verb
katharizamō
Strong’sG2511
I make clean
stem kathariz-31 times in the New Testamentin 10 of 27 books19 forms occur
What it means
A plain-English reading of the word, with the lexicons it draws on — Abbott-Smith, Strong's, and Liddell-Scott-Jones — right below it, in full.
AI Summary
καθαρίζω means to make clean, cleanse, or purify. 42
In its most literal sense it refers to cleaning something physically dirty, such as a dish or cup, and to curing a person of disease, especially leprosy, so that they become clean. 13
It is also used in a moral or ethical sense, of cleansing the heart, the hands, the conscience, a person, or a whole community from sin or wrongdoing. 13
A further use is ceremonial: cleansing in the sense required by ritual law, making something or someone clean according to formal religious regulations rather than through ordinary washing. 1
Sources: 1 Abbott-Smith 2 Strong's 3 LSJ 4 Dodson. Condensed by anthropic/claude-sonnet-5 on 2026-09-23 — it may still misstate what these say; check them yourself if it matters to you.
The lexicons it was drawn from, in full:
Abbott-Smith — the 1922 lexicon entry, in full
† καθαρίζω
(Hellenistic-FlJ, Inscr.-for Attic καθαίρω, q.v., on the vulgar -ερ-, Mt 8:3, Mk 1:42, v. Bl., § 6, 1; Thackeray, Gr., 74), [in LXX chiefly for טָהֵר;]
G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament, 1922 — public domain. References open in the reader.
Strong’s G2511 — the 1890 definition, and where the word comes from
Saidkath-ar-id'-zo
to cleanse (literally or figuratively)
Fromfrom G2513;
King James(make) clean(-se), purge, purify.
James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, 1890 — public domain. The numbers in it link to the entries here.
Liddell-Scott-Jones — the classical dictionary this word appears in
future -ιῶNT:—cleanse, θυσιαστήριον LXX+NT; sift grain, Refs 3rd c.AD+; prune away, περισσὰ βλαστήματα Refs 1st c.AD+; clear ground of weeds, etc., Refs 4th c.AD+; keep a precinct clear, ἀπό τινων Refs 1st c.BC+ —in middle, future -ιοῦμαι, of the menses, Refs 5th c.BC+
II of persons, purify, ἀπὸ ἁμαρτίας LXX+NT; cleanse from leprosy, NTpassive, -ιζέστω ἀπὸ γυναικός κτλ. Refs
H. G. Liddell, R. Scott, H. S. Jones, A Greek-English Lexicon (9th ed., 1925–1940) — digitised by the Perseus Digital Library and corrected and expanded by Tyndale House, Cambridge, via STEPBible-Data's TFLSJ table, CC BY 4.0. Covers all of Greek literature, not just the Bible.
Translated as
Every occurrence, sorted by the English it was actually given — the evidence for what the word means, not a gloss of it.
Berean Standard Bible (BSB), dedicated to the public domain — berean.bible.
Biblang forms
What the New Testament actually uses, first — the whole system this verb is built from is one click further down.
| Form and the Greek behind it | What it is | Usually | Times |
|---|---|---|---|
| katharizatōκαθαρίζει | happening now · he/she/itpresent active indicative 3rd person singular | cleanses | 1× |
| katharizavōκαθαρίζετε | happening now · yepresent active indicative 2nd person plural | clean | 2× |
| katharizotōκαθαρίζεται | happening now · he/she/itpresent middle or passive indicative 3rd person singular | purified | 1× |
| katharizolōκαθαρίζονται | happening now · theypresent middle or passive indicative 3rd person plural | cleansed | 2× |
| katharizatiκαθαριεῖ | will happen · he/she/itfuture active indicative 3rd person singular | cleanse | 1× |
| katharizataἐκαθάρισεν | happened · he/she/itaorist active indicative 3rd person singular | made clean | 2× |
| katharizitaἐκαθαρίσθη | happened · he/she/itaorist passive indicative 3rd person singular | cleansed | 3× |
| katharizilaἐκαθαρίσθησαν | happened · theyaorist passive indicative 3rd person plural | cleansed | 2× |
| katharizateiaκαθαρίσῃ | happened · he/she/itaorist active subjunctive 3rd person singular | purify | 2× |
| katharizaneiaκαθαρίσωμεν | happened · weaorist active subjunctive 1st person plural | cleanse | 1× |
| katharizavōrκαθαρίζετε | happening now · yepresent active imperative 2nd person plural | cleanse | 1× |
| katharizasarκαθάρισον | happened · youaorist active imperative 2nd person singular | clean | 1× |
| katharizavarκαθαρίσατε | happened · yeaorist active imperative 2nd person plural | cleanse | 1× |
| katharizisarκαθαρίσθητι | happened · youaorist passive imperative 2nd person singular | clean | 3× |
| katharizorōκαθαρίζεσθαι | happening now · the “to …” formpresent middle or passive infinitive | purified | 1× |
| katharizaraκαθαρίσαι | happened · the “to …” formaorist active infinitive | make … clean | 3× |
| katharizarōntosκαθαρίζων | happening now · subjectpresent active participle nominative singular masculine | declared … clean | 1× |
| katharizarantosκαθαρίσας | happened · subjectaorist active participle nominative singular masculine | cleansing | 2× |
| katharizorēntoinκεκαθαρισμένους | has happened · objectperfect middle or passive participle accusative plural masculine | cleansed | 1× |
Every form the New Testament uses, in paradigm order. What the system can build beyond them — the whole of this verb, whether the text happens to use it or not — is in the tables below.
Every form the system can build — all 172, by mood, including the ones the New Testament never uses
Statements — indicative mood, 14 occurrences
the subject acts active voice
| Who person | happening now present | was happening imperfect | will happen future | happened aorist | has happened perfect | had happened pluperfect |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | katharizamō | katharizame | katharizami | katharizama | katharizamē | katharizamelē |
| you 2nd person singular | katharizasō | katharizase | katharizasi | katharizasa | katharizasē | katharizaselē |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | katharizatō1×καθαρίζει | katharizate | katharizati1×καθαριεῖ | katharizata2×ἐκαθάρισεν | katharizatē | katharizatelē |
| we 1st person plural | katharizanō | katharizane | katharizani | katharizana | katharizanē | katharizanelē |
| ye 2nd person plural | katharizavō2×καθαρίζετε | katharizave | katharizavi | katharizava | katharizavē | katharizavelē |
| they 3rd person plural | katharizalō | katharizale | katharizali | katharizala | katharizalē | katharizalelē |
acts on itself, or is acted on middle or passive voice
| Who person | happening now present | was happening imperfect | has happened perfect | had happened pluperfect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | katharizomō | katharizome | katharizomē | katharizomelē |
| you 2nd person singular | katharizosō | katharizose | katharizosē | katharizoselē |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | katharizotō1×καθαρίζεται | katharizote | katharizotē | katharizotelē |
| we 1st person plural | katharizonō | katharizone | katharizonē | katharizonelē |
| ye 2nd person plural | katharizovō | katharizove | katharizovē | katharizovelē |
| they 3rd person plural | katharizolō2×καθαρίζονται | katharizole | katharizolē | katharizolelē |
acted on passive voice
| Who person | will happen future | happened aorist |
|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | katharizimi | katharizima |
| you 2nd person singular | katharizisi | katharizisa |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | kathariziti | katharizita3×ἐκαθαρίσθη |
| we 1st person plural | katharizini | katharizina |
| ye 2nd person plural | katharizivi | kathariziva |
| they 3rd person plural | katharizili | katharizila2×ἐκαθαρίσθησαν |
May, might — subjunctive mood, 3 occurrences
the subject acts active voice
| Who person | happening now present | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | katharizameiō | katharizameia | katharizameiē |
| you 2nd person singular | katharizaseiō | katharizaseia | katharizaseiē |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | katharizateiō | katharizateia2×καθαρίσῃ | katharizateiē |
| we 1st person plural | katharizaneiō | katharizaneia1×καθαρίσωμεν | katharizaneiē |
| ye 2nd person plural | katharizaveiō | katharizaveia | katharizaveiē |
| they 3rd person plural | katharizaleiō | katharizaleia | katharizaleiē |
acts on itself, or is acted on middle or passive voice
| Who person | happening now present | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | katharizomeiō | katharizomeiē |
| you 2nd person singular | katharizoseiō | katharizoseiē |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | katharizoteiō | katharizoteiē |
| we 1st person plural | katharizoneiō | katharizoneiē |
| ye 2nd person plural | katharizoveiō | katharizoveiē |
| they 3rd person plural | katharizoleiō | katharizoleiē |
acted on passive voice
| Who person | happened aorist |
|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | katharizimeia |
| you 2nd person singular | kathariziseia |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | kathariziteia |
| we 1st person plural | katharizineia |
| ye 2nd person plural | kathariziveia |
| they 3rd person plural | katharizileia |
Commands — imperative mood, 6 occurrences
the subject acts active voice
| Who person | happening now present | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|
| you 2nd person singular | katharizasōr | katharizasar1×καθάρισον | katharizasēr |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | katharizatōr | katharizatar | katharizatēr |
| ye 2nd person plural | katharizavōr1×καθαρίζετε | katharizavar1×καθαρίσατε | katharizavēr |
| they 3rd person plural | katharizalōr | katharizalar | katharizalēr |
acts on itself, or is acted on middle or passive voice
| Who person | happening now present | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|
| you 2nd person singular | katharizosōr | katharizosēr |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | katharizotōr | katharizotēr |
| ye 2nd person plural | katharizovōr | katharizovēr |
| they 3rd person plural | katharizolōr | katharizolēr |
acted on passive voice
| Who person | happened aorist |
|---|---|
