"to come upon suddenly, rush upon, assault, Acts 18:12*"
Definition and meaning
to come upon suddenly, rush upon, assault, Acts 18:12*
In the original Greek the word is written: κατεφίσταμαι
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 katephistamai (G2721) across the King James Bible.
And when Gallio was the deputy of Achaia, the Jews made insurrection with one accord against Paul, and brought him to the judgment seat,
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Common questions
Strong's G2721 (katephistamai) is a Greek word that means: to come upon suddenly, rush upon, assault, Acts 18:12* It appears 1 times in the King James Bible.
The word katephistamai (G2721) appears 1 times in the original Greek text.
Strong's G2721 is katephistamai, a Greek word defined as: to come upon suddenly, rush upon, assault, Acts 18:12*. James Strong catalogued this in his 1890 concordance to help English readers study the original languages of the Bible.
katephistamai is a Greek word found in the New Testament.