κατείχετο
katéchō
was afflicted
To hold fast or firmly, to keep possession of, to restrain or suppress. In various contexts, it can mean to physically hold or seize, to retain in memory, to prevent or hinder, or to keep possession or control over something. The word may also be applied in abstract contexts (e.g., holding on to truth, suppressing information, or restraining actions or persons).
John 5:4 · Word #28
Lexicon G2722
| Lemma | κατέχω |
| Transliteration | katéchō |
| Strong's | G2722 |
| Definition | To hold fast or firmly, to keep possession of, to restrain or suppress. In various contexts, it can mean to physically hold or seize, to retain in memory, to prevent or hinder, or to keep possession or control over something. The word may also be applied in abstract contexts (e.g., holding on to truth, suppressing information, or restraining actions or persons). |
Morphology V IMPF PASS IND 3P SG
All morphology codes
| Part of Speech | V — Verb — An action or state of being |
| Tense | IMPF — Imperfect — Continuous or repeated past action |
| Voice | PASS — Passive — The subject receives the action |
| Mood | IND — Indicative — States a fact or reality |
| Person | 3P — 3rd person — The one spoken about ("he/she/it/they") |
| Number | SG — Singular — One |
Common Translation
| Phrase | was afflicted |
| Literal | was-held-down |
Lexical Info
| Lemma | κατέχω |
| Strong's | G2722 |
SIBI-P1 Translation G2722-09
was being held fast
| Morphological Notes | Verb; imperfect tense (past ongoing), passive voice, indicative mood, 3rd person singular. |
| Rendering Rationale | The imperfect passive indicative denotes an ongoing past action in which the subject was being acted upon. "Was being held fast" preserves the intensified sense of κατά (down/against) with ἔχω (hold), conveying sustained restraint or firm holding. |
View full lexicon entry for G2722 →
SILEX v2
SIBI-P2 (Context-Aware)
was being held fast
| Same as P1 | Yes |
| Rationale | 'Was being held fast' conveys the passive, ongoing sense of the verb in context as per SILEX; P1 is correct. |