verb
kathizamō
Strong’sG2523
I set, make to sit
stem kathiz-46 times in the New Testamentin 10 of 27 books14 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
Καθίζω has two related senses.
Used causally, it means to make someone sit down, or by extension to set, appoint, or install someone in a position 124. LSJ notes the same causal use in wider Greek, where it can mean to seat someone, post guards, set something up, convene an assembly, or appoint a judge, though these particular nuances are not the ones found in the Bible 3.
Used intransitively, it means simply to sit down, take one's seat, or be seated 1234. From this comes a further, figurative use of settling or dwelling in a place, i.e. residing there 123.
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
καθ-ίζω,
[in LXX chiefly for ישׁב;]
G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament, 1922 — public domain. References open in the reader.
Strong’s G2523 — the 1890 definition, and where the word comes from
Saidkath-id'-zo
to seat down, i.e. set (figuratively, appoint); intransitively, to sit (down); figuratively, to settle (hover, dwell)
Fromanother (active) form for G2516;
King Jamescontinue, set, sit (down), tarry.
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
Ionic dialect κατ-, imperfect κάθιζον Refs 8th c.BC+: future καθέσω Refs 5th c.BC+; καθίσω (intransitive) Refs 2nd c.AD+; Ionic dialect κατίσω (transitive) Refs 5th c.BC+; Attic dialect also καθιῶ Refs 5th c.BC+; Doric dialect καθιξῶ Refs 2nd c.BC+: aorist 1 καθεῖσα Refs 8th c.BC+subjunctive καθέσω Refs 5th c.BC+; infinitive καθέσαι Refs 5th c.BC+; poetry κάθεσσα Refs 5th c.BC+ codices; this aorist καθεῖσα has Ms. authority in Refs 8th c.BC+; also Epic dialect participle καθίσσας Refs 8th c.BC+; Doric dialect καθίξας Refs 3rd c.BC+subjunctive καθίξῃRefs; late participle καθιζήσας, subjunctive -ζήσῃ, Refs 2nd c.AD+: perfect κεκάθῐκα NT+1st c.BC+:—middle, imperfect ἐκαθιζόμην Refs 8th c.BC+: future καθιζήσομαι NT+5th c.BC+ -ιοῦμαι LXX: aorist 1 καθεσσάμην Refs 6th c.BC+; Epic dialect ἐκαθισσάμην Refs 3rd c.BC+:—passive, aorist 1 participle καθιζηθείς Refs 2nd c.AD+
I causal, make to sit down, seat, ἄλλους μὲν κάθισον Τρῶας Refs 8th c.BC+.; καθιεῖν τινα εἰς τὸν θρόνον, i.e. to make him king, Refs 5th c.BC+
I.2 set, place, τὸν μὲν.. καθεῖσεν ἐπ᾽ ἠϊόεντι Σκαμάνδρῳ Refs 8th c.BC+; κ. στρατόν encamp it, Refs 5th c.BC+
I.2.b post watchers, guards, etc., σκοπὸς ὅν ῥα καθεῖσεν Αἴγισθος Refs 8th c.BC+; κατίσαι φυλάκους set guards, Refs 5th c.BC+: rarely of things, τι ἐπὶ τηγάνοις Refs 5th c.BC+
I.3 set up, ἀνδριάντα κάθεσσαν Refs 5th c.BC+ codices:—middle, καθέσσασθαι Refs 6th c.BC+
I.4 cause an assembly, court, etc., to take their seats, convene, ἀγορὰς ἠμὲν λύει ἠδὲ καθίζει Refs 8th c.BC+; ὅταν καθέσωσιν ἀγῶνα Refs 5th c.BC+; but κ. τινὶ δικαστήν appoint a judge to try a person, Refs 5th c.BC+; constitute, establish, δικαστήρια Refs 5th c.BC+
I.5 put into a certain condition, especially in the phrase κλαίοντά τινα κ set him aweeping, κλάοντα καθέσω ς᾽ Refs 5th c.BC+. to make him weep: for Refs 3rd c.BC+
I.6 marry, γυναῖκας ἀλλοτρίας LXX
II intransitive, take one's seat, sit, absolutely, Refs 8th c.BC+; μετ᾽ ἀθανάτοισι, ἐν θρόνοισι καθίζειν,Refs 8th c.BC+; ἐν [θώκοισι] Refs 5th c.BC+; ἐπὶ τοῖς ἐργαστηρίοις or τῶν -ίων, Refs 5th c.BC+, of rowers, Refs 5th c.BC+; of suppliants, κ. ἐπὶ τὸν βωμόν Refs 5th c.BC+; βωμόν, ὀμφαλόν, ἱερά, Refs
II.2 sit, recline at meals, Refs 5th c.BC+
II.3 sit as judge, Refs 5th c.BC+; hold a session, of the πρόεδροι, Refs 4th c.BC+
II.4 reside, μετά τινος LXX; ἐν πόλειLXX
II.5 settle, sink down, ἐπὶ τὰ ἰσχία καθίσαι τὼ ἵππω Refs 5th c.BC+
II.6 of ships, run aground, be stranded, Refs 2nd c.BC+
III middle in intransitive sense, Refs 8th c.BC+; ἐὰν δὲ καθίζεσθαι κελεύσῃ if he order them to take their seats (among the spectators in the theatre), Refs 4th c.BC+; καθίζεσθαι ἢ κατακλινῆναι Refs 5th c.BC+
III.2 of birds, settle, alight, Refs 4th c.BC+
III.3 leave goods purchased in a market, Refs 3rd c.BC+.--Attic dialect in this signification accusative to Refs 5th c.AD+
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.
