Berean Strong's Lexicon katenópion: Before, in the presence of Original Word: κατενώπιον Word Origin: From κατά (kata, meaning "down" or "against") and ἐνώπιον (enópion, meaning "before" or "in the presence of") Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: The Hebrew equivalent often used in similar contexts is לִפְנֵי (liphnê), meaning "before" or "in the presence of," as seen in passages like Genesis 17:1 and Psalm 51:11. Usage: The Greek preposition κατενώπιον (katenópion) is used to denote being in the presence of or before someone or something. It conveys a sense of directness and immediacy, often implying accountability or witness. In the New Testament, it is frequently used to describe standing before God or in His sight, emphasizing the omnipresence and omniscience of God. Cultural and Historical Background: In the Greco-Roman world, the concept of being "before" someone carried significant weight, often implying a formal or solemn setting, such as a court or a royal audience. In Jewish thought, being "before God" was a profound concept, reflecting the belief in God's all-seeing nature and the importance of living a life that is transparent and accountable to Him. HELPS Word-studies 2714 katenṓpion (from 2596 /katá, "down, exactly according to," intensifying 1799 /enṓpion, "in the eye, i.e. in the presence of") – properly, "down in the eye," i.e. in someone's direct, concentrated gaze; "in the very presence of," especially being "in the very full (decisive) presence of" (S. Zodhiates, Dict). 2714 /katenṓpion ("in the presence of") refers to God – the all-knowing one who always acts in conjunction with all He knows (which is always absolute knowledge). NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originadverb from kata and enópios Definition over against NASB Translation before (2), presence (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 2714: κατενώπιονκατενώπιον, adverb, not met with in secular authors ((Winers Grammar, 102 (97)) see ἐνώπιον), over against, opposite, before the face of, before the presence of, in the sight of, before: followed by the genitive (Buttmann, 319 (273f); cf. Winers Grammar, § 54,6); a. properly, of place, Jude 1:24 (Leviticus 4:17; Joshua 1:5; Joshua 3:7; Joshua 23:9). b. metaphorically, having one as it were before the eyes, before one as witness: τοῦ Θεοῦ, Rec. in 2 Corinthians 2:17; 2 Corinthians 12:19 (see κατέναντι); before God as judge, Ephesians 1:4; Colossians 1:22 (cf. Lightfoot, in the place cited; also Buttmann, 173, 180, 188). From kata and enopion; directly in front of -- before (the presence of), in the sight of. see GREEK kata see GREEK enopion Englishman's Concordance Ephesians 1:4 PrepGRK: καὶ ἀμώμους κατενώπιον αὐτοῦ ἐν NAS: and blameless before Him. In love KJV: and without blame before him in INT: and blameless before him in Colossians 1:22 Prep Jude 1:24 Prep |