Greek word · G2602

καταβολή

katabolē

beginning

From καταβάλλω, 'to throw down, lay down.' (1) The laying down of a foundation, the starting of a building or an enterprise. (2) The sowing of seed, or conception (Heb 11:11, 'for the καταβολή of seed'). In the fixed phrase 'καταβολή of the world' it means the founding of creation.

Appears 11 times in 11 verses of the Greek New Testament. ·

What it means

κατα-βολή, -ῆς, ἡ

(καταβάλλω), [in LXX: 2Ma.2:29 * ;]

1. a laying down: εἰς κ. σπέρματος, Hebrews 11:11 (EV, to conceive seed).

2. a foundation (of a house, ii Mac, l.with): metaphorically, ἀπὸ κ. κόσμου, Matthew 13:35 (LXX) (om. ἀπὸ κ. κόσμου, WH, R, mg.), Matthew 25:34, Luke 11:50, Hebrews 4:3 9:26, Revelation 13:8 17:8; πρὸ κ. κόσμου, John 17:24, Ephesians 1:4, 1 Peter 1:20.†

(AS)

From G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament (1922), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

In depth

From the study of Ephesians 1:4

Range of meaning

From καταβάλλω, 'to throw down, lay down.' (1) The laying down of a foundation, the starting of a building or an enterprise. (2) The sowing of seed, or conception (Heb 11:11, 'for the καταβολή of seed'). In the fixed phrase 'καταβολή of the world' it means the founding of creation.

Against the English

KJV, ESV and BSB 'foundation' keep the builder's picture. NIV 'creation of the world' is accurate in meaning but loses the image of God laying a foundation stone.

Used elsewhere in the period

2 Macc 2:29 uses καταβολή of a building's construction ('the master builder of the whole structure'). In the NT, 'from the foundation of the world' appears in Matt 25:34; Luke 11:50; Heb 4:3; 9:26; Rev 13:8; 17:8. 'Before the foundation of the world' appears only in John 17:24 (the Father loved the Son), Eph 1:4, and 1 Pet 1:20 (Christ, the unblemished lamb, foreknown). Jewish tradition spoke of things God prepared or had in mind before creation: the Son of Man's name (1 En 48:3), Moses (Testament of Moses 1:12–14), and, in later rabbinic sources, Torah, the Throne of Glory, the Temple, the Messiah's name, and Israel itself (Gen. Rab. 1:4; b. Pesaḥ. 54a).

From the study of 1 Peter 1:20

Range of meaning

Καταβολή comes from καταβάλλω, 'to throw down, lay down'. It means the laying of a foundation, or a beginning. It can also mean the depositing of seed in sowing or conception (Heb 11:11). With κόσμος it forms a set phrase for the creation of the world as the absolute starting point of time.

Against the English

'Foundation of the world' keeps the building picture. NIV's 'creation of the world' and NLT's 'before the world began' are accurate in sense but lose the image of God laying a foundation.

Used elsewhere in the period

2 Maccabees 2:29 uses καταβολή for the whole construction of a new house, the builder's concern. In the New Testament the phrase 'before the foundation of the world' appears in John 17:24 (the Father loved the Son) and Ephesians 1:4 (believers chosen in Christ), and 'from the foundation of the world' in Matthew 25:34, Hebrews 4:3, Revelation 13:8 and 17:8. Jewish texts speak of things prepared before creation. 1 Enoch 48:3 and 48:6 say the Son of Man was named and 'chosen and hidden' before the world was created. A later rabbinic tradition (b. Pesahim 54a) lists the name of the Messiah among things made before the world.

From the study of Matthew 25:34

Range of meaning

Katabolē literally means 'a throwing down'. It is used of laying down a foundation, and also of depositing seed, as in conception (Heb 11:11). 'Katabolē kosmou' is a set phrase for the founding or beginning of the world.

Against the English

'Foundation of the world' is a good literal rendering. Some translations prefer 'creation of the world', which gives the sense but loses the building picture.