1 rarer rendering are not shown; every occurrence below carries the English it was given there.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| kathizavōκαθίζετε | happening now · yepresent active indicative 2nd person plural | appoint | 1× |
| kathizatiκαθίσει | will happen · he/she/itfuture active indicative 3rd person singular | sit | 1× |
| kathizamaἐκάθισα | happened · Iaorist active indicative 1st person singular | sat down | 1× |
| kathizataἐκάθισεν | happened · he/she/itaorist active indicative 3rd person singular | sat down | 13× |
| kathizalaἐκάθισαν | happened · theyaorist active indicative 3rd person plural | sit | 3× |
| kathizatēκεκάθικεν | has happened · he/she/itperfect active indicative 3rd person singular | sat down | 1× |
| kathizateiaκαθίσῃ | happened · he/she/itaorist active subjunctive 3rd person singular | sits | 1× |
| kathizaneiaκαθίσωμεν | happened · weaorist active subjunctive 1st person plural | sit | 1× |
| kathizaleiaκαθίσωσιν | happened · theyaorist active subjunctive 3rd person plural | sit | 1× |
| kathizavarΚαθίσατε | happened · yeaorist active imperative 2nd person plural | sit | 3× |
| kathizaraκαθίσαι | happened · the “to …” formaorist active infinitive | sit | 6× |
| kathizarantosκαθίσας | happened · subjectaorist active participle nominative singular masculine | sat down | 11× |
| kathizarantouκαθίσαντος | happened · of, belonging toaorist active participle genitive singular masculine | sat down | 1× |
| kathizarantoisκαθίσαντες | happened · subjectaorist active participle nominative plural masculine | sat down | 2× |
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 86, by mood, including the ones the New Testament never uses
Statements — indicative mood, 20 occurrences
| Who person | happening now present | was happening imperfect | will happen future | happened aorist | has happened perfect | had happened pluperfect |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | kathizamō | kathizame | kathizami | kathizama1×ἐκάθισα | kathizamē | kathizamelē |
| you 2nd person singular | kathizasō | kathizase | kathizasi | kathizasa | kathizasē | kathizaselē |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | kathizatō | kathizate | kathizati1×καθίσει | kathizata13×ἐκάθισεν | kathizatē1×κεκάθικεν | kathizatelē |
| we 1st person plural | kathizanō | kathizane | kathizani | kathizana | kathizanē | kathizanelē |
| ye 2nd person plural | kathizavō1×καθίζετε | kathizave | kathizavi | kathizava | kathizavē | kathizavelē |
| they 3rd person plural | kathizalō | kathizale | kathizali | kathizala3×ἐκάθισαν | kathizalē | kathizalelē |
May, might — subjunctive mood, 3 occurrences
| Who person | happening now present | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | kathizameiō | kathizameia | kathizameiē |
| you 2nd person singular | kathizaseiō | kathizaseia | kathizaseiē |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | kathizateiō | kathizateia1×καθίσῃ | kathizateiē |
| we 1st person plural | kathizaneiō | kathizaneia1×καθίσωμεν | kathizaneiē |
| ye 2nd person plural | kathizaveiō | kathizaveia | kathizaveiē |
| they 3rd person plural | kathizaleiō | kathizaleia1×καθίσωσιν | kathizaleiē |
Commands — imperative mood, 3 occurrences
| Who person | happening now present | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|
| you 2nd person singular | kathizasōr | kathizasar | kathizasēr |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | kathizatōr | kathizatar | kathizatēr |
| ye 2nd person plural | kathizavōr | kathizavar3×Καθίσατε | kathizavēr |
| they 3rd person plural | kathizalōr | kathizalar | kathizalēr |
Wishes — optative mood, no occurrences
| Who person | happening now present | happened aorist |
|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | kathizamoiō | kathizamoia |
| you 2nd person singular | kathizasoiō | kathizasoia |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | kathizatoiō | kathizatoia |
| we 1st person plural | kathizanoiō | kathizanoia |
| ye 2nd person plural | kathizavoiō | kathizavoia |
| they 3rd person plural | kathizaloiō | kathizaloia |
The “to …” form — infinitive, 6 occurrences
| Who is acting voice | happening now present | will happen future | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| the subject acts active voice | kathizarō | kathizari | kathizara6×καθίσαι | kathizarē |
Used as an adjective — participle, 14 occurrences
| Who is acting voice | happening now present | will happen future | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| the subject acts active voice | kathizarōntos | kathizarintos | kathizarantos14×καθίσας | kathizarēntos |
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
kathiz 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.
