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.
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"]
▼ 4 more senses below
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"]
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"]
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,…