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καθαρίζω

katharízō

G2511 verb

SILEX Entry

Definition

To make clean, to cleanse; to remove physical impurity, dirt, or contaminant. In extended senses, to purify ceremonially or ritually, to remove moral or spiritual defilement, or to render acceptable within a cultic system. In metaphorical or figurative usage, refers to freeing from guilt, blame, or internal corruption.

Semantic Range

to physically cleanse, to remove dirt or filth; to purify ceremonially or ritually; to free from ritual defilement; to remove moral or spiritual uncleanness; to absolve or forgive wrongdoing; to restore to a state of acceptability (ritual, social, or moral)

Root / Etymology

From καθαρός (katharós, 'clean, pure') with the verb-forming suffix -ίζω (-izō), meaning 'to make clean, to clean.' Cognate with related words in classical and Hellenistic Greek dealing with cleanliness and purity.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In classical Greek, καθαρίζω primarily denoted the removal of physical filth or impurity but by the Hellenistic and Second Temple periods extended to ritual and moral purification. In the Septuagint, it frequently translates Hebrew verbs such as טִהֵר (tihér, 'to purify'), often in the context of Levitical or Temple ritual—cleansing lepers, objects, or spaces for cultic acceptability. In the New Testament, the word commonly refers both to ritual purification (as in procedures for those healed from skin disease) and to metaphorical or moral cleansing, especially forgiveness or absolution from sin, sometimes with explicit cultic overtones (e.g., John 15:3; 1 John 1:7,9). English translations often render the term as 'cleanse,' 'purify,' or 'make clean,' but these do not always capture the intertwined cultic, ritual, and ethical dimensions of the original. Distinct from similar verbs such as ἀγνίζω (to consecrate, to make holy) or πλύνω (to wash) in emphasizing removal of impurity and restoration to a 'fit' or 'acceptable' status, whether in a ritual, social, or moral sense.

Translation Consistency

primary "cleanse" 30 occurrences

“Cleanse” best fits the SILEX range (physical washing, ceremonial purification, and moral/forensic removal of defilement) and is the most frequent rendering in the data. It is natural English for both literal and figurative uses (e.g., cleansing from dirt or sin) and will allow consistent, idiomatic inflection across all forms of G2511.

✓ All renderings match approved senses

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from καθαρός; to cleanse (literally or figuratively):--(make) clean(-se), purge, purify.

Root Family

καθαρ- (akatharsía) — to clean, to purify, to be pure

Root καθαρ- to make clean, to cleanse, to purify, to rid of impurity
Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
G167 ἀκαθαρσία to impurity
G169 ἀκάθαρτος unclean things
G2508 καθαίρω he cleanses
G2513 καθαρός to a pure one
G2514 καθαρότης purity

Word Forms

19 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
G2511-06 καθαρίσαι katharisai V AOR ACT INF make clean to cleanse to cleanse 3
G2511-12 καθαρίσθητι katharistheti V AOR PASS IMP 2P SG be clean Be cleansed Be cleansed 3
G2511-16 καθαρίζετε katharizete V PRS ACT IMP 2P PL cleanse be cleansing yourselves be cleansing yourselves 3
G2511-01 ἐκαθάρισεν ekatharisen V AOR ACT IND 3P SG has cleansed he cleansed he cleansed 2
G2511-02 ἐκαθαρίσθη ekatharisthe V AOR PASS IND 3P SG was cleansed was cleansed was cleansed 2
G2511-03 ἐκαθαρίσθησαν ekatharisthesan V AOR PASS IND 3P PL cleansed they were cleansed they were cleansed 2
G2511-07 καθαρίσας katharisas V AOR ACT PTCP NOM M SG having cleansed having cleansed having cleansed 2
G2511-09 καθαρίσῃ katharise V AOR ACT SUBJ 3P SG cleanse he/she/it might cleanse he/she/it might cleanse 2
G2511-18 καθαρίζονται katharizontai V PRS PASS IND 3P PL are cleansed are being cleansed are being cleansed 2
G2511-04 ἐκαθερίσθη ekatheristhe V AOR PASS IND 3P SG he was cleansed was cleansed was cleansed 1

