κατευθύνω
to direct
Full lexicon entry — Thayer's Greek Lexicon
From Thayer's Greek Lexicon
Where this word appears
Grammar key — what these labels mean
Part of speech
- Verb
- An action or state-of-being word.
Tense
- Aorist
- Action viewed as a simple whole, without regard to duration — often past (perfective aspect).
Voice
- Active
- The subject performs the action.
Mood
- Optative
- Expresses a wish or a remote possibility.
- Infinitive
- A verbal noun (“to write”), unmarked for person or number.
Person
- 3rd person
- The one spoken about (“he / she / it / they”).
Number
- Singular
- One.
Every verse where G2720 appears in the Book of 1 Thessalonians — 1 distinct verse. Click any verse to open its interlinear word-by-word view. Verse text shown in the World English Bible for context — . Each verse’s Greek form is shown with its reference; the English is not keyword-highlighted, since the data carries no word-level English alignment. Use “Compare translations” on any verse to read it across multiple English versions. This concordance covers the Greek New Testament; Septuagint (Greek Old Testament) occurrences of this word are not indexed here.
1 Thessalonians
About this entry
At a glance — auto-summarized from this page’s data, not written by a person. Every figure links to its source below. This summary describes the numbers; it doesn’t interpret them.
κατευθυνω (kateuthýnō) is a Greek verb most often rendered “to direct.” The Greek New Testament uses it only 3 verses. It concentrates in Luke, which alone accounts for 33% of its uses. It first appears in Luke 1:79. It clusters with κατα, καθα and καθαιρεω under a shared root. The sections below give every sense, occurrence, and version rendering.
Gloss history
Strong's 1890 vs modern scholarship
About this word
Strong's G2720 catalogs a Greek word from the Greek New Testament.
These counts are not copied from any lexicon or concordance. They are computed here, from the morphology-tagged Greek New Testament. What Lemma adds →
- 3
- distinct verses
- The word appears in 3 distinct verses.
- 3 / 27
- NT books
- The word appears in 3 of 27 New Testament books.
- #2,203
- by frequency
- Top 2500 most frequent Greek words (rank 2,203 of 5,347 Greek words by occurrence).
View all 3 occurrences in the concordance →
Most concentrated in
- Luke 1 verse 33%
- 1 Thessalonians 1 verse 33%
- 2 Thessalonians 1 verse 33%
By section of the New Testament
By traditional corpus
Conventional, traditional groupings — biblical authorship is debated, so this is a traditional corpus grouping, not an authorship claim. Some books belong to more than one corpus (Luke is in both the Gospels and the Lukan corpus, and so on), so these shares overlap and need not total 100%. Each figure is a share of the word’s 3 distinct verses.
- Pauline corpus 2 verses · 67%
- Gospels 1 verse · 33%
- Lukan (Luke–Acts) 1 verse · 33%
How translations render this word
Counts come from each version’s own published word-to-Strong’s tagging or interlinear alignment — an approximate guide to how each version renders this word, not a word-level alignment the data otherwise carries. Because each total is that version’s own tagged count, the per-version totals vary from one another and need not match the appearance or distinct-verse counts above. These counts may also differ from a printed concordance because Lemma counts each distinctly tagged rendering and does not collapse phrase taggings into a single head-word total. This is a fixed set of word-tagged versions (KJV, ASV, BSB, ULT) and does not change with the reading translation you choose elsewhere. Each version’s license is shown beside its name below (and on Sources).
- King James Version: Direct 2×
- American Standard Version: Direct 2×
- Berean Standard Bible: Direct 2×
- unfoldingWord Literal Text: Direct 2×, May 2×
King James Version Public Domain
Renders G2720 across 3 tagged occurrences — most commonly:
Plus 1 rendering that appears only once — usually multi-word phrases or single function words the recovered tagging swept in, not distinct renderings.
American Standard Version Public Domain
Renders G2720 across 3 tagged occurrences — most commonly:
Plus 1 rendering that appears only once — usually multi-word phrases or single function words the recovered tagging swept in, not distinct renderings.
Berean Standard Bible Public Domain
Renders G2720 across 3 tagged occurrences — most commonly:
Plus 1 rendering that appears only once — usually multi-word phrases or single function words the recovered tagging swept in, not distinct renderings.
unfoldingWord Literal Text CC BY-SA 4.0
Renders G2720 across 7 tagged occurrences — most commonly:
Plus 3 renderings that appear only once — usually multi-word phrases or single function words the recovered tagging swept in, not distinct renderings.
Senses in Thayer's
The 1 sense Thayer's distinguishes for this word, in lexicon order (not ranked by frequency or importance). The full entry — with sub-senses — is in the Lexicon Entry tab.
- to make straight, guide, direct
Word origin
Derived from κατα (katá) (G2596) — down.
