G2644 — καταλλάσσω (katallassō)¶

Core Data¶

Strong's: G2644
Original: καταλλάσσω
Transliteration: katallassō
Pronunciation: kat-al-las'-so
Part of Speech: Verb
Root: ἀλλάσσω (allassō, G236) — to change, make different; prefixed with κατά (kata) = "down/thoroughly" → to change thoroughly, exchange mutually
Occurrences: 6 tokens in 5 unique verses (NT only)
Books: 3 (Romans, 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians)
First Occurrence: Rom 5:10 — "For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life."
Hapax Legomenon: No

Lexicon Definition¶

From κατά (G2596) and ἀλλάσσω (G236); to change mutually, i.e. (figuratively) to compound a difference, to reconcile:

To change, exchange — as of coins (classical Greek usage)
To reconcile — to restore to favor, bring back into right relationship; in the NT, always of restoring the relationship between God and man or between estranged persons

Louw-Nida Semantic Domain¶

Domain: 040 — Reconciliation, Forgiveness
Subdomain: 040.001 — Reconciliation
Other words in subdomain: ἀπαλλάσσω (G525), ἀποκαταλλάσσω (G604), ἄσπονδος (G786), διαλλάσσω (G1259), εἰρηνοποιέω (G1517), εἰρηνοποιός (G1518), καταλλαγή (G2643), μεσίτης (G3316), συναλλάσσω (G4900a)

Translation Distribution (KJV)¶

Translation	Count	%
we were reconciled	1	17%
being reconciled	1	17%
be reconciled to	1	17%
hath reconciled	1	17%
reconciling	1	17%
be ye reconciled	1	17%

All 6 tokens are rendered with "reconcile" in every instance. No alternative English translations in KJV.

Distribution by Book¶

Book	Count	Per 100 Verses
2 Corinthians	3	1.2
Romans	1	0.2
1 Corinthians	1	0.2

Exclusively Pauline. The highest concentration is in 2 Cor 5:18-20, where three forms appear in three consecutive verses. The word is absent from the Gospels, Acts, the General Epistles, and Revelation.

Grammatical Forms¶

Reference	Form	Parsing
Rom 5:10a	κατηλλάγημεν	V-2API-1P — 2nd Aorist Passive Indicative 1st Plural
Rom 5:10b	καταλλαγέντες	V-2APP-NPM — 2nd Aorist Passive Participle Nom Pl Masc
1 Cor 7:11	καταλλαγήτω	V-2APM-3S — 2nd Aorist Passive Imperative 3rd Singular
2 Cor 5:18	καταλλάξαντος	V-AAP-GSM — Aorist Active Participle Gen Sg Masc
2 Cor 5:19	καταλλάσσων	V-PAP-NSM — Present Active Participle Nom Sg Masc
2 Cor 5:20	καταλλάγητε	V-2APM-2P — 2nd Aorist Passive Imperative 2nd Plural

Voice pattern: when God is the subject, the verb is active (God "reconciles" — 2 Cor 5:18-19). When humans are the subject, the verb is passive (humans "are reconciled" — Rom 5:10; 2 Cor 5:20) or passive imperative (1 Cor 7:11). This voice distribution shows reconciliation as something God does, which humans receive.

Semantic Categories¶

1. Divine Reconciliation of Enemies¶

God reconciles those who were in a state of enmity — the initiative belongs to God, not the sinner.

Rom 5:10 — "For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life."
2 Cor 5:18 — "And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation."

2. God's Cosmic Reconciling Activity¶

God is the agent reconciling the entire world, with non-imputation of trespasses as a defining feature.

2 Cor 5:19 — "To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation."

3. The Appeal to Be Reconciled¶

The imperative form — calling people to accept the reconciliation God has made available.

2 Cor 5:20 — "Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God."

4. Human Reconciliation (Marital)¶

The only non-divine usage — an estranged wife restoring her relationship with her husband.

1 Cor 7:11 — "But and if she depart, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband: and let not the husband put away his wife."

Common Collocations¶

Word	Strong's	Co-occurrences	Typical Pattern
Χριστός (Christos)	G5547	3x (60%)	"by Jesus Christ" / "in Christ" / "in Christ's stead" — Christ as agent or sphere of reconciliation
καταλλαγή (katallagē)	G2643	2x (40%)	Verb + cognate noun: "reconciled... ministry of reconciliation"
κόσμος (kosmos)	G2889	1x (20%)	"reconciling the world" — scope of divine reconciliation
ἐχθρός (echthros)	G2190	1x (20%)	"when we were enemies, we were reconciled" — prior state
θάνατος (thanatos)	G2288	1x (20%)	"by the death of his Son" — means of reconciliation
λογίζομαι (logizomai)	G3049	1x (20%)	"not imputing their trespasses" — non-reckoning accompanies reconciliation
διακονία (diakonia)	G1248	1x (20%)	"ministry of reconciliation" — the task given to ambassadors
λόγος (logos)	G3056	1x (20%)	"word of reconciliation" — the message content

Word Family / Cognates¶

G236 ἀλλάσσω (allassō) — base verb: to change, make different (6x)
G2643 καταλλαγή (katallagē) — cognate noun: reconciliation, exchange, restoration to favor (4x: Rom 5:11; 11:15; 2 Cor 5:18, 19)
G604 ἀποκαταλλάσσω (apokatallassō) — intensified compound: to reconcile fully/completely (3x: Eph 2:16; Col 1:20, 22)
G1259 διαλλάσσω (diallassō) — variant compound: to reconcile thoroughly (1x: Matt 5:24 — human-to-human reconciliation before offering)

Easily Confused Words¶

Word	Strong's	Shared Translation	Key Difference
ἀποκαταλλάσσω (apokatallassō)	G604	"reconcile"	Intensified form with ἀπό prefix; used by Paul in Ephesians and Colossians for cosmic reconciliation including "all things" and "principalities"; katallassō is the standard Pauline term in Romans and Corinthians
διαλλάσσω (diallassō)	G1259	"be reconciled"	Used only in Matt 5:24 for human-to-human reconciliation before worship; katallassō covers both divine-human and human-human
ἱλάσκομαι (hilaskomai)	G2433	both in atonement contexts	hilaskomai = deal with sin itself (propitiate/expiate); katallassō = restore the relationship broken by sin
ἱλασμός (hilasmos)	G2434	both in atonement theology	hilasmos = the propitiatory offering; katallassō = the resulting relational restoration

Domain Neighbors (Louw-Nida 040.001)¶

Strong's	Lemma	Total Verses	Primary KJV Translation
G525	ἀπαλλάσσω	3	deliver, departed
G604	ἀποκαταλλάσσω	3	reconcile (fully)
G786	ἄσπονδος	2	implacable, trucebreakers
G1259	διαλλάσσω	1	be reconciled
G1517	εἰρηνοποιέω	1	having made peace
G1518	εἰρηνοποιός	1	peacemakers
G2643	καταλλαγή	4	reconciliation, atonement
G3316	μεσίτης	5	mediator

Hebrew Source¶

No direct LXX source mapping found. katallassō is not used as a standard LXX translation for any Hebrew word. The concept of reconciliation in the OT is distributed across several relational terms (shalom H7965, ratsah H7521, kaphar H3722), but Paul's katallassō word group represents a distinctively NT theological vocabulary without a single Hebrew antecedent.