to seat
kathizo describes taking or occupying a seated place, including ordinary sitting and positions of judgment or rule.
The term most often marks people taking a seated position for an ensuing action, such as speaking, teaching, praying, or sorting; it also occurs for occupying thrones, judgment seats, and other recognized positions, and for placing another in such a position.
Senses in use
-
Taking a seated place for an activity · dominant
The aorist forms mark people taking a place before what follows: in Acts 13:14 the APB renders that they entered the synagogue and “sat down,” and in Acts 16:13 sitting precedes speaking with the gathered women. In Luke 5:3, Matthew 13:48, and Mark 14:32, the seated position precedes teaching, sorting the catch, or prayer.
-
Occupying a throne, judicial seat, or office · common
In throne and seat clauses, the verb marks occupying a position associated with rule or judgment. The APB renders sitting “at the right hand” in Hebrews 1:3 and Mark 16:19, “upon his throne of glory” in Matthew 25:31, and describes the scribes and Pharisees as having “sat down on the seat of Moses” in Matthew 23:2.
-
Placing another in a position · occasional
Some clauses present the action as bringing another person into a place or rank. In Acts 2:30 the APB renders God’s oath “to seat one” upon a throne, while Ephesians 1:20 describes God “seating him at his right hand”; 1 Corinthians 6:4 asks whom the readers place in the assembly.
In the Anselm Project Bible: The APB commonly uses “sat down” or “sit,” while also using phrases such as “seated himself,” “seating him,” and “stay.” These renderings confirm the clauses’ settings without assigning every English wording directly to the lemma.