Forms in the corpus
The 2 distinct written forms G2720 takes in the Greek New Testament, most frequent first — each parse links to that tense’s occurrences in the concordance.
| Form | Parsing | Example | Uses |
|---|---|---|---|
| κατευθύναι kateuthýnai | Verb, Aorist, Active, Optative, 3rd person, Singular | 1 Thessalonians 3:11 | 2 |
| κατευθῦναι kateuthŷnai | Verb, Aorist, Active, Infinitive | Luke 1:79 | 1 |
Same root — word family
Other Thayer's entries built from the same root as G2720, grouped by Strong’s listed origin. These share a root / origin per the lexicon — not necessarily a shared meaning. Each links to that word’s own entry.
Derives from
Shares the same root
- καθα kathá G2505 according as
- καθαιρεω kathairéō G2507 to tear down
- καθαπτω katháptō G2510 to fasten down
- καθεδρα kathédra G2515 seat
- καθεζομαι kathézomai G2516 to sit down
- καθεξης kathexēs G2517 in order
- καθευδω katheúdō G2518 to fall asleep
- καθηγητης kathēgētḗs G2519 guide
- καθηκω kathḗkō G2520 to come down
- καθημαι káthēmai G2521 to sit down
- καθημερινος kathēmerinós G2522 daily
- καθιημι kathíēmi G2524 to send down
- καθιστημι kathístēmi G2525 to place
- καθο kathó G2526 according to what
- καθολου kathólou G2527 wholly
- καθοπλιζω kathoplízō G2528 to arm
- καθοραω kathoráō G2529 to see clearly
- καθοτι kathóti G2530 according to what
- καθως kathṓs G2531 according as
- καμμυω kammýō G2576 to close eyes
- καταβαινω katabaínō G2597 to descend
- καταβαλλω katabállō G2598 to cast down
- καταβαρεω katabaréō G2599 to weigh down
- καταβιβαζω katabibázō G2601 to bring down
+103 more words share this root (not shown).
Compare all same-root words → Showing 4 of 129 — not the complete family. They share a root, not necessarily a meaning.
Septuagint usage
The same Greek word κατευθυνω appears 42 times in the Greek Old Testament (Septuagint), across 40 verses in 12 books.
- 42
- LXX occurrences
- Tagged occurrences of this Greek word in the Septuagint.
- 40
- verses
- Distinct Septuagint verses containing this word.
- 12 / 39
- OT books
- The word appears in 12 of the 39 Old Testament books.
Sample Septuagint occurrences
- Judges 12:6 καταεὐθύνω
- 1 Samuel 6:12 καταεὐθύνω
- 1 Kings 11:43 καταεὑθύνω
- 1 Chronicles 29:18 καταεὐθύνω
- 2 Chronicles 12:14 καταεὐθύνω
- Psalms 5:9 καταεὐθύνω
- Proverbs 1:3 καταεὐθύνω
- Jeremiah 15:11 καταεὐθύνω
- Ezekiel 17:9 καταεὐθύνω
- Hosea 4:10 καταεὐθύνω
- Zechariah 11:16 καταεὐθύνω
- Malachi 2:6 καταεὐθύνω
Septuagint occurrences (same lexeme)
Every verse where the same Strong’s number (G2720) appears in the Greek Septuagint. Verse text shown in the World English Bible for context; the Greek form is the matched word — the English is not keyword-highlighted.
- Judges 12:6 καταεὐθύνω then said they to him, Say now Shibboleth; and he said Sibboleth; for he couldn't manage to pronounce it right: then they laid hold on him, and killed him at the fords of the Jordan. There fell at that time of Ephraim forty-two thousand.
- 1 Samuel 6:12 καταεὐθύνω The cattle took the straight way by the way to Beth-shemesh; they went along the highway, lowing as they went, and didn't turn aside to the right hand or to the left; and the lords of the Philistines went after them to the border of Beth-shemesh.
- 1 Kings 11:43 καταεὑθύνω Solomon slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David his father: and Rehoboam his son reigned in his place.
- 1 Chronicles 29:18 καταεὐθύνω Yahweh, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Israel, our fathers, keep this forever in the imagination of the thoughts of the heart of your people, and prepare their heart to you;
- 2 Chronicles 12:14 καταεὐθύνω He did that which was evil, because he didn't set his heart to seek Yahweh.
- 2 Chronicles 17:5 καταεὐθύνω Therefore Yahweh established the kingdom in his hand; and all Judah brought to Jehoshaphat tribute; and he had riches and honor in abundance.
- 2 Chronicles 19:3 καταεὐθύνω Nevertheless there are good things found in you, in that you have put away the Asheroth out of the land, and have set your heart to seek God.
- 2 Chronicles 20:33 καταεὐθύνω However the high places were not taken away; neither as yet had the people set their hearts to the God of their fathers.