Used elsewhere in the period

Matt 13:35 ('hidden since the foundation of the world'); Luke 11:50; Heb 4:3; Rev 13:8; 17:8. Compare 'before (pro) the foundation of the world' in John 17:24, Eph 1:4 and 1 Pet 1:20. Matthew's preposition is 'apo', 'from/since'.

Where it appears

Matthew · 2

  1. Matthew 13:35 καταβολῆς [the] foundation

    So was fulfilled what was spoken through the prophet: “I will open My mouth in parables; I will utter things hidden since the foundation of the world.”

    Here: Literally “a throwing down” or “laying down,” as of a foundation. “From the foundation” means from the very start of creation.

  2. Matthew 25:34 καταβολῆς foundation

    Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.

    Here: Literally a 'throwing down', used of laying foundations. Together with 'world' it means 'since the world was first founded', the very beginning of creation.

Luke · 1

  1. Luke 11:50 καταβολῆς [the] foundation

    As a result, this generation will be charged with the blood of all the prophets that has been shed since the foundation of the world,

    Here: The 'laying down' of the world, its founding. Here it means the very start of human history. Abel, the first person murdered, is in view (v. 51), not some point before time.

John · 1

  1. John 17:24 καταβολῆς [the] foundation

    Father, I want those You have given Me to be with Me where I am, that they may see the glory You gave Me because You loved Me before the foundation of the world.

    Here: Literally a 'throwing down' or 'laying down', used of laying a foundation. 'The laying of the world's foundation' is a stock phrase for the moment of creation.

Ephesians · 1

  1. Ephesians 1:4 καταβολῆς [the] foundation

    For He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless in His presence. In love

    Here: Literally a 'throwing down', meaning the laying of a foundation. It pictures God as a builder laying the base of the world. The choice was made before that first stone went down.

Hebrews · 3

  1. Hebrews 4:3 καταβολῆς [the] foundation

    Now we who have believed enter that rest. As for the others, it is just as God has said: “So I swore on oath in My anger, ‘They shall never enter My rest.’” And yet His works have been finished since the foundation of the world.

    Here: The "laying down" of the world, as one lays a foundation. A standard Jewish and early Christian way of saying "the creation of the world."

  2. Hebrews 9:26 καταβολῆς [the] foundation

    Otherwise, Christ would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But now He has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of Himself.

    Here: Literally a 'laying down', as of a building's foundation. With 'world' it is a set phrase for creation (compare Heb 4:3). Sin has existed for as long as people have, so repeated sacrifices would have had to start then.

  3. Hebrews 11:11 καταβολὴν [the] conception

    By faith Sarah, even though she was barren and beyond the proper age, was enabled to conceive a child, because she considered Him faithful who had promised.

    Here: Literally 'a throwing or laying down'. Hebrews uses it twice for the 'foundation of the world' (4:3; 9:26). With 'seed' it is a standard Greek expression for the male depositing seed in procreation. It can also be taken more broadly as the 'founding' of a line of descendants.

1 Peter · 1

  1. 1 Peter 1:20 καταβολῆς [the] foundation

    He was known before the foundation of the world, but was revealed in the last times for your sake.

    Here: Literally the 'laying down' of a foundation, the first act in building. 'Before the foundation of the world' is a fixed early Christian phrase for 'before anything was made'.

Revelation · 2

  1. Revelation 13:8 καταβολῆς [the] founding

    And all who dwell on the earth will worship the beast—all whose names have not been written from the foundation of the world in the Book of Life belonging to the Lamb who was slain.

    Here: The 'laying down' of a foundation, used in the fixed phrase for the moment of creation. Whether it goes with 'written' or with 'slaughtered' is debated (see debates).

  2. Revelation 17:8 καταβολῆς [the] foundation

    The beast that you saw—it was, and now is no more, but is about to come up out of the Abyss and go to its destruction. And those who dwell on the earth whose names were not written in the Book of Life from the foundation of the world will marvel when they see the beast that was, and is not, and yet will be.

    Here: Literally a "laying down", as of a foundation. "From the foundation of the world" means from the very beginning of creation.

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.