Occurrences in Scripture

31 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
G2511-06 Matthew 8:2 καθαρίσαι katharisai V AOR ACT INF make clean to cleanse to cleanse
G2511-12 Matthew 8:3 καθαρίσθητι katharistheti V AOR PASS IMP 2P SG be clean Be cleansed Be cleansed
G2511-02 Matthew 8:3 ἐκαθαρίσθη ekatharisthe V AOR PASS IND 3P SG was cleansed was cleansed was cleansed
G2511-16 Matthew 10:8 καθαρίζετε katharizete V PRS ACT IMP 2P PL cleanse be cleansing yourselves cleanse
G2511-18 Matthew 11:5 καθαρίζονται katharizontai V PRS PASS IND 3P PL are cleansed are being cleansed are being cleansed
G2511-16 Matthew 23:25 καθαρίζετε katharizete V PRS ACT IND 2P PL you clean be cleansing yourselves be cleansing yourselves
G2511-11 Matthew 23:26 καθάρισον katharison V AOR ACT IMP 2P SG cleanse cleanse! cleanse
G2511-06 Mark 1:40 καθαρίσαι katharisai V AOR ACT INF make clean to cleanse to cleanse
G2511-12 Mark 1:41 καθαρίσθητι katharistheti V AOR PASS IMP 2P SG Be clean! Be cleansed Be cleansed
G2511-04 Mark 1:42 ἐκαθερίσθη ekatheristhe V AOR PASS IND 3P SG he was cleansed was cleansed was cleansed
G2511-17 Mark 7:19 καθαρίζων katharizon V PRS ACT PTCP NOM M SG declaring clean the one cleansing cleansing
G2511-02 Luke 4:27 ἐκαθαρίσθη ekatharisthe V AOR PASS IND 3P SG was cleansed was cleansed was cleansed
G2511-06 Luke 5:12 καθαρίσαι katharisai V AOR ACT INF cleanse to cleanse
G2511-12 Luke 5:13 καθαρίσθητι katharistheti V AOR PASS IMP 2P SG be cleansed Be cleansed Be cleansed
G2511-18 Luke 7:22 καθαρίζονται katharizontai V PRS PASS IND 3P PL are cleansed are being cleansed are being cleansed
G2511-16 Luke 11:39 καθαρίζετε katharizete V PRS ACT IND 2P PL you-cleanse be cleansing yourselves be cleansing yourselves
G2511-03 Luke 17:14 ἐκαθαρίσθησαν ekatharisthesan V AOR PASS IND 3P PL they were cleansed they were cleansed they were cleansed
G2511-03 Luke 17:17 ἐκαθαρίσθησαν ekatharisthesan V AOR PASS IND 3P PL cleansed they were cleansed they were cleansed
G2511-01 Acts 10:15 ἐκαθάρισεν ekatharisen V AOR ACT IND 3P SG has cleansed he cleansed he cleansed
G2511-01 Acts 11:9 ἐκαθάρισεν ekatharisen V AOR ACT IND 3P SG has cleansed he cleansed he cleansed
G2511-07 Acts 15:9 καθαρίσας katharisas V AOR ACT PTCP NOM M SG having purified having cleansed having cleansed
G2511-10 2 Corinthians 7:1 καθαρίσωμεν katharisomen V AOR ACT SUBJ 1P PL let us cleanse let us cleanse let us cleanse
G2511-07 Ephesians 5:26 καθαρίσας katharisas V AOR ACT PTCP NOM M SG having cleansed having cleansed having cleansed
G2511-09 Titus 2:14 καθαρίσῃ katharise V AOR ACT SUBJ 3P SG purify he/she/it might cleanse he/she/it might cleanse
G2511-05 Hebrews 9:14 καθαριεῖ kathariei V FUT ACT IND 3P SG purge he/she/it will cleanse will cleanse
G2511-15 Hebrews 9:22 καθαρίζεται katharizetai V PRS PASS IND 3P SG are purified is being cleansed are cleansed
G2511-14 Hebrews 9:23 καθαρίζεσθαι katharizesthai V PRS PASS INF to be purified to be cleansed to be cleansed
G2511-19 Hebrews 10:2 κεκαθαρισμένους kekatharismenous V PRF PASS PTCP ACC M PL purged having been cleansed having been cleansed
G2511-08 James 4:8 καθαρίσατε katharisate V AOR ACT IMP 2P PL Cleanse Cleanse! Cleanse
G2511-13 1 John 1:7 καθαρίζει katharizei V PRS ACT IND 3P SG cleanses is cleansing cleanses
G2511-09 1 John 1:9 καθαρίσῃ katharise V AOR ACT SUBJ 3P SG cleanse he/she/it might cleanse he/she/it might cleanse
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