| you 2nd person singular | katharizisar3×καθαρίσθητι |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | katharizitar |
| ye 2nd person plural | katharizivar |
| they 3rd person plural | katharizilar |
Wishes — optative mood, no occurrences
the subject acts active voice
| Who person | happening now present | happened aorist |
|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | katharizamoiō | katharizamoia |
| you 2nd person singular | katharizasoiō | katharizasoia |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | katharizatoiō | katharizatoia |
| we 1st person plural | katharizanoiō | katharizanoia |
| ye 2nd person plural | katharizavoiō | katharizavoia |
| they 3rd person plural | katharizaloiō | katharizaloia |
acts on itself, or is acted on middle or passive voice
| Who person | happening now present |
|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | katharizomoiō |
| you 2nd person singular | katharizosoiō |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | katharizotoiō |
| we 1st person plural | katharizonoiō |
| ye 2nd person plural | katharizovoiō |
| they 3rd person plural | katharizoloiō |
acted on passive voice
| Who person | happened aorist |
|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | katharizimoia |
| you 2nd person singular | katharizisoia |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | katharizitoia |
| we 1st person plural | katharizinoia |
| ye 2nd person plural | katharizivoia |
| they 3rd person plural | kathariziloia |
The “to …” form — infinitive, 4 occurrences
| Who is acting voice | happening now present | will happen future | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| the subject acts active voice | katharizarō | katharizari | katharizara3×καθαρίσαι | katharizarē |
| acts on itself, or is acted on middle or passive voice | katharizorō1×καθαρίζεσθαι | katharizorē | ||
| acted on passive voice | kathariziri | katharizira |
Used as an adjective — participle, 4 occurrences
| Who is acting voice | happening now present | will happen future | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| the subject acts active voice | katharizarōntos1×καθαρίζων | katharizarintos | katharizarantos2×καθαρίσας | katharizarēntos |
| acts on itself, or is acted on middle or passive voice | katharizorōntos | katharizorēntos1× | ||
| acted on passive voice | katharizirintos | katharizirantos |
Each is given in the form it takes as a subject. From there a participle carries the ordinary noun endings, in every case, number and gender — so these four columns are the whole of what the verb contributes.
How every form is built — the slots that make them
kathariz is this word in every one of its forms. The slots after it make all the rest.
same in every form varies — every value shown
Where it appears
Every verse the word appears in, filed under the form it takes there.
31 occurrences, every one of them listed
katharizatō“cleanses”happening now · he/she/itpresent active indicative 3rd person singular1×
1 John 1:7… tem haimem Iēsu tou huiou autou katharizatō nin apo pantau hamartau.… the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.
katharizavō“clean”happening now · yepresent active indicative 2nd person plural2×
Matthew 23:25… vi, grammatevoir kai Farisaioir hupokritoir, hoti katharizavō tem exōthen teu potērieu kai tau …… scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and …
Luke 11:39… exōthen teu potērieu kai tou pinaxou katharizavō, tem de esōthen vu gematō harpagau …… the Lord said, “Now you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and …
katharizotō“purified”happening now · he/she/itpresent middle or passive indicative 3rd person singular1×
Hebrews 9:22kai schedōs en haime panteim katharizotō kata ton nomon, kai chōris haimatekchusiau …… in fact, nearly everything must be purified with blood, and without the shedding …
katharizolō“cleansed”happening now · theypresent middle or passive indicative 3rd person plural2×
Matthew 11:5tuflois anablepalō kai chōlois peripatalō, leprois katharizolō kai kōfois akoualō, kai nekrois egerolō …… the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are …
Luke 7:22… akouava; tuflois anablepalō, chōlois peripatalō, leprois katharizolō, kōfois akoualō, nekrois egerolō, ptōchois euangelizolō;… the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are …
katharizati“cleanse”will happen · he/she/itfuture active indicative 3rd person singular1×
Hebrews 9:14“cleanse”… aiōnieu heauton prosferata amōmon to theo, katharizati tan suneidēsian nu apo nekreiu ergeiu …… who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself unblemished to God, purify our consciences from works of death …
katharizata“made clean”happened · he/she/itaorist active indicative 3rd person singular2×
Acts 10:15… deutereu pros auton; Heim tos theos katharizata sis mē koinasōr.… call anything impure that God has made clean.”