- 2 Chronicles 30:19 καταεὐθύνω who sets his heart to seek God, Yahweh, the God of his fathers, though not [cleansed] according to the purification of the sanctuary.
- Psalms 5:9 καταεὐθύνω For there is no faithfulness in their mouth. Their heart is destruction. Their throat is an open tomb. They flatter with their tongue.
- Psalms 7:10 καταεὐθύνω My shield is with God, Who saves the upright in heart.
- Psalms 36:23 καταεὐθύνω
- Psalms 39:3 καταεὐθύνω My heart was hot within me. While I meditated, the fire burned: I spoke with my tongue:
- Psalms 58:5 καταεὐθύνω Which doesn't listen to the voice of charmers, No matter how skillful the charmer may be.
- Psalms 77:8 καταεὐθύνω Has his loving kindness vanished forever? Does his promise fail for generations?
- Psalms 89:17 καταεὐθύνω For you are the glory of their strength. In your favor, our horn will be exalted.
- Psalms 100:7 καταεὐθύνω
- Psalms 101:29 καταεὐθύνω
- Psalms 118:5 καταεὐθύνω Out of my distress, I called on Yah. Yah answered me with freedom.
- Psalms 118:133 καταεὐθύνω
- Psalms 139:12 καταεὐθύνω Even the darkness doesn't hide from you, But the night shines as the day. The darkness is like light to you.
- Psalms 140:2 καταεὐθύνω Those who devise mischief in their hearts. They continually gather themselves together for war.
- Proverbs 1:3 καταεὐθύνω To receive instruction in wise dealing, In righteousness, justice, and equity;
- Proverbs 4:26 καταεὐθύνω Make the path of your feet level. Let all of your ways be established.
- Proverbs 9:15 καταεὐθύνω To call to those who pass by, Who go straight on their ways,
- Proverbs 13:13 καταεὐθύνω Whoever despises instruction will pay for it, But he who respects a command will be rewarded.
- Proverbs 15:8 καταεὐθύνω The sacrifice made by the wicked is an abomination to Yahweh, But the prayer of the upright is his delight.
- Proverbs 15:21 καταεὐθύνω Folly is joy to one who is void of wisdom, But a man of understanding keeps his way straight.
- Proverbs 21:2 καταεὐθύνω Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, But Yahweh weighs the hearts.
- Proverbs 23:19 καταεὐθύνω Listen, my son, and be wise, And keep your heart on the right path!
- Proverbs 29:27 καταεὐθύνω A dishonest man detests the righteous, And the upright in their ways detest the wicked.
- Jeremiah 15:11 καταεὐθύνω Yahweh said, Most assuredly I will strengthen you for good; most assuredly I will cause the enemy to make supplication to you in the time of evil and in the time of affliction.
- Jeremiah 21:12 καταεὐθύνω House of David, thus says Yahweh, Execute justice in the morning, and deliver him who is robbed out of the hand of the oppressor, lest my wrath go forth like fire, and burn so that none can quench it, because of the evil of your doings.
- Ezekiel 17:9 καταεὐθύνω Say you, Thus says the Lord Yahweh: Shall it prosper? shall he not pull up the roots of it, and cut off the fruit of it, that it may wither; that all its fresh springing leaves may wither? and not by a strong arm or much people can it be raised from the roots of it.
- Ezekiel 17:10 καταεὐθύνω Yes, behold, being planted, shall it prosper? shall it not utterly wither, when the east wind touches it? it shall wither in the beds where it grew.
- Ezekiel 17:15 καταεὐθύνω But he rebelled against him in sending his ambassadors into Egypt, that they might give him horses and much people. Shall he prosper? shall he escape who does such things? shall he break the covenant, and yet escape?
- Ezekiel 18:25 καταεὐθύνω Yet you say, The way of the Lord is not equal. Hear now, house of Israel: Is my way not equal? Aren't your ways unequal?
- Hosea 4:10 καταεὐθύνω They will eat, and not have enough. They will play the prostitute, and will not increase; Because they have abandoned giving to Yahweh.
- Zechariah 11:16 καταεὐθύνω For, behold, I will raise up a shepherd in the land, who will not visit those who are cut off, neither will seek those who are scattered, nor heal that which is broken, nor feed that which is sound; but he will eat the flesh of the fat sheep, and will tear their hoofs in pieces.
- Malachi 2:6 καταεὐθύνω The law of truth was in his mouth, and unrighteousness was not found in his lips. He walked with me in peace and uprightness, and turned many away from iniquity.
These are occurrences of the same Greek lexeme (G2720) in the Septuagint — not a translation of any one Hebrew word. The store carries no word-level Hebrew↔Greek alignment, so no Hebrew original is asserted here. Counts come from the recovered LXX Strong's tagging — high-frequency vocabulary is well covered, while rare or late forms may be untagged — so they reflect tagged occurrences and may slightly undercount.
