Greek word · G2616

καταδυναστεύω

katadynasteuō

to oppress

To exercise power against someone, dominate, oppress, exploit. It is built from dynasteuō, 'to rule as a lord or dynast', with kata, 'down/against'. The word belongs to the language of tyranny and abuse of the weak, not to psychology.

Appears 2 times in 2 verses of the Greek New Testament. ·

What it means

κατα-δυναστεύω

[in LXX for יָנָה, עָשַׁק, etc. ;]

to exercise power over, oppress: with accusative of person(s) (Xen.; LXX, Micah 2:2, Wisdom of Solomon 2:10, al.); with genitive of person(s), James 2:6 (ὑμᾶς, T); pass., Acts 10:38 (cf. MM, Exp., xv).†

(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 Acts 10:38

Range of meaning

To exercise power against someone, dominate, oppress, exploit. It is built from dynasteuō, 'to rule as a lord or dynast', with kata, 'down/against'. The word belongs to the language of tyranny and abuse of the weak, not to psychology.

Against the English

Most versions say 'oppressed' (KJV, ESV, NASB, BSB, WEB, NLT, YLT). NIV's 'under the power of' catches the idea of a ruler's domination well. To modern ears 'oppressed' can sound like a feeling of heaviness or, in some church circles, a technical name for a milder degree of demonic influence. Neither is what the Greek word means.

How it drifted

The English 'oppressed' has widened to include inner, emotional pressure. Separately, later deliverance-ministry literature made 'oppression' a defined category, distinct from 'possession'. Neither development comes from this Greek word.

Used elsewhere in the period

In the Septuagint it is the standard word for social injustice: 'do not oppress the stranger, the orphan and the widow' (Jer 7:6; Zech 7:10). It also appears in Ezek 18:7, 12, 16 (oppressing the poor), Amos 4:1 and 8:4, and Wis 2:10 ('let us oppress the righteous poor man'). The only other NT use is James 2:6: 'Is it not the rich who oppress you?'

From the study of James 2:6

Range of meaning

From kata ('down, against') and dunasteuō ('to hold power, rule', cf. 'dynasty'). It means to exercise power over someone to their harm: oppress, tyrannize, exploit, dominate. It is used with a genitive object (here humōn, 'over you').

Against the English

'Oppress' (BSB, KJV, WEB, ESV, NASB) is accurate but can sound abstract or systemic to modern ears. NIV's 'exploiting' highlights the economic side. The Greek image is of the powerful using their position to grind others down.

Used elsewhere in the period

This is a technical word of the prophets in the LXX for social injustice: Amos 4:1 ('you who oppress the poor'), Amos 8:4; Jer 7:6 and 22:3 (do not oppress the stranger, orphan, widow); Ezek 18:7, 12, 16; 22:29; Zech 7:10; Mal 3:5. Wisdom of Solomon 2:10 has the ungodly say, 'Let us oppress the poor righteous man.' Its only other NT use is Acts 10:38, those 'oppressed by the devil'.

Where it appears

Acts · 1

  1. Acts 10:38 καταδυναστευομένους being oppressed

    how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how Jesus went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, because God was with Him.

    Here: Being dominated and exploited by a stronger power. In the Greek Old Testament this word describes the powerful crushing the poor, the widow and the orphan. The present passive shows people living under an ongoing tyranny.

James · 1

  1. James 2:6 καταδυναστεύουσιν are oppressing

    But you have dishonored the poor. Is it not the rich who oppress you and drag you into court?

    Here: Literally 'to lord it over by force'. The present tense describes something that keeps happening. In the Greek Old Testament this is the prophets' word for powerful people crushing the poor, widows and orphans.

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