Strong's Greek: 2545. καίω (kaió) -- To burn, to set on fire

Strong's Lexicon

kaió: To burn, to set on fire

Original Word: καίω
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: kaió
Pronunciation: kah-yo
Phonetic Spelling: (kah'-yo)
Definition: To burn, to set on fire
Meaning: I ignite, light, burn, lit. and met; I consume with fire.

Word Origin: A primary verb

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: - H1197 (בָּעַר, ba'ar) - to burn, consume

- H784 (אֵשׁ, esh) - fire

Usage: The Greek verb "καίω" (kaió) primarily means "to burn" or "to set on fire." It is used in the New Testament to describe the act of burning, whether it be literal, as in the burning of a lamp or a fire, or metaphorical, as in the burning of passion or zeal. The term can also imply destruction by fire or the refining process that fire brings.

Cultural and Historical Background: In the ancient world, fire was a crucial element for daily life, used for cooking, heating, and light. It also held significant symbolic meaning, often representing purification, judgment, and the presence of God. In Jewish tradition, fire was associated with the divine, as seen in the burning bush (Exodus 3:2) and the pillar of fire that guided the Israelites (Exodus 13:21). In the Greco-Roman world, fire was similarly seen as a purifying and transformative force.

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
a prim. verb
Definition
to kindle, burn
NASB Translation
blazing (1), burned (2), burning (5), burns (2), light (1), lit (1).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon

STRONGS NT 2545: καίω

καίω (Vanicek, p. 98); passive, present καίομαι; perfect participle κεκαυμενος; 1 future καυθήσομαι (1 Corinthians 13:3 Tdf., where R G L Tr give the solecistic future subjunctive καυθήσωμαι, on which cf. Lob. ad Phryn., p. 720f; Winers Grammar, § 13, 1 e.; Buttmann, 35f (31)); (Sophocles Lexicon, Introduction, p. 40; WHs Appendix, p. 172; Tdf Proleg., p. 122. WH text, Lachmann's stereotypeed edition read καυχήσωμαι (with א A B etc.); on this reading see WHs Appendix, ad loc.; A. W. Tyler in Bib. Sacr. for July 1873, p. 502f; cf. Scrivener, Introduction, etc., p. 629f; Tregelles, Printed Text etc., p. 191f; Tdf. ad loc.); the Sept. for בִּעֵר, שָׂרַף etc.; (from Homer down);

1. to set fire to, light: λύχνον, Matthew 5:15; passive participle καιόμενος, burning, Luke 12:35; Revelation 4:5; Revelation 8:10; Revelation 19:20; with πυρί added, Hebrews 12:18; Revelation 8:8; Revelation 21:8; in figurative discourse λύχνος καιόμενος, a light showing the right way, John 5:35 (a comparison pointed at the Jews, to whom John the Baptist had been as a torch lighted for a merry-making); metaphorically, ἡ καρδία ἦν καιομένη was glowing, burning, i. e. was greatly moved, Luke 24:32 (Winers Grammar, § 45, 5; Buttmann, § 144, 28).

2. to burn, consume with fire: passive, John 15:6; 1 Corinthians 13:3 (see above); with πυρί added (cf. igni cremare, Caesar b. g. 1, 4), Matthew 13:40 G Tr for R L T WH κατακαίεται. (Compare: ἐκκαίω, κατακαίω.)

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

burn, light.

Apparently a primary verb; to set on fire, i.e. Kindle or (by implication) consume -- burn, light.

Forms and Transliterations

εκαίετο καιεται καίεται καίετε καίηται καιομεναι καιόμεναι καιομενη καιομένη καιομένῃ καιομένην καιομενης καιομένης καιομενοι καιόμενοι καιομένοις καιομενον καιόμενον καιομενος καιόμενος καιομένου καιομένω καιομένων καίουσι καιουσιν καίουσιν καοιμένην καυθέντας καυθήσεται καυθήσονται καυθήσωμαι καύσαι καύσαντες καύσει καύσετε καύσουσι καύσουσιν καύσω κεκαυμενω κεκαυμένω κεκαυμένῳ kaietai kaíetai kaiomenai kaiómenai kaiomene kaiomenē kaioméne kaioménē kaioménei kaioménēi kaiomenes kaiomenēs kaioménes kaioménēs kaiomenoi kaiómenoi kaiomenon kaiómenon kaiomenos kaiómenos kaiousin kaíousin kekaumeno kekaumenō kekauménoi kekauménōi

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