Abarim Publications' online Biblical Greek Dictionary
The verb πατεω (pateo) means to tread or trample. It comes from the noun πατος (patos), which means path or beaten track, and which has nothing to do with the familiar noun παθος (pathos), or experience, but derives from the ancient Proto-Indo-European root pent- from which we also have our verb to find (and possibly the noun path).
In the classics our verb covered two main ideas: (1) that of trampling on, and thus defeating and subduing, and (2) the frequenting of some place. The latter usage also became applied to students who studied certain matter at length and came to master it (Revelation 14:20), which probably explains Luke 10:19.
Our verb is used 5 times in the New Testament, see full concordance, and from it derives:
- Together with the preposition κατα (kata), meaning down from, down upon: the verb καταπατεω (katapateo), meaning to trample down. This verb is used 5 times; see full concordance.
- Together with the preposition περι (peri), meaning around or about: the verb περιπατεω (peripateo), meaning to tread around or walk about (hence our English adjective peripatetic). This verb is the common verb for getting around or going about or even the "walking" of one's life (Mark 7:5, 3 John 1:4) and often implies a walking around in order to teach — to tour — which accounts for this verb's being used a whopping 96 times in the New Testament; see full concordance. From this verb in turn derives:
- Together with the preposition εν (en), meaning in, on or at: the verb εμπεριπατεω (emperipateo), meaning to walk around in. This amazing verb is used only once, in 2 Corinthians 6:16, where it describes God's presence within mankind: strolling about like he once did in Eden (Genesis 3:8, Revelation 21:3; also see our article on the name Immanuel).