G2665 — καταπέτασμα (katapetasma)¶

Core Data¶

Strong's: G2665
Original: καταπέτασμα
Transliteration: katapetasma
Pronunciation: kat-ap-et'-as-mah
Part of Speech: Neuter noun
Root: κατά (kata, "down") + πετάννυμι (petannymi, "to spread") — something spread down
Occurrences: 6 in NT (6 unique verses, 4 books)
First Occurrence: Matt 27:51 — "And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom"
Hapax Legomenon: No

Lexicon Definition¶

From a compound of κατά (kata) and a congener of πετάννυμι (petannymi); something spread thoroughly, i.e. the door-Loss of the inner Temple chamber, a curtain:—veil.

Louw-Nida Semantic Domain¶

Domain: 006.017 — Cloth, Leather, and Objects Made of Such Materials
Parent Domain: 006 — Artifacts
Other words in subdomain: βυρσεύς (G1038), βύσσινος (G1039), βύσσος (G1040), δέρμα (G1192), δερμάτινος (G1193), ἔνδυμα (G1742), ἐπενδύτης (G1903), ἐπίβλημα (G1915), ἔριον (G2053), ἐσθής (G2066), ζώνη (G2223), ἱμάτιον (G2440)

Domain Neighbors (006.017 — Cloth, Leather, and Objects)¶

Strong's	Lemma	Total Verses	Primary KJV Translation
G1038	βυρσεύς	3	tanner
G1039	βύσσινος	4	fine linen
G1040	βύσσος	2	fine linen
G1192	δέρμα	1	goatskins
G1742	ἔνδυμα	7	raiment, garment
G2066	ἐσθής	6	apparel, clothing
G2440	ἱμάτιον	37	garments, clothes

Translation Distribution (KJV)¶

Translation	Count	%
veil	6	100%

Exclusively rendered "veil" in KJV. No translation variation whatsoever.

Distribution by Book¶

Book	Count	Per 100 Verses
Hebrews	3	1.0
Matthew	1	0.1
Mark	1	0.1
Luke	1	0.1

Concentrated in Hebrews (50% of all uses). The Synoptic Gospels each record the tearing once. Absent from John, Paul's epistles, and Revelation. The word appears in exactly two contexts: the Synoptic crucifixion narrative (3×) and the Hebrews sanctuary theology (3×).

Morphological Distribution¶

Case	Count	Verses
Nominative	3	Matt 27:51, Mark 15:38, Luke 23:45
Genitive	2	Heb 6:19, Heb 10:20
Accusative	1	Heb 9:3

The nominative forms all occur as subject of the tearing event. The genitive forms in Hebrews use the veil as a spatial marker ("within the veil," "through the veil").

Semantic Categories¶

1. The Inner Temple Curtain (Torn at Christ's Death)¶

Matt 27:51 — "And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent"
Mark 15:38 — "And the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom"
Luke 23:45 — "And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst"

All three Synoptics record the tearing (σχίζω, schizo) of the katapetasma. Matthew and Mark specify "from the top to the bottom" (ἄνωθεν ἕως κάτω), emphasizing divine agency (top-down, not bottom-up). Luke places it alongside the solar darkening and uses "in the midst" (μέσον). Luke positions the veil-tearing before Jesus' final cry ("Father, into thy hands..."), while Matthew and Mark place it immediately after.

2. The Barrier Before the Holy of Holies (Tabernacle Furniture)¶

Heb 9:3 — "And after the second veil, the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of all"

Identifies the katapetasma as the "second veil" separating the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place, distinguishing it from the outer curtain (the "first tabernacle" entrance). This is the OT poreketh — the curtain before the ark.

3. The Opened Way Into God's Presence¶

Heb 6:19 — "Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil"
Heb 10:20 — "By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh"

Hebrews transforms the katapetasma into a theological metaphor. Hope enters "within" (ἐσώτερον) the veil; the "new and living way" passes "through" (διά) the veil, which Hebrews identifies with Christ's flesh. The veil that once barred access now marks the opened path.

Common Collocations¶

Word	Strong's	Co-occurrences	Typical Pattern
ναός (naos)	G3485	3× (50%)	"the veil of the temple" — Synoptic crucifixion formula
σχίζω (schizo)	G4977	3× (50%)	"the veil was rent" — passive divine action
ἄνωθεν (anothen)	G509	2× (33%)	"from the top" — direction of tearing
δύο (dyo)	G1417	2× (33%)	"in twain / in two" — completeness of rending
κάτω (kato)	G2736	2× (33%)	"to the bottom" — paired with anothen
ἐσώτερος (esoteros)	G2082	1× (17%)	"within the veil" — spatial entry in Hebrews
ὁδός (hodos)	G3598	1× (17%)	"a new and living way, through the veil"
ζάω (zao)	G2198	1× (17%)	"a living way" — modifying the opened path
ἐγκαινίζω (enkainizo)	G1457	1× (17%)	"which he hath consecrated for us"

Synonyms (from search_relationships.py)¶

δικαίωμα (G1345) — ordinance, righteous requirement (tabernacle regulations context)
ἐντολή (G1785) — commandment (worship ordinances)
διαθήκη (G1242) — covenant (sanctuary as covenant locus)

Easily Confused Words¶

Word	Strong's	Shared Context	Key Difference
רָדִיד (radiyd)	H7289	Both rendered "veil" in KJV	radiyd = personal garment/shawl (Song 5:7, Isa 3:23); katapetasma = sacred temple curtain exclusively

No other NT Greek word is translated "veil" in the same temple-curtain sense. The term is functionally unique in the NT Greek vocabulary.

Semantic Domain Neighbors¶

ἔνδυμα (G1742) — garment, raiment (7v)
ἱμάτιον (G2440) — garment, clothes (37v)
βύσσινος (G1039) — fine linen (4v)

These are generic cloth/garment words. Katapetasma is the only domain member with exclusively sacred-architectural usage.

Hebrew Source (via LXX)¶

Hebrew Source	Strong's	Co-occurrences	PMI	Notes
פֹּרֶכֶת (poreketh)	H6532	22	9.45	Primary — the inner veil before the Holy of Holies (Exod 26:31–33, Lev 16:2)
מָסָךְ (macak)	H4539	8	8.06	Secondary — the outer screen/hanging at the tabernacle entrance
עֵדוּת (eduwth)	H5715	9	6.88	Contextual — "testimony" (ark of the testimony behind the veil)
כַּפֹּרֶת (kapporeth)	H3727	5	7.44	Contextual — mercy seat (located behind the poreketh)

The dominant Hebrew equivalent is H6532 poreketh (22 co-occurrences, PMI 9.45). The LXX consistently renders poreketh as katapetasma. The secondary equivalent macak refers to the outer screen/hanging, which the LXX also sometimes renders katapetasma — hence Heb 9:3's distinction of "the second veil."