Acts 11:9… ek tou ouranou; Heim tos theos katharizata sis mē koinasōr.… call anything impure that God has made clean.’
katharizita“cleansed”happened · he/she/itaorist passive indicative 3rd person singular3×
Matthew 8:3… autou legarōntos; Thelamō, katharizisar; kai eutheōs katharizita autou tas lepras.… clean!” And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.
Mark 1:42“made clean”… aperchata apo autou tas lepras, kai katharizita.And immediately the leprosy left him, and the man …
Luke 4:27… Elisaiosou tou profētou, kai oudenos autoiu katharizita, ei mē Naiman tos Suros.… Yet not one of them was cleansed— only Naaman the Syrian.”
katharizila“cleansed”happened · theyaorist passive indicative 3rd person plural2×
Luke 17:14… kai geneta en te hupagarō autoin katharizila.… were on their way, they were cleansed.
Luke 17:17… tos Iēsus legata; Ouchi tois deka katharizila? tois de ennea pou?“Were not all ten cleansed?” Jesus asked. “Where then are the …
katharizateia“purify”happened · he/she/itaorist active subjunctive 3rd person singular2×
Titus 2:14… lutreteia nin apo pantau anomiau kai katharizateia heauto laon periousion, zēlōton kaleiu ergeiu.… us from all lawlessness and to purify for Himself a people for His …
1 John 1:9… hina afiēkateia ni tain hamartain kai katharizateia nin apo pantau adikiau.… forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
katharizaneia“cleanse”happened · weaorist active subjunctive 1st person plural1×
2 Corinthians 7:1houtain oun echarōntois tain epangeliain, agapētoir, katharizaneia heautoin apo pantou molusmou sarkau kai …… we have these promises, let us cleanse ourselves from everything that defiles body …
katharizavōr“cleanse”happening now · yepresent active imperative 2nd person plural1×
Matthew 10:8asthenarōntoin therapeuavōr, nekroin egeravōr, leproin katharizavōr, daimoneim ekbalavōr; dōreōs labava, dōreōs dōavar.Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, drive out demons. Freely …
katharizasar“clean”happened · youaorist active imperative 2nd person singular1×
Matthew 23:26Farisaior tuflor, katharizasar prōtem tem entos teu potērieu kai …Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and …
katharizavar“cleanse”happened · yeaorist active imperative 2nd person plural1×
James 4:8engizavar to theo, kai engizati vi. katharizavar cheirain, hamartōloir, kai hagnizavar kardiain, dipsuchoir.… He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify …
katharizisar“clean”happened · youaorist passive imperative 2nd person singular3×
Matthew 8:3… tan cheiran hapteta autou legarōntos; Thelamō, katharizisar; kai eutheōs katharizita autou tas lepras.… I am willing,” He said. “Be clean!” And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.
Mark 1:41“made clean”… autou hapteta kai legatō auto; Thelamō, katharizisar;… reached out His hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” He said. “Be clean!”
Luke 5:13… tan cheiran hapteta autou legarantos; Thelamō, katharizisar; kai eutheōs tas lepras aperchata apo …… I am willing,” He said. “Be clean!” And immediately the leprosy left him.
katharizorō“purified”happening now · the “to …” formpresent middle or passive infinitive1×
Hebrews 9:23… hupodeigmeim teiu en toi ouranoi houtei katharizorō, auteim de teim epouraneim kreittonai thusiai …… of the heavenly things to be purified with these sacrifices, but the heavenly …
katharizara“make … clean”happened · the “to …” formaorist active infinitive3×
Matthew 8:2… legarōntos; Kurior, ean thelaseiō dunosō min katharizara.… if You are willing, You can make me clean.”
Mark 1:40… auto hoti Ean thelaseiō dunosō min katharizara.… If You are willing, You can make me clean.”
Luke 5:12… legarōntos; Kurior, ean thelaseiō dunosō min katharizara.… if You are willing, You can make me clean.”
katharizarōntos“declared … clean”happening now · subjectpresent active participle nominative singular masculine1×
Mark 7:19… koilian, kai eis ton afedrōnon ekporeuotō? katharizarōntos panteim teim brōmeim.… is eliminated.” (Thus all foods are clean.)
katharizarantos“cleansing”happened · subjectaorist active participle nominative singular masculine2×
Acts 15:9“cleansing”… nu tē kai auteiu, ta pistia katharizarantos tain kardiain auteiu.… distinction between us and them, for He cleansed their hearts by faith.
Ephesians 5:26hina autan hagiazateia katharizarantos te loutre teu hudeu en rēme,to sanctify her, cleansing her by the washing with water …
katharizorēntoin“cleansed”has happened · objectperfect middle or passive participle accusative plural masculine1×
Hebrews 10:2… ēti suneidēsian hamartaiu toin latreuarōntoin hapax katharizorēntoin?… For the worshipers would have been cleansed once for all, and would no …