This verb means to check, chastise, or punish, with connotations of corrective discipline rather than mere retribution. In Acts 4:21, the Sanhedrin finds no way to punish (κολάσωνται) Peter and John despite threats, due to the people's reaction. In 2 Peter 2:9, it describes the Lord's ability to keep the unrighteous under punishment (κολαζομένους) while reserving them for judgment. Classical usage distinguished κολάζω (corrective punishment) from τιμωρία (retributive vengeance), though this distinction may not always be sharp in the NT. The word emphasizes restraint and correction more than mere penalty.