The Greek word καταλύω, kataluo occurs 17 times in the New Testament. It means to abolish (Matt. 5:17), be a guest of (Luke 19:7), find lodging (Luke 9:12), overthrow (Acts 5:38-39), and tear down (Matt. 24:2; 26:61; 27:40; Mark 13:2; 14:58; 15:29; Luke 21:6; Acts 6:14; Rom. 14:20; 2 Cor. 5:1; Gal. 2:18). In none of the verses does the context suggest annihilation of people or their nonexistence in the intermediate state between death and resurrection.

• Greek word:  καταλύω, kataluo
• Meaning:  to tear down, abolish, overthrow
• Strong’s #: G2647
• Frequency:  17 occurrences in 16 verses.

Summary of the meaning of the Greek word kataluo, tear down, in all verses where it occurs in the New Testament.

1. Abolish, 1 occurrence
   1. Matt. 5:17
2. Be a guest of, 1 occurrence
   1. Luke 19:7
3. Find lodging, 1 occurrence
   1. Luke 9:12
4. Overthrow, 1 occurrence
   1. Acts 5:38-39
5. Tear down, 11 occurrences
   1. Matt. 24:2; 26:61; 27:40; Mark 13:2; 14:58; 15:29; Luke 21:6; Acts 6:14; Rom. 14:20; 2 Cor. 5:1; Gal. 2:18

 

TABLE OF ALL NEW TESTAMENT USAGES OF KATALUO, καταλύω
Address	Verse	Meaning
Matt. 5:17	“Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill.	Abolish
Matt. 24:2	“And He said to them, “Do you not see all these things? Truly I say to you, not one stone here will be left upon another, which will not be torn down.”	Tear down
Matt. 26:61	“and said, “This man stated, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God and to rebuild it in three days.’ ”	Tear down
Matt. 27:40	and saying, “You who are going to destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save Yourself! If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross.”	Tear down
Mark 13:2	“And Jesus said to him, “Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone will be left upon another which will not be torn down.”	Tear down
Mark 14:58	“We heard Him say, ‘I will destroy this temple made with hands, and in three days I will build another made without hands.’ ”	Tear down
Mark 15:29	“Those passing by were hurling abuse at Him, wagging their heads, and saying, “Ha! You who are going to destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days,	Tear down
Luke 9:12	“Now the day was ending, and the twelve came and said to Him, “Send the crowd away, that they may go into the surrounding villages and countryside and find lodging and get something to eat; for here we are in a desolate place.”	Find lodging
Luke 19:7	“When they saw it, they all began to grumble, saying, “He has gone to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.”	To be a guest of
Luke 21:6	“As for these things which you are looking at, the days will come in which there will not be left one stone upon another which will not be torn down.”	Tear down
Acts 5:38	“So in the present case, I say to you, stay away from these men and let them alone, for if this plan or action is of men, it will be overthrown;	Overthrow
Acts 5:39	“but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them; or else you may even be found fighting against God.”	Overthrow
Acts 6:14	“for we have heard him say that this Nazarene, Jesus, will destroy this place and alter the customs which Moses handed down to us.”	Tear down
Rom. 14:20	“Do not tear down the work of God for the sake of food. All things indeed are clean, but they are evil for the man who eats and gives offense.”	Tear down
2 Cor. 5:1	“For we know that if the earthly tent which is our house is torn down, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.”	Tear down
Gal. 2:18	“For if I rebuild what I have once destroyed, I prove myself to be a transgressor.	Tear down

 

Dictionaries and Lexicons consulted

• “καταλύω katalúō; fut. katalúsō, from katá (2596), an intens., and lúō (3089), to loose. To loose or unloose what was before bound or fastened as used in Class. Gr. To refresh oneself, to lodge or be a guest (Luke 9:12; 19:7; Sept.: Gen. 24:23, 25; 42:27; 43:21). It properly refers to travelers loosening their own burdens or those of their animals when they stayed at a house on a journey (Luke 9:12). To dissolve, demolish, destroy, or throw down as a building or its materials (Matt. 24:2; 26:61; 27:40; Mark 13:2; 14:58; 15:29; Luke 21:6; Acts 6:14); as the law and the prophets (Matt. 5:17); as a work (Acts 5:38, 39; Rom. 14:20; Gal. 2:18). Figuratively, of the body (2 Cor. 5:1).
  Deriv.: akatálutos (179), indissoluble; katáluma (2646), lodging place.
  • Zodhiates, Spiros. The Complete Word Study Dictionary: New Testament. Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, 2000.)
• “καταλύω; καθαιρέωc; καθαίρεσιςa, εως f: to destroy completely by tearing down and dismantling—‘to destroy, to tear down, destruction.’
  καταλύωa: οὐκ ἀφεθήσεται λίθος ἐπὶ λίθῳ ὃς οὐ καταλυθήσεται ‘there will not be one stone left on another which will not be torn down’ Lk 21:6.
  καθαιρέωc: καθελῶ μου τὰς ἀποθήκας καὶ μείζονας οἰκοδομήσω ‘I will tear my barns down and build bigger ones’ Lk 12:18. It may be important in rendering Lk 12:18 to indicate clearly that there is purpose in tearing down the barns, and that presumably materials resulting from the dismantling of the barns would be used in building bigger ones.
  καθαίρεσιςa: ἀλλὰ δυνατὰ τῷ θεῷ πρὸς καθαίρεσιν ὀχυρωμάτων ‘but God’s powerful weapons, with which to tear down strongholds’ 2 Cor 10:4.”
  • Louw, Johannes P., and Eugene Albert Nida. Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains. New York: United Bible Societies, 1996.)
• “καταλύω [kataluo /kat·al·oo·o/] v. From 2596 and 3089; TDNT 4:338; TDNTA 543; GK 2907; 17 occurrences; AV translates as “destroy” nine times, “throw down” three times, “lodge” once, “guest” once, “come to nought” once, “overthrow” once, and “dissolve” once. 1 to dissolve, disunite. 1A (what has been joined together), to destroy, demolish. 1B metaph. to overthrow i.e. render vain, deprive of success, bring to naught. 1B1 to subvert, overthrow. 1B1A of institutions, forms of government, laws, etc., to deprive of force, annul, abrogate, discard. 1C of travelers, to halt on a journey, to put up, lodge (the figurative expression originating in the circumstance that, to put up for the night, the straps and packs of the beasts of burden are unbound and taken off; or, more correctly from the fact that the traveler’s garments, tied up when he is on the journey, are unloosed at it end).”‘
  • Strong, James. Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon. Woodside Bible Fellowship, 1995.