καταποντίζω

I sink in the sea, am drowned

Definition

The verb καταποντίζω means to sink or drown, specifically to cause something or someone to go down into the sea or deep water. In its active form, it describes the action of causing something to sink, as seen in Matthew 18:6 where Jesus warns that causing a 'little one' to sin would be better if one were drowned in the sea. In its passive or middle forms, it describes the state of being submerged or drowning, as when Peter begins to sink into the water in Matthew 14:30. The imagery is consistently one of complete submersion and peril in a body of water.

Biblical Usage

This word is used only twice in the New Testament, both times in the Gospel of Matthew. In Matthew 14:30, it is used in the passive voice (καταποντίζεσθαι) to describe Peter sinking into the Sea of Galilee after walking on water. In Matthew 18:6, it is used in the active infinitive (καταποντίσαι) in a stark, proverbial warning from Jesus about the severe consequences of causing spiritual harm to believers. Both uses leverage the vivid, catastrophic image of drowning for dramatic effect.

Etymology

Derived from the preposition κατά (kata), meaning 'down' or 'under,' combined with a verbal form related to πόντος (pontos), meaning 'sea' or 'deep water.' Thus, it literally means 'to sink down into the sea.' It is a compound word that vividly conveys a downward motion into a deep, aqueous abyss.

Semantic Range

This word carries significant theological weight in its two contexts. In Matthew 14:30, it illustrates the peril of taking one's eyes off Jesus and sinking into doubt, highlighting the need for faith. In Matthew 18:6, Jesus uses the horrific image of drowning as a comparative judgment for those who cause spiritual stumbling, emphasizing the supreme value of a believer's faith and the severe accountability for those who corrupt it. Understanding the Greek intensifies the shocking gravity of Jesus's warning about spiritual care.

In the ancient Mediterranean world, the sea was often viewed as a chaotic, dangerous, and fearsome force. Drowning was a terrifying and final fate. Jesus's use of this imagery in Matthew 18:6 would have been immediately understood by his hearers as invoking one of the most dreadful forms of death to underscore the seriousness of his warning about causing sin.

πνίγω (pnigō, G4155) — to choke or drown, often by strangulation or suffocation, not necessarily in water. βυθίζω (bythizō, G1036) — to sink or plunge, can be used more generally for sinking (e.g., a ship) but lacks the specific 'into the sea' connotation of καταποντίζω.

Word Details

Scripture References