κατηγορ-έω G2723
To accuse or bring charges against someone, typically in a legal setting; passively, to be accused or face charges.
A courtroom word through and through, kategoreo carries the weight of formal accusation in judicial proceedings. The Pharisees watch Jesus to see if he will heal on the Sabbath 'so that they might accuse him' (Mark 3:2), and before Pilate the chief priests 'were accusing him of many things' (Mark 15:3). Paul likewise faces accusation before Roman governors (Acts 22:30, 25:16). The active-passive distinction maps cleanly onto the drama of trial narratives: the accusers bring charges, the accused endures them. Spanish distinguishes 'acusar/acusaban' from 'ser acusado/era acusado,' and German 'anklagen' from the passive construction, preserving the forensic precision of the original.
1. accuse, bring charges against — Active accusation: to formally accuse, bring charges against, or denounce someone before a court or authority. This dominant sense (20 occurrences) covers all active-voice forms across tenses, moods, and persons. The Pharisees seek grounds to accuse Jesus (Matt 12:10, Mark 3:2, Luke 6:7), the chief priests accuse him before Pilate (Mark 15:3-4), and the Jews bring charges against Paul (Acts 24:2, 28:19). Spanish 'acusar/acusaban,' French 'accuser,' and German 'anklagen/klagt an' uniformly render the forensic act of bringing a formal charge. 20×
AR["أَتَّهِمُ","أَن-يَشتَكوا","المُتَّهِمَةِ","المُشتَكي","تَشْكونَهُ","سَأَشْكُو","كَانُوا-يَتَّهِمُونَ","لِيَتَّهِمُوهُ","نَتَّهِمُهُ","يَتَّهِمونَ","يَتَّهِموهُ","يَتَّهِمُ","يَتَّهِمُوا","يَتَّهِمُونَ","يَتَّهِمُونَنِي","يَشتَكُوا-عَلَيهِ","يَشْكونَهُ","يَشْكُو"]·ben["অভিযোগ-করছ","অভিযোগ-করছিল","অভিযোগ-করছিলেন","অভিযোগ-করছে","অভিযোগ-করতে","অভিযোগ-করতে-পারে","অভিযোগ-করব","অভিযোগ-করিতে","অভিযোগ-করিতেছি","অভিযোগ-করিতেছে","অভিযোগ-করুক","অভিযোগ-করে","অভিযোগ-করেন","অভিযোগকারী"]·DE["anklagen","klagt-an"]·EN["accuse","accusing","let-them-accuse","they-accuse","they-might-accuse","to-accuse","were-accusing","will-accuse","you-accuse"]·FR["accuser"]·heb["אַאֲשִׁים","הֶאֱשִׁימוּ","יַאֲשִׁימוּ","יַאֲשִׁימוּהוּ","לְהַאֲשִׁים","מַאֲשִׁים","מַאֲשִׁימִים","מַקְטְרֵג","שֶׁיַּאֲשִׁימוּ"]·HI["ताकि","दोश-लगअयेइन","दोष-लगाऊँगा","दोष-लगाते","दोष-लगाते-थे","दोष-लगाते-हुए","दोष-लगाते-हैं","दोष-लगाना","दोष-लगाना।","दोष-लगाने","दोष-लगानेवाला","दोष-लगानेवाला-है","दोषलगाएँ","दोषलगातेहैं","दोषलगाना","लगाते-हो"]·ID["akan-menuduh","biarlah-menuduh","kamu-tuduhkan","menuduh","menuduh,","menuduh.","mereka-menuduh","yang-mendakwa","yang-menuduh"]·IT["accusare","katēgorōn"]·jav["badhé-nuding","bisa-nudhuh","ingkang-nuding","mugi-ngawonaken","ndakwa","ndakwa,","ndhakwa","nganggep","ngawonaken","ngawonaken.","nggugat","panjenengan-sedaya-ndakwa","piyambakipun-sedaya-ndakwa","sami-nyebutaken"]·KO["고발하거나","고발하게","고발하겠다","고발하고-있었다","고발하기를","고발하느냐","고발하는","고발하는-자가","고발하려-함이라","고발하려고","고발하며","고소하기를","고소하는","고소하라"]·PT["acusam","acusando","acusassem","acusavam","acusem","de-acusar","de-que-acusar."]