Original Word: κατηχέω
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: katécheó
Pronunciation: kat-ay-kheh'-o
Phonetic Spelling: (kat-ay-kheh'-o)
Definition: To instruct, to teach, to inform
Meaning: I instruct orally, teach, inform.

Word Origin: From κατά (kata, meaning "down" or "against") and ἠχέω (écheo, meaning "to sound" or "to echo")

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: While there is no direct Hebrew equivalent for κατηχέω, the concept of teaching and instruction is prevalent in the Hebrew Scriptures, often associated with the Hebrew verb לָמַד (lamad, Strong's H3925), meaning "to learn" or "to teach."

Usage: The verb κατηχέω (katécheó) primarily means to instruct or teach orally. It conveys the idea of imparting information or doctrine through spoken word, often in a systematic or repetitive manner. In the New Testament, it is used in the context of religious instruction, particularly in teaching the principles of the Christian faith.

Cultural and Historical Background: In the Greco-Roman world, oral instruction was a common method of teaching, especially in philosophical and religious contexts. The term κατηχέω is the root of the English word "catechism," which refers to a summary of religious doctrine often in the form of questions and answers. In the early Christian church, catechesis was an essential part of preparing new converts for baptism and integrating them into the faith community.

2727 katēxéō (from 2596 /katá, "down, according to," which intensifies 2278 /ēxéō, "to sound") – properly, "sound down," i.e. learn exactly by sounds (meaningful repetition); to learn by nuanced repetition; to catechize, teaching foundational truths as they relate to progressing in the Christian life (cf. 1 Cor 14:19; Gal 6:6).

[The prefix kata lends the idea "exactly," indicating how oral instruction skillfully brought a subject from one level to another to reach precise and growing understanding.]

Word Origin
from kata and écheó
Definition
to teach by word of mouth
NASB Translation
instruct (1), instructed (2), taught (2), teaches (1), told (2).

STRONGS NT 2727: κατηχέω

κατηχέω, κατήχω: 1 aorist κατήχησα; passive, present κατηχοῦμみゅーαあるふぁιいおた; perfect κατήχημαι; 1 aorist κατηχήθην; nowhere met with in the O. T.; very rare in secular authors;

1. properly, to sound toward, sound down upon, resound: ἁρμονία κατηχει τたうῆς θαλαττης, Philostr., p. 791 (icon. 1, 19); to charm with resounding sound, to fascinate, τたうιいおたνにゅーαあるふぁ μύθοις, Lucian, Jup. trag. 39.

2. to teach orally, to instruct: Lucian, asin. § 48; Philopatr. 17. In the N. T. only used by Luke and Paul: τたうιいおたνにゅーαあるふぁ, 1 Corinthians 14:19; passive ἐκかっぱ τたうοおみくろんῦ νόμου, by bearing the law, accustomed to be publicly read in the synagogues, Romans 2:18; with the accusative of the thing, αあるふぁὐτός σしぐまεいぷしろん πολλά κατηχήσω τたうῶνにゅー ἀγνωυμενων, Josephus, de vita sua §65 at the end; with accusative of a thing and of a person, τたうοおみくろんῦ ἀληθοῦς λόγου βραχέα κατηχησας μみゅーεいぷしろん, Clement. hom. 1, 13; passive with the accusative of the thing: τήν ὁδόν τたうοおみくろんῦ κυρίου, Acts 18:25; τόν λόγον, Galatians 6:6; hence, some ((see Meyer, in the place cited)) resolve Luke 1:4 thus: περί τたうῶνにゅー λόγων, οおみくろんὕς κατηχήθης (see below).

3. to inform by word of mouth; passive to be orally informed: followed by ὅτたうιいおた, Philo de leg. ad Gaium § 30; περί τίνος (the genitive of person), followed by ὅτたうιいおた, Acts 21:21; with the accusative of the thing, ὧνにゅー, κατήχηνται περί σしぐまοおみくろんυうぷしろん i. e. τούτων, ἅ κかっぱτたうλらむだ., Acts 21:24 (κατηχηθεις περί τたうῶνにゅー συμβεβηκότων (pseudo-) Plutarch, de fluviis (7, 2); 8, 1; 7, 1). To this construction the majority refer Luke 1:4, construing it thus: τήν ἀσφάλειαν τたうῶνにゅー λόγων, περί ὧνにゅー κατηχήθης (Winers Grammar, 165 (156); Buttmann, § 143, 7; (see above)). Cf. Gilbert, Dissertatio de christianae catecheseos historia (Lipsius 1836) Part i., p. 1ff; Zezschwitz, System der christl. Katechetik (Leipz. 1863) i., p. 17ff; (and for ecclesiastical usage, Suicer, Thesaurus 2:69ff; Sophocles' Lexicon, under the word).

inform, instruct, teach.

From kata and echos; to sound down into the ears, i.e. (by implication) to indoctrinate ("catechize") or (genitive case) to apprise of -- inform, instruct, teach.

see GREEK kata

see GREEK echos

κατηχηθης κατηχήθης κατηχηθησαν κατηχήθησαν κατηχημενος κατηχημένος κατηχηνται κατήχηνται κατηχησω κατηχήσω κατηχουμενος κατηχούμενος κατηχουντι κατηχούντι κατηχοῦνにゅーτたうιいおた katechemenos katecheménos katēchēmenos katēchēménos katechentai katēchēntai katḗchentai katḗchēntai katecheso katechḗso katēchēsō katēchḗsō katechethes katechḗthes katēchēthēs katēchḗthēs katechethesan katechḗthesan katēchēthēsan katēchḗthēsan katechoumenos katechoúmenos katēchoumenos katēchoúmenos katechounti katechoûnti katēchounti katēchoûntiInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts