"to bear down; to overpower, as sleep, Acts 20:9; καταφέρειν ψῆφον, to give a vote or verdict, Acts 26:10; to bring charges, Acts 25:7*"
Definition and meaning
to bear down; to overpower, as sleep, Acts 20:9; καταφέρειν ψῆφον, to give a vote or verdict, Acts 26:10; to bring charges, Acts 25:7*
In the original Greek the word is written: καταφέρω
Historical context
The Roman Empire provided infrastructure no previous civilization had built — roads, sea routes, a common language in Greek, and relative peace across the Mediterranean. Jewish synagogues existed in every major city, giving Paul a starting point everywhere he traveled. The early church had no buildings, no political power, no social standing — and spread faster than any movement in ancient history.
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 kataphero (G2702) across the King James Bible.
And there sat in a window a certain young man named Eutychus, being fallen into a deep sleep: and as Paul was long preaching, he sunk down with sleep, and fell down from the third loft, and was taken up dead.
Which thing I also did in Jerusalem: and many of the saints did I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I gave my voice against them.
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Common questions
Strong's G2702 (kataphero) is a Greek word that means: to bear down; to overpower, as sleep, Acts 20:9; καταφέρειν ψῆφον, to give a vote or verdict, Acts 26:10; to bring charges, Acts 25:7* It appears 2 times in the King James Bible.
The word kataphero (G2702) appears 2 times in the original Greek text.
Strong's G2702 is kataphero, a Greek word defined as: to bear down; to overpower, as sleep, Acts 20:9; καταφέρειν ψῆφον, to give a vote or verdict, Acts 26:10; to bring charges, Acts 25:7*. James Strong catalogued this in his 1890 concordance to help English readers study the original languages of the Bible.
kataphero is a Greek word found in the New Testament.