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καίω

kaíō

G2545 verb

SILEX Entry

Definition

To set on fire, to cause to burn; to kindle something so that it emits flames. This includes both the literal act of lighting or starting a fire and, in extended contexts, the act of consuming or reducing to ashes by burning. Contextually, can also be used figuratively for causing intense emotion such as zeal or anger to be kindled.

Semantic Range

to cause to burn, to kindle or ignite, to consume with fire, to reduce to ashes, to light (a lamp or torch), to incite or inflame (emotion, figurative)

Root / Etymology

Primary verb of uncertain origin; not derived from any obvious related Greek noun or adjective, but found widely across ancient Greek dialects.

Historical & Contextual Notes

καίω is attested from Homeric and classical Greek onward, consistently meaning 'to set on fire' or 'to burn,' usually of physical fire or combustion (e.g., burning wood, incense, sacrifice). In Koine Greek (including the Septuagint and New Testament), the literal sense remains dominant, often used for burning offerings or lighting lamps (e.g., Matt 5:15, burning a lamp; Rev 8:8, burning mountain). Figuratively, it occasionally expresses incitement of emotion, though this is less common in the New Testament context than in later or non-biblical Greek. In biblical usage, καίω can describe ritual acts of burning (e.g., sacrifices, incense burning in the temple) or destructive fire (natural or supernatural). English translations often render it as 'burn,' 'kindle,' or 'set on fire,' which mostly matches the range, but may not consistently differentiate between constructive (lighting) and destructive (consuming) burnings. The verb is distinct from πυράω ('to burn with fever' or 'to be inflamed') and from φλέγω ('to blaze, to flame'), both of which may emphasize different aspects of heat or flame. No significant theological or ideological development in meaning is evident in biblical Greek.

Translation Consistency

primary "burn" 8 occurrences

“Burn” is the most natural, common English verb that covers the full semantic range of καίω: to set on fire, kindle/ignite, consume/reduce to ashes, and figuratively to inflame or incite strong emotion. It works for both transitive and intransitive uses and is more idiomatic than alternatives like “kindle” or “light.”

Alternatives (3 occurrences):
"light" (1x) "having-been-burned" (1x) "set on fire" (1x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

apparently a primary verb; to set on fire, i.e. kindle or (by implication) consume:--burn, light.

Root Family

και- (kaíō) — to burn, to kindle, to set on fire

Root και- to burn, to kindle, to set on fire

Word Forms

9 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
G2545-03 καιομένη kaiomene V PRS PASS PTCP NOM F SG burning being burned being burned (or "to/for being burned" in dative contexts) 2
G2545-07 καιόμενος kaiomenos V PRS PASS PTCP NOM M SG burning being burned being burned 2
G2545-01 καίεται kaietai V PRS PASS IND 3P SG they are burned was being burned it is being burned 1
G2545-02 καιόμεναι kaiomenai V PRS PASS PTCP NOM F PL burning being set on fire burning 1
G2545-04 καιομένης kaiomenes V PRS PASS PTCP GEN F SG burning of being set on fire burning 1
G2545-05 καιόμενοι kaiomenoi V PRS PASS PTCP NOM M PL burning being burned being burning 1
G2545-06 καιόμενον kaiomenon V PRS PASS PTCP NOM N SG burning being set on fire being set on fire 1
G2545-08 καίουσιν kaiousin V PRS ACT IND 3P PL do light they are burning they light 1
G2545-09 κεκαυμένῳ kekaumeno V PRF PASS PTCP DAT N SG that burned to the having-been-burned to the having-been-burned 1

Occurrences in Scripture

11 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
G2545-08 Matthew 5:15 καίουσιν kaiousin V PRS ACT IND 3P PL do light they are burning they light
G2545-05 Luke 12:35 καιόμενοι kaiomenoi V PRS PASS PTCP NOM M PL burning being burned being burning
G2545-03 Luke 24:32 καιομένη kaiomene V PRS PASS PTCP NOM F SG burning being burned being burned (or "to/for being burned" in dative contexts)
G2545-07 John 5:35 καιόμενος kaiomenos V PRS PASS PTCP NOM M SG burning being burned being burned
G2545-01 John 15:6 καίεται kaietai V PRS PASS IND 3P SG they are burned was being burned it is being burned
G2545-09 Hebrews 12:18 κεκαυμένῳ kekaumeno V PRF PASS PTCP DAT N SG that burned to the having-been-burned to the having-been-burned
G2545-02 Revelation 4:5 καιόμεναι kaiomenai V PRS PASS PTCP NOM F PL burning being set on fire burning
G2545-06 Revelation 8:8 καιόμενον kaiomenon V PRS PASS PTCP NOM N SG burning being set on fire being set on fire
G2545-07 Revelation 8:10 καιόμενος kaiomenos V PRS PASS PTCP NOM M SG burning being burned being burned
G2545-04 Revelation 19:20 καιομένης kaiomenes V PRS PASS PTCP GEN F SG burning of being set on fire burning
G2545-03 Revelation 21:8 καιομένῃ kaiomene V PRS PASS PTCP DAT F SG burning being burned being burned (or "to/for being burned" in dative contexts)
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