κρατέω (G2902) — Greek Lexicon

κρατέω

kratéō

G2902 verb

SILEX Entry

Definition

To hold fast, grasp, or take control over; to exercise dominion or authority by physical or figurative means. In various contexts, κρατέω may refer to seizing something (literally), retaining or maintaining possession, holding firmly, or maintaining control (figuratively).

Semantic Range

to hold fast, to grasp firmly, to seize, to take control, to retain or keep possession, to maintain authority, to cling to, to exercise power or mastery

Root / Etymology

From the noun κράτος (kratos), meaning 'strength, power, might', with the verb-forming ending -έω. It expresses the action or condition connected to the exercise of force or strength.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In classical Greek, κρατέω is broadly used for having or exercising strength, mastery, or control, whether physically (e.g., grasping, capturing, overpowering) or figuratively (e.g., maintaining power, preserving an opinion, sustaining a state). In the Septuagint, it may translate Hebrew terms for seizing, holding, or prevailing. In the New Testament, it is used both literally (e.g., laying hold of a person, taking hold of something) and metaphorically (e.g., holding fast to traditions, teachings, or faith). English translations often render it as 'to hold', 'to seize', or 'to keep', but these can obscure the underlying nuance of force, authority, or persistence implicit in the verb. The term is distinct from ἔχω 'to have/possess', which can lack the forceful or active sense present in κρατέω. In some contexts, particularly in legal or narrative language, it emphasizes either the legitimacy or forcefulness of the action of holding or taking.

Translation Consistency

primary "hold" 28 occurrences

"Hold" is the most natural, flexible single-word choice that covers the full SILEX range: literal grasping or retaining (hold fast, hold firmly), maintaining possession or retention (hold/keep), and exercising control or authority (hold power/control). It reads naturally across contexts and idioms and accommodates both physical and figurative senses better than more forceful alternatives like "seize."

Alternatives (19 occurrences):

"seized" (6x) "having firmly seized" (6x) "seize" (3x) "having seized" (3x) "seize firmly" (1x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from κράτος; to use strength, i.e. seize or retain (literally or figuratively):--hold (by, fast), keep, lay hand (hold) on, obtain, retain, take (by).

Root Family

κρατέω (kratéō) — be strong, wield power, hold fast, seize, take control

Root κρατ- to be strong, to wield power, to hold

Word Forms

25 distinct forms

SIDANCE	Surface	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	SIBI-P2	Occurrences
`G2902-15`	κρατήσας	kratesas	`V AOR ACT PTCP NOM M SG`	had seized	having firmly seized	having firmly seized	6
`G2902-02`	ἐκράτησαν	ekratesan	`V AOR ACT IND 3P PL`	seized	they seized	they held	4
`G2902-13`	κρατῆσαι	kratesai	`V AOR ACT INF`	to seize	to take firm hold	to hold fast	4
`G2902-14`	κρατήσαντες	kratesantes	`V AOR ACT PTCP NOM M PL`	had seized	having seized	having seized	3
`G2902-16`	κρατήσατε	kratesate	`V AOR ACT IMP 2P PL`	seize	Take firm hold	Hold fast, you all	3
`G2902-04`	ἐκράτησεν	ekratesen	`V AOR ACT IND 3P SG`	had seized	he seized	he seized	3
`G2902-22`	κρατοῦντας	kratountas	`V PRS ACT PTCP ACC M PL`	holding	holding fast	holding fast	3
`G2902-03`	ἐκρατήσατέ	ekratesate	`V AOR ACT IND 2P PL`	did you seize	you seized	you seized	2
`G2902-21`	κρατῶν	kraton	`V PRS ACT PTCP NOM M SG`	holding	one holding fast	holding fast	2
`G2902-12`	κρατεῖτε	krateite	`V PRS ACT IND 2P PL`	hold	you are holding fast	you (plural) are holding fast	2
`G2902-07`	κεκράτηνται	kekratentai	`V PRF PASS IND 3P PL`	they are retained	they have been held fast	they have been held fast	1
`G2902-10`	κρατεῖς	krateis	`V PRS ACT IND 2P SG`	you hold	you hold fast	you hold fast	1
`G2902-25`	κρατοῦσιν	kratousin	`V PRS ACT IND 3P PL`	they seize	they hold firmly	they seize	1
`G2902-17`	κρατήσει	kratesei	`V FUT ACT IND 3P SG`	take hold	he/she/it will seize	will seize	1
`G2902-08`	κράτει	kratei	`V PRS ACT IMP 2P SG`	hold fast	in strength	hold fast	1
`G2902-18`	κρατήσωσιν	kratesosin	`V AOR ACT SUBJ 3P PL`	seize	they may seize firmly	they may seize firmly	1
`G2902-09`	κρατεῖν	kratein	`V PRS ACT INF`	to hold	to hold fast	to hold fast	1
`G2902-19`	κρατῆτε	kratete	`V PRS ACT SUBJ 2P PL`	you retain	you all may hold fast	you all may hold fast	1
`G2902-11`	κρατεῖσθαι	krateisthai	`V PRS PASS INF`	to be held	to be held fast	to be held fast	1
`G2902-01`	ἐκρατήσαμεν	ekratesamen	`V AOR ACT IND 1P PL`	we seized	we took firm hold	we seized	1
`G2902-23`	κρατοῦντες	kratountes	`V PRS ACT PTCP NOM M PL`	holding	holding firmly	holding firmly	1
`G2902-20`	κρατῶμεν	kratomen	`V PRS ACT SUBJ 1P PL`	let us hold fast	let us hold fast	let us hold fast	1
`G2902-24`	κρατοῦντος	kratountos	`V PRS ACT PTCP GEN M SG`	holding	of the one holding fast	of the one holding fast	1
`G2902-05`	ἐκρατοῦντο	ekratounto	`V IMPF PASS IND 3P PL`	were held	they were being held fast	they were being held fast	1
`G2902-06`	κεκρατηκέναι	kekratekenai	`V PRF ACT INF`	they had obtained	to have held fast	to have held fast	1

