καταφεύγω
katapheúgō
G2703 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To flee, escape, or take refuge (often with a sense of purposeful movement toward protection or safety); to seek shelter or safety in a place away from danger. The term frequently connotes fleeing from something threatening or undesirable, sometimes toward a particular person, place, or authority for protection, as seen in legal or asylum contexts.
Semantic Range
to flee to a place of safety, to take refuge, to escape to protection, to seek legal asylum, to run for shelter, to escape from danger
Root / Etymology
From κατα- ('down, according to, against') and φεύγω ('to flee, escape'). The prefix κατα- can intensify the verb or indicate direction toward a place of safety or finality. The root meaning is thus 'to flee down to or toward.'
Historical & Contextual Notes
In classical and Hellenistic Greek, καταφεύγω appears in literary, historical, and legal contexts to describe fleeing from danger, whether in war, personal distress, or to seek asylum (e.g., at an altar or within a city of refuge). In the Septuagint and the New Testament, the term often carries a legal or quasi-legal nuance: those who καταφεύγουσιν to cities of refuge (cf. Numbers 35 LXX) do so to gain temporary sanctuary from avengers. The New Testament (Hebrews 6:18) uses the term metaphorically for individuals seeking ultimate security in God's promise, but preserves the original sense of running for refuge. English translations typically render as 'flee,' 'run for refuge,' or 'take refuge,' though the nuance of fleeing toward protection or legal asylum is sometimes lost. The term is more specific than the simple φεύγω, placing focus on the purposeful flight to a particular destination or protector. Related words include καταφυγή ('refuge') and φεύγω ('to flee').
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from κατά and φεύγω; to flee down (away):--flee.
Root Family
κατα-φεύγ- (katapheúgō) — to flee, to seek refuge, to escape
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G2703-01 |
καταφυγόντες | kataphugontes | V AOR ACT PTCP NOM M PL |
who have fled for refuge | having fled for refuge | having fled for refuge | 1 |
G2703-02 |
κατέφυγον | katephugon | V AOR ACT IND 3P PL |
they fled | they fled for refuge | they fled for refuge | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G2703-02 |
Acts 14:6 | κατέφυγον | katephugon | V AOR ACT IND 3P PL |
they fled | they fled for refuge | they fled for refuge |
G2703-01 |
Hebrews 6:18 | καταφυγόντες | kataphugontes | V AOR ACT PTCP NOM M PL |
who have fled for refuge | having fled for refuge | having fled for refuge |