46 occurrences, every one of them listed
kathizavō“appoint”happening now · yepresent active indicative 2nd person plural1×
1 Corinthians 6:4… toin exouthenorēntoin en ta ekklēsa, houtoin kathizavō?… to settle everyday matters, do you appoint as judges those of no standing …
kathizati“sit”will happen · he/she/itfuture active indicative 3rd person singular1×
Matthew 25:31… pantois tois angelois meta autou, tote kathizati epi thronou doxau autou;… the angels with Him, He will sit on His glorious throne.
kathizama“sat down”happened · Iaorist active indicative 1st person singular1×
Revelation 3:21… throno mu, hōs kamis nikama kai kathizama meta tou patrou mu en to …… throne, just as I overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.
kathizata“sat down”happened · he/she/itaorist active indicative 3rd person singular13×
Mark 11:2… dorēnton epi hon oudenos oupō anthrōpoiu kathizata; luavar auton kai feravōr.… on which no one has ever sat. Untie it and bring it here.
Mark 11:7… epibalalō auto teim himatieim autoiu, kai kathizata epi auton.… their cloaks over it, and He sat on it.
Mark 16:19… autoi analabita eis ton ouranon kai kathizata ek dexeiu tou theou.… was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God.
Luke 4:20… ptussarantos tem bibliem apodōarantos to hupēreto kathizata; kai pantoiu tois ofthalmois en ta …… returned it to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the …
Luke 19:30… dorēnton, epi hon oudenos pōpote anthrōpoiu kathizata, kai luarantois auton agavar.… on which no one has ever sat. Untie it and bring it here.
John 12:14heuriskarantos de tos Iēsus onariem kathizata epi autem, kathōs atō graforēntem;Finding a young donkey, Jesus sat on it, as it is written:
John 19:13“sat down”… houtoiu agata exō ton Iēsun, kai kathizata epi bēmeu eis topon legorōnton Lithostrōton, …… Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus out and sat on the judgment seat at a place called the Stone Pavement, which in …
Acts 2:3“rested”… autoi diamerizorōntais glōssais hōsei pureu, kai kathizata epi henon hekaston autoiu,They saw tongues like flames of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them.
Acts 18:11kathizata de eniauton kai mēnoin hex didaskarōntos …So Paul stayed for a year and a half …
1 Corinthians 10:7… genovōr, kathōs tinois autoiu; hōsper grafotē; Kathizata tos laos esthiara kai pinara, kai …… As it is written: “The people sat down to eat and drink and got …
Hebrews 1:3… dia heautou katharismon taiu hamartaiu poierantos kathizata en dexa tau megalōsunau en hupsēloi,… had provided purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the …
Hebrews 8:1… tei legorōntei, toiouton echanō archierevon, hos kathizata en dexa tou thronou tau megalōsunau …… have such a high priest, who sat down at the right hand of the …
Hebrews 10:12… hamartaiu prosferarantos thusian eis tem diēnekem kathizata en dexa tou theou,… time one sacrifice for sins, He sat down at the right hand of God.
kathizala“sit”happened · theyaorist active indicative 3rd person plural3×
Matthew 23:2legarōntos; Epi tau Mōusou kathedrau kathizala tois grammatevois kai tois Farisaiois.“The scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat.
Acts 13:14… tan sunagōgan ta hēmera teiu sabbateiu kathizala.… the synagogue on the Sabbath and sat down.
Revelation 20:4Kai horama thronoin, kai kathizala epi autoin, kai krimem dōita autoi, …… I saw the thrones, and those seated on them had been given authority …
kathizatē“sat down”has happened · he/she/itperfect active indicative 3rd person singular1×
Hebrews 12:2… dexa tē tou thronou tou theou kathizatē.… the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the …
kathizateia“sits”happened · he/she/itaorist active subjunctive 3rd person singular1×
Matthew 19:28… akoloutharantois mi en ta palingenesia, hotan kathizateia tos huios tou anthrōpou epi thronou …… things, when the Son of Man sits on His glorious throne, you who …
kathizaneia“sit”happened · weaorist active subjunctive 1st person plural1×
Mark 10:37… ek dexeiu kai henos ek aristereiu kathizaneia en ta doxa su.… Grant that one of us may sit at Your right hand and the …
kathizaleia“sit”happened · theyaorist active subjunctive 3rd person plural1×
Matthew 20:21… Tinem thelasō? legatō auto; Legasar hina kathizaleia houtois tois duo huiois mu henos …… these two sons of mine may sit at Your right hand, and the …
kathizavar“sit”happened · yeaorist active imperative 2nd person plural3×
Matthew 26:36… legorōntem Gethsēmani, kai legatō toi mathētoi; Kathizavar autou heōs hou apercharantos ekei proseuchemeia.… called Gethsemane, and He told them, “Sit here while I go over there …
Mark 14:32… Gethsēmani, kai legatō toi mathētoi autou; Kathizavar hōde heōs proseuchemeia.… Gethsemane, and Jesus told His disciples, “Sit here while I pray.”
