"to burn up, consume with fire, Mt. 3:12; 13:30, 40"
Definition and meaning
to burn up, consume with fire, Mt. 3:12; 13:30, 40
In the original Greek the word is written: κατακαίω
Historical context
Rome had controlled Judea since 63 BC. Herod the Great rebuilt the Temple into one of the most magnificent structures in the ancient world — and simultaneously murdered members of his own family. The common people paid multiple layers of taxation and were politically powerless. Into that world a carpenter from Galilee began teaching that the kingdom of God had arrived.
The people who first heard this word were not reading a book — they were living through empires, oppression, exile, and covenant. Every word carried the weight of that reality. Understanding it changes how you read Scripture.
Scripture references
These are the most notable occurrences of katakaio (G2618) across the King James Bible.
Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.
Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.
As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world.
Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and will gather the wheat into his garner; but the chaff he will burn with fire unquenchable.
Many of them also which used curious arts brought their books together, and burned them before all men: and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver.
If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
For the bodies of those beasts, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned without the camp.
But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.
And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire.
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Common questions
Strong's G2618 (katakaio) is a Greek word that means: to burn up, consume with fire, Mt. 3:12; 13:30, 40 It appears 11 times in the King James Bible.
The word katakaio (G2618) appears 11 times in the original Greek text.
Strong's G2618 is katakaio, a Greek word defined as: to burn up, consume with fire, Mt. 3:12; 13:30, 40. James Strong catalogued this in his 1890 concordance to help English readers study the original languages of the Bible.
katakaio is a Greek word found in the New Testament.