·ID["menuju"]·IT["trattenere"]·jav["madosi"]·KO["향하였다"]·PT["faziam-rumo"]·RU["держали"]·ES["se-dirigían"]·SW["walielekea"]·TR["tutuyorlardı"]·urd["لے-جاتے-تھے"]
Related Senses
G2962 1. Lord (divine title) (661×)H0136 1. Lord (divine title) (440×)H0113 1. lord, human superior (249×)G1849 1. authority, power (91×)H6485a 2. Qal: punish, bring judgment (63×)H8198 1. maidservant, female slave (63×)G2962 2. master, lord (human authority) (61×)H0034 1. needy, poor, destitute (61×)H0519 1. female servant, maidservant (56×)H6041 1. poor, needy person (55×)H0113 2. master, owner of servants (49×)H4910 1. Qal: to have dominion, exercise power over (44×)H1800 1. poor, needy (socioeconomic) (38×)H3515 1. heavy, severe, grievous (36×)G4434 1. (34×)G5092 1. honor, esteem, respect (33×)H6485a 4. Qal: visit, attend to, care for (32×)H3513 1. honor / show respect (Piel) (30×)H4910 2. Qal: to rule, govern (administrative authority) (27×)H4513 1. withhold, restrain, hold back (25×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
κατέχω, future καθέξω (of duration) Refs 8th c.BC+aorist κατέσχον, poetry __A κατέσχεθον Refs 8th c.BC+; Epic dialect 3rd.pers. singular κάσχεθε Refs 8th c.BC+, Aeolic dialect κατέσκ [εθε] Refs 7th c.BC+; late aorist κατέσχα Refs 4th c.AD+ __A.I transitive, hold fast, καλύπτρην χείρεσσι Refs 8th c.BC+ __A.I.b hold back, withhold, εἴ με βίῃ ἀέκοντα καθέξει Refs 8th c.BC+: check, restrain, bridle,…