Luke 24:49“stay”… patrou mu epi vin; vis de kathizavar en ta pola heōs hou endueveia …… promise of My Father upon you. But remain in the city until you have been clothed with power …
kathizara“sit”happened · the “to …” formaorist active infinitive6×
Matthew 20:23… men potēriem mu pinevi, tem de kathizara ek dexeiu mu kai ek euōnumeiu …… My cup,” Jesus said. “But to sit at My right or left is …
Mark 10:40tem de kathizara ek dexeiu mu ē ek euōnumeiu …But to sit at My right or left is …
Acts 2:30“seat”… theos ek karpou tau osfuau autou kathizara epi ton thronon autou,… knew that God had promised him on oath that He would place one of his descendants on his throne.
Acts 8:31… min? parakalata tē ton Filippon anabainaranton kathizara sun auto.… invited Philip to come up and sit with him.
2 Thessalonians 2:4… auton eis ton naon tou theou kathizara apodeikarōnton heauton hoti atō theos.… object of worship. So he will seat himself in the temple of God …
Revelation 3:21tos nikarōntos dōami auto kathizara meta mu en to throno mu, …… I will grant the right to sit with Me on My throne, just …
kathizarantos“sat down”happened · subjectaorist active participle nominative singular masculine11×
Mark 9:35“sat down”kai kathizarantos fōnata toin dōdeka kai legatō autoi; …… down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, “If anyone wants to be first, he must be the last of all and the servant …
Mark 12:41“sat down”Kai kathizarantos katenanti teu gazofulakieu theōrate pōs tos …… was sitting opposite the treasury, He watched the crowd putting …
Luke 5:3“sat down”… auton apo tau gēau epanagara oligem, kathizarantos de ek teu ploieu didaskate toin …… and asked him to put out a little from shore. And sitting down, He taught the people from the boat.
Luke 14:28… vu thelarōntos purgon oikodomara ouchi prōtem kathizarantos psēfizatō tan dapanan, ei echatō eis …… build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost to see …
Luke 14:31… hetero basilevo sumballara eis polemon ouchi kathizarantos prōtem bouleueti ei dunatos atō en …… with another king will not first sit down and consider whether he can engage …
Luke 16:6… auto; Dechesar su teim grammeim kai kathizarantos tacheōs grafasar pentēkonta.… Take your bill,’ said the manager, ‘sit down quickly, and write fifty.’
John 8:2… kai pantos tos laos archote kai kathizarantos didaskate autoin.… people came to Him, and He sat down to teach them.
Acts 12:21“took … seat”… tos Hērōdos enduerantos esthan basilikan kai kathizarantos epi teu bēmeu dēmēgorate pros autoin;… appointed day, Herod donned his royal robes, sat on his throne, and addressed the people.
Acts 25:6… deka, katabainarantos eis Kaisareian, ta epaurion kathizarantos epi teu bēmeu keleuata ton Paulon …… day he sat on the judgment seat and ordered that Paul be brought …
Acts 25:17… enthade anabolan mēdenan poierantos ta hexēs kathizarantos epi teu bēmeu keleuama agira ton …… day I sat on the judgment seat and ordered that the man be …
Ephesians 1:20… Christo egerarantos auton ek nekroiu, kai kathizarantos en dexa autou en tei epouranei… raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in …
kathizarantou“sat down”happened · of, belonging toaorist active participle genitive singular masculine1×
Matthew 5:1… ochloin anabainata eis tem orem; kai kathizarantou autou proserchala auto tois mathētois autou;… went up on the mountain and sat down. His disciples came to Him,
kathizarantois“sat down”happened · subjectaorist active participle nominative plural masculine2×
Matthew 13:48… plērita anabibazarantois epi ton aigialon kai kathizarantois sullegala teim kaleim eis angeim, teim …… men pulled it ashore. Then they sat down and sorted the good fish into …
Acts 16:13“sat down”… potamon hou nomizane proseuchan arō, kai kathizarantois lalane tai sunercharantai gunaikai.… along the river, where it was customary to find a place of prayer. After sitting down, we spoke to the women who had gathered there.