καταπονέω

I ill-treat

Definition

The verb καταπονέω means to treat someone harshly, to oppress, or to wear down through mistreatment. In its two New Testament occurrences, it carries the sense of physical oppression and brutal treatment. In Acts 7:24, Stephen recounts Moses seeing an Egyptian 'oppressing' (καταπονούμενον) a Hebrew, indicating a context of violent, physical abuse. In 2 Peter 2:7, Lot is described as distressed by the 'lawless conduct' of Sodom, where the participle (καταπονούμενον) conveys being worn down or tormented by the moral depravity and oppression surrounding him.

Biblical Usage

This word is used only twice in the New Testament, in two distinct contexts. In Acts 7:24, it describes the physical oppression of one person by another, seen in Moses' intervention. In 2 Peter 2:7, it describes the psychological and spiritual torment Lot experienced from living among the wicked people of Sodom. Both uses share the core idea of being crushed or worn down by an oppressive force, whether physical or moral.

Etymology

Derived from the preposition κατά (kata), meaning 'down' or 'against,' combined with the root verb πονέω (poneō), meaning 'to labor' or 'to toil.' The compound thus literally means 'to labor down' or 'to wear down by toil,' which evolved into the sense of oppressing or treating harshly. It is related to words like πόνος (ponos, 'pain, toil') and καταποντισμός (katapontismos, 'drowning').

Semantic Range

This word highlights the biblical theme of oppression and God's response to it. In Acts 7:24, it foreshadows God's deliverance of His people from Egyptian bondage. In 2 Peter 2:7, it underscores God's justice in rescuing the righteous from a corrupt environment, as seen with Lot. Understanding this Greek term enriches the reading by connecting physical oppression with spiritual torment, showing that God sees and acts against all forms of crushing injustice.

In the Greco-Roman world, the concept of 'oppression' (καταπονέω) was familiar in contexts of slavery, social hierarchy, and conquest, where the powerful could legally and physically 'wear down' the weak. The use in Acts reflects the common reality of slave-master violence, while the use in 2 Peter taps into Jewish cultural narratives about the wickedness of Sodom as a paradigm of societal corruption that torments the righteous.

θλίβω (thlibō, G2346) — to press, afflict, often with a narrower focus on pressure or tribulation. κακουχέω (kakoucheō, G2558) — to mistreat or torment, with a stronger emphasis on active malice. ἀδικέω (adikeō, G91) — to do wrong or act unjustly, a broader term for injustice.

Word Details

Scripture References