·RU["обвинить","обвиню","обвиняем","обвиняете","обвиняли","обвинять","обвинять.","обвиняют","обвиняющие","обвиняющий","обвиняющих","пусть-обвиняют"]·ES["a-acusar","acusaban","acusamos","acusan","acusando","acusar","acusaré","acusen","acusáis","acúsenlo","de-qué-acusar","le-acusaran","me-acusan","que-acusa"]·SW["anayewashtaki","awashitakiye","kukosoa","kumkosoa","kumshitaki","kumshtaki","kushtaki","mnakokosa","nitawashtaki","tunamshtaki","walimshtaki","wamshitaki","wamshtaki","wanakushtaki","wananishtaki","wanayonishtaki","yakishtaki"]·TR["suclayan","suçlamak","suçlamak-için","suçlamaya","suçlasalar","suçlasınlar","suçlayacağım","suçlayan","suçlayarak","suçluyorlar","suçluyorlardı","suçluyorsunuz","suçluyoruz"]·urd["الزام-لگاؤں-گا","الزام-لگائیں","الزام-لگاتے-تھے","الزام-لگاتے-ہو","الزام-لگاتے-ہوئے","الزام-لگاتے-ہیں","الزام-لگانا","الزام-لگانے","الزام-لگانے-والا","وہ-الزام-لگاتے-ہیں"]
Matt 12:10, Mark 3:2, Mark 15:3, Mark 15:4, Luke 6:7, Luke 23:2, Luke 23:10, Luke 23:14, John 5:45, John 5:45, John 8:6, Acts 24:2 (+8 more)
▼ 1 more sense below
Senses
2. be accused, have charges brought — Passive accusation: to be accused, to have charges brought against oneself, to stand under formal indictment. Jesus stands silent while 'being accused' by the chief priests (Matt 27:12); the Roman tribune seeks to learn the charges against Paul (Acts 22:30); Festus insists that the accused must face his accusers (Acts 25:16). Spanish 'ser acusado / era acusado' and English 'being accused / to be accused' clearly mark the shift from accuser to accused, capturing the defendant's perspective in the trial narrative. 3×
AR["اتِّهَامِهِ","المُتَّهَمُ","يُتَّهَمُ"]·ben["অভিযুক্ত","অভিযুক্ত-হতে","অভিযুক্ত-হয়"]·DE["klagt-an"]·EN["being-accused","he-was-being-accused","to-be-accused"]·FR["accuser"]·heb["הַאֲשָׁמָה","מֻאְשָׁם","מֻאשָׁם"]·HI["दोष-लगाए-जाने-पर","दोष-लगाया-जाता-है","दोषलगायागया"]·ID["dituduh","yang-dituduh,"]·IT["accusare"]·jav["Panjenenganipun","dipun-dakwa","ingkang-didakwa,"]·KO["고발-당하다","고소당하는-자가","고소당하는지"]·PT["acusado,","ser-acusado"]·RU["обвиняемый","обвиняется","обвиняться"]·ES["acusado","era-acusado","ser-acusado"]·SW["alikuwa-akishtakiwa","anayeshtakiwa","kushtakiwa"]·TR["suçlanan","suçlanırken","suçlanıyor"]·urd["الزام-لگایا-جا-رہا-ہے","اِلزام-لگاتے-ہُوئے","مُلزم"]
Related Senses
H4941 1. justice, righteousness (134×)H4941 2. judgment, judicial decision (119×)H4941 3. ordinances, statutes (plural) (110×)H8199 1. to judge, adjudicate (98×)G2919 1. judge, pass judgment (76×)H8199 2. judge (person, office-holder) (61×)G2920 1. judgment / condemnation (48×)H7378 1. Qal: quarrel, contend, strive (42×)H4941 4. prescribed ordinance, regulation (34×)G1832 1. it is lawful, it is permitted (32×)G2917 1. judgment, condemnation (27×)G2919 2. be judged, stand trial (27×)H5360 1. vengeance, retribution (27×)H7378 2. Qal: plead, defend, litigate (22×)G2923 1. judge (one who judges/decides) (19×)G2632 1. condemn, pass judgment against (18×)H1777 1. judge, adjudicate (18×)H1576 1. recompense, retribution (17×)H5359 1. vengeance, retribution (17×)H7561 1. condemn, declare guilty (Hifil) (17×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
κατηγορ-έω, speak against, especially before judges, accuse, opposed to ἀπολογέομαι, with genitive, Refs 5th c.BC+; κ. τινὸς πρὸς τὴν πόλιν denounce him publicly, Refs 5th c.BC+; κατηγόρεις [αὐτῶν] ὡς λέγοιεν you accused them of saying, Refs 5th c.BC+; κ. τινὸς ὅτιRefs 5th c.BC+ __2 κ. τί τινος bring as a charge against a person, accuse him of it, δείν᾽ ἔπη μου Refs 5th c.BC+: with infinitive, κ.…