κατεσθίω
katesthiō
to devour
Lexicon Entry
Lexicon data from STEPBible TIPNR, Tyndale House, Cambridge. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
What Original Readers Understood
ExploredThe word κατεσθίω (katesthiō) means "to devour." Its meaning suggests a complete and intense form of consumption, often implying a lack of restraint or selectivity in what is being consumed. This verb can be used in various contexts, including the natural world (e.g., an animal devouring prey) and human relationships (e.g., a person devouring a meal). The word's range of usage is quite broad, occurring 15 times in the Bible across various books. It is often employed in a figurative sense to describe intense passion, greed, or consumption of spiritual, material, or emotional resources. This usage underscores its importance in conveying the intensity of human or divine action. The significance of κατεσθίω lies in its vivid illustrations of all-consuming behavior, whether describing human desire or divine judgment. Its use in biblical imagery highlights the importance of self-control and moderation, serving as a reminder that unbridled passion or consumption can have far-reaching consequences.
Source data & methodology
Occurrences in Scripture
15 total occurrences across the text
As he sowed, some seeds fell by the roadside, and the birds came and devoured them.
Matthew 23:14“But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! Because you shut up the Kingdom of Heaven against men; for you don’t enter in yourselves, neither do you allow those who are entering in to enter.
Mark 4:4and as he sowed, some seed fell by the road, and the birds came and devoured it.
Mark 12:40those who devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. These will receive greater condemnation.”
Luke 8:5“The farmer went out to sow his seed. As he sowed, some fell along the road, and it was trampled under foot, and the birds of the sky devoured it.
Luke 15:30But when this your son came, who has devoured your living with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him.’
Luke 20:47who devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers: these will receive greater condemnation.”
John 2:17His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for your house will eat me up.”
2 Corinthians 11:20For you bear with a man if he brings you into bondage, if he devours you, if he takes you captive, if he exalts himself, or if he strikes you on the face.
Galatians 5:15But if you bite and devour one another, be careful that you don’t consume one another.
Revelation 10:9I went to the angel, telling him to give me the little book. He said to me, “Take it, and eat it. It will make your stomach bitter, but in your mouth it will be as sweet as honey.”
Revelation 10:10I took the little book out of the angel’s hand, and ate it. It was as sweet as honey in my mouth. When I had eaten it, my stomach was made bitter.
Revelation 11:5If anyone desires to harm them, fire proceeds out of their mouth and devours their enemies. If anyone desires to harm them, he must be killed in this way.
Revelation 12:4His tail drew one third of the stars of the sky, and threw them to the earth. The dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she gave birth he might devour her child.
Revelation 20:9They went up over the width of the earth, and surrounded the camp of the saints, and the beloved city. Fire came down out of heaven from God and devoured them.