Occurrences in Scripture

47 occurrences

Filter by SIDANCE:

SIDANCE	Reference	Word	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	SIBI-P2
`G2902-04`	Matthew 9:25	ἐκράτησεν	ekratesen	`V AOR ACT IND 3P SG`	he took	he seized	he seized
`G2902-17`	Matthew 12:11	κρατήσει	kratesei	`V FUT ACT IND 3P SG`	take hold	he/she/it will seize	will seize
`G2902-15`	Matthew 14:3	κρατήσας	kratesas	`V AOR ACT PTCP NOM M SG`	had seized	having firmly seized	having firmly seized
`G2902-15`	Matthew 18:28	κρατήσας	kratesas	`V AOR ACT PTCP NOM M SG`	having laid hold	having firmly seized	having firmly seized
`G2902-13`	Matthew 21:46	κρατῆσαι	kratesai	`V AOR ACT INF`	to arrest	to take firm hold	to hold fast
`G2902-14`	Matthew 22:6	κρατήσαντες	kratesantes	`V AOR ACT PTCP NOM M PL`	having seized	having seized	having seized
`G2902-18`	Matthew 26:4	κρατήσωσιν	kratesosin	`V AOR ACT SUBJ 3P PL`	seize	they may seize firmly	they may seize firmly
`G2902-16`	Matthew 26:48	κρατήσατε	kratesate	`V AOR ACT IMP 2P PL`	seize	Take firm hold	Hold fast, you all
`G2902-02`	Matthew 26:50	ἐκράτησαν	ekratesan	`V AOR ACT IND 3P PL`	seized	they seized	they held
`G2902-03`	Matthew 26:55	ἐκρατήσατέ	ekratesate	`V AOR ACT IND 2P PL`	did you seize	you seized	you seized
`G2902-14`	Matthew 26:57	κρατήσαντες	kratesantes	`V AOR ACT PTCP NOM M PL`	had seized	having seized	having seized
`G2902-02`	Matthew 28:9	ἐκράτησαν	ekratesan	`V AOR ACT IND 3P PL`	held	they seized	they held
`G2902-15`	Mark 1:31	κρατήσας	kratesas	`V AOR ACT PTCP NOM M SG`	having taken her by the hand	having firmly seized	having firmly seized
`G2902-13`	Mark 3:21	κρατῆσαι	kratesai	`V AOR ACT INF`	to seize	to take firm hold	to hold fast
`G2902-15`	Mark 5:41	κρατήσας	kratesas	`V AOR ACT PTCP NOM M SG`	taking	having firmly seized	having firmly seized
`G2902-04`	Mark 6:17	ἐκράτησεν	ekratesen	`V AOR ACT IND 3P SG`	had seized	he seized	he seized
`G2902-23`	Mark 7:3	κρατοῦντες	kratountes	`V PRS ACT PTCP NOM M PL`	holding	holding firmly	holding firmly
`G2902-09`	Mark 7:4	κρατεῖν	kratein	`V PRS ACT INF`	to hold	to hold fast	to hold fast
`G2902-12`	Mark 7:8	κρατεῖτε	krateite	`V PRS ACT IND 2P PL`	you hold	you are holding fast	you (plural) are holding fast
`G2902-02`	Mark 9:10	ἐκράτησαν	ekratesan	`V AOR ACT IND 3P PL`	kept	they seized	they held
`G2902-15`	Mark 9:27	κρατήσας	kratesas	`V AOR ACT PTCP NOM M SG`	took	having firmly seized	having firmly seized
`G2902-13`	Mark 12:12	κρατῆσαι	kratesai	`V AOR ACT INF`	to seize	to take firm hold	to seize
`G2902-14`	Mark 14:1	κρατήσαντες	kratesantes	`V AOR ACT PTCP NOM M PL`	to arrest	having seized	having seized
`G2902-16`	Mark 14:44	κρατήσατε	kratesate	`V AOR ACT IMP 2P PL`	seize	Take firm hold	Hold fast, you all
`G2902-02`	Mark 14:46	ἐκράτησαν	ekratesan	`V AOR ACT IND 3P PL`	seized	they seized	they held
`G2902-03`	Mark 14:49	ἐκρατήσατέ	ekratesate	`V AOR ACT IND 2P PL`	you arrested	you seized	you seized
`G2902-25`	Mark 14:51	κρατοῦσιν	kratousin	`V PRS ACT IND 3P PL`	they seize	they hold firmly	they seize
`G2902-15`	Luke 8:54	κρατήσας	kratesas	`V AOR ACT PTCP NOM M SG`	having taken hold of	having firmly seized	having firmly seized
`G2902-05`	Luke 24:16	ἐκρατοῦντο	ekratounto	`V IMPF PASS IND 3P PL`	were held	they were being held fast	they were being held fast
`G2902-19`	John 20:23	κρατῆτε	kratete	`V PRS ACT SUBJ 2P PL`	you retain	you all may hold fast	you all may hold fast
`G2902-07`	John 20:23	κεκράτηνται	kekratentai	`V PRF PASS IND 3P PL`	they are retained	they have been held fast	they have been held fast
`G2902-11`	Acts 2:24	κρατεῖσθαι	krateisthai	`V PRS PASS INF`	to be held	to be held fast	to be held fast
`G2902-24`	Acts 3:11	κρατοῦντος	kratountos	`V PRS ACT PTCP GEN M SG`	holding	of the one holding fast	of the one holding fast
`G2902-01`	Acts 24:6	ἐκρατήσαμεν	ekratesamen	`V AOR ACT IND 1P PL`	we seized	we took firm hold	we seized
`G2902-06`	Acts 27:13	κεκρατηκέναι	kekratekenai	`V PRF ACT INF`	they had obtained	to have held fast	to have held fast
`G2902-21`	Colossians 2:19	κρατῶν	kraton	`V PRS ACT PTCP NOM M SG`	holding	one holding fast	holding fast
`G2902-12`	2 Thessalonians 2:15	κρατεῖτε	krateite	`V PRS ACT IMP 2P PL`	hold	you are holding fast	you (plural) are holding fast
`G2902-20`	Hebrews 4:14	κρατῶμεν	kratomen	`V PRS ACT SUBJ 1P PL`	let us hold fast	let us hold fast	let us hold fast
`G2902-13`	Hebrews 6:18	κρατῆσαι	kratesai	`V AOR ACT INF`	to seize	to take firm hold	to hold fast
`G2902-21`	Revelation 2:1	κρατῶν	kraton	`V PRS ACT PTCP NOM M SG`	holding	one holding fast	one holding fast
`G2902-10`	Revelation 2:13	κρατεῖς	krateis	`V PRS ACT IND 2P SG`	you hold	you hold fast	you hold fast
`G2902-22`	Revelation 2:14	κρατοῦντας	kratountas	`V PRS ACT PTCP ACC M PL`	holding	holding fast	holding fast
`G2902-22`	Revelation 2:15	κρατοῦντας	kratountas	`V PRS ACT PTCP ACC M PL`	who hold	holding fast	holding fast
`G2902-16`	Revelation 2:25	κρατήσατε	kratesate	`V AOR ACT IMP 2P PL`	hold fast	Take firm hold	Hold fast, you all
`G2902-08`	Revelation 3:11	κράτει	kratei	`V PRS ACT IMP 2P SG`	hold fast	in strength	hold fast
`G2902-22`	Revelation 7:1	κρατοῦντας	kratountas	`V PRS ACT PTCP ACC M PL`	holding	holding fast	holding fast
`G2902-04`	Revelation 20:2	ἐκράτησεν	ekratesen	`V AOR ACT IND 3P SG`	he laid hold of	he seized	he seized

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