G630: ἀπολύω (apolýō)

G630 ἀπολύω (apolýō)

Greek 📖 Word Study

Quick Definition

ἀπολύω v. I release, let go, send away, divorce

Strong's Definition

from 575 and 3089; to free fully, i.e. (literally) relieve, release, dismiss (reflexively, depart), or (figuratively) let die, pardon or (specially) divorce

KJV Usage: (let) depart, dismiss, divorce, forgive, let go, loose, put (send) away, release, set at liberty

UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament

ἀπολύω (G0630) — ἀπολύομαι

verb | λύω

15.43 · Linear Movement · Leave, Depart, Flee, Escape, Send

to let go away, to dismiss to cause (or permit) a person or persons to leave a particular location

MAT 14:15 · MAT 14:22 · MAT 14:23 · MAT 15:23 · MAT 15:32 · MAT 15:39 · MRK 6:36 · MRK 6:45 · MRK 8:3 · MRK 8:9 · LUK 2:29 · LUK 8:38 · LUK 9:12 · LUK 14:4 · ACT 15:30 · ACT 15:33 · ACT 19:40 · ACT 23:22

15.66 · Linear Movement · Leave, Depart, Flee, Escape, Send

to send to cause someone to depart for a particular purpose

ACT 13:3 · ACT 15:30

37.127 · Control, Rule · Release, Set Free

to release, to set free to release from control, to set free (highly generic meaning applicable to a wide variety of circumstances, including confinement, political domination, sin, sickness)

MAT 27:15 · MAT 27:17 · MAT 27:21 · MAT 27:26 · MRK 15:6 · MRK 15:9 · MRK 15:11 · MRK 15:15 · LUK 13:12 · LUK 23:16 · LUK 23:18 · LUK 23:20 · LUK 23:22 · LUK 23:25 · JHN 18:39 · JHN 18:39 · JHN 19:10 · JHN 19:12 · JHN 19:12 · ACT 3:13 · ACT 4:21 · ACT 4:23 · ACT 5:40 · ACT 16:35 · ACT 16:36 · ACT 17:9 · ACT 26:32 · ACT 28:18 · HEB 13:23

34.78 · Association · Marriage, Divorce

to divorce, to separate to dissolve the marriage bond Expressions for divorce are often based on terms meaning literally ‘to send away,’ ‘to separate from,’ or ‘to leave one another.’ However, in a number of languages idiomatic expressions are employed, for example ‘to send him off with his clothes,’ ‘to untie the knot between them,’ or ‘to throw away her hearthstones.’
Some persons have attempted to make an important distinction between ἀφίημι in 1CO 7:11 and χωρίζω in 1CO 7:15 on the assumption that ἀφίημι implies legal divorce, while χωρίζω only relates to separation. Such a distinction, however, seems to be quite artificial.

MAT 1:19 · MAT 5:31 · MAT 5:32 · MAT 5:32 · MAT 19:3 · MAT 19:7 · MAT 19:8 · MAT 19:9 · MRK 10:2 · MRK 10:4 · MRK 10:11 · MRK 10:12 · LUK 16:18 · LUK 16:18

40.8 · Reconciliation, Forgiveness · Forgiveness

to pardon, to forgive, forgiveness to remove the guilt resulting from wrongdoing It is extremely important to note that the focus in the meanings of ἀφίημι[f], ἄφεσις[a], and ἀπολύω[e] is upon the guilt of the wrongdoer and not upon the wrongdoing itself. The event of wrongdoing is not undone, but the guilt resulting from such an event is pardoned. To forgive, therefore, means essentially to remove the guilt resulting from wrongdoing.
Some languages make a clear distinction between guilt and sin, and terms for forgiveness are therefore related to guilt and not to the wrongdoing. Therefore, ‘to forgive sins’ is literally ‘to forgive guilt.’ Though terms for ‘forgiveness’ are often literally ‘to wipe out,’ ‘to blot out,’ or ‘to do away with,’ it is obviously not possible to blot out or to wipe out an event, but it is possible to remove or obliterate the guilt.

MAT 18:27 · LUK 6:37 · LUK 6:37

15.38 · (ἀπολύομαι) · Linear Movement · Leave, Depart, Flee, Escape, Send

to go away, to depart, to leave to depart from a place or set of circumstances, with perhaps an implication of finality or significant separation or rupture being involved

ACT 28:25

¹ It is possible that ἀπολύω[a] and ἀφίημι[a] differ somewhat in meaning in that ἀπολύω[a] may suggest more permission and ἀφίημι[a] more dismissal, but this cannot be determined from NT usage. In ACT 15:30, however, οἱ … ἀπολυθέντες implies clearly being sent (see ἀπολύω[b], 15.66). ² It is possible that ἀπολύω[c] is somewhat more emphatic in meaning than λύω[b] in view of the prepositional prefix ἀπο, but NT contexts are not sufficient to indicate any precise degree of distinction. The same possible distinction also applies to the meanings in 37.128.

UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament © United Bible Societies, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Thayer's Greek Lexicon

ἀπο-λύω ; [impf. dméAvov]; fut. ἀπολύσω : 1 aor. ἀπέAvoa; Pass., pf. ἀπολέλυμαι ; 1 aor. ἀπελύθην ; [fut. ἀπολυθήσομαι] ; impf. mid. ἀπελυόμην (Acts xxviii. 25) ; used in the N. T. only in the historical books and in Heb. xiii. 23; fo loose from, sever by loosening, undo, [see ἀπό, Veils 1. to set free: τινά twos (so in Grk. writ. even fr. Hom. down), to liberate one from a thing (as from a bond), Lk. xiii. 12 (ἀπολέλυσαι [thou hast been loosed i.e.] be thou free from [ef. W. § 40, 4] τῆς ἀσθενείας [LT ἀπὸτ. ἀσθ.7). 2. to let go, dismiss, (to detain no longer) ; τινά, a. ἃ suppliant to whom liberty to depart is given by a decisive answer: Mt. xv. 23; Lk. ii. 29 (‘me whom thou hadst determined to keep on earth until I had seen the salvation prepared for Israel, ef. vs. 26, thou art now dismissing with my wish accomplished, and this dismission is at the same time dismission also from life’ —in reference to which ἀπολύειν is used in Num. xx. 29; Tob. iii. 6; [cf. Gen. xv. 2; 2 Mace. vii. 9; Plut. consol. ad Apoll. §13 ef. 11 fin.]); [Acts xxiii. 22]. b. to bid depart, send away: Mt. xiv. 15, 22 sq.; xv. 32, 39; Mk. vi. 36,45; viii. 3, 9; Lk. viii. 38; ix. 12; xiv. 4; Acts xiii. 3; xix. 41 (τὴν ἐκκλησίαν) ; pass. Acts xv. 30, 33. 3. to let go free, torelease; a. a captive, i. 6. to loose his bonds and bid him depart, to give him liberty to depart: Lk. xxii. 68 [R GL Trin br.]; xxiii. 22; Jn. xix. 10; Acts xvi. 35 sq.; xxvi. 32 (ἀπολελύσθαι ἐδύνατο [might have been set at liberty, cf. B. 217 (187), § 139, 27¢.; W. 305 (286) 1. 6.7 might be free; pf. as in Lk. xiii. 12 [see 1 above, and W. 334 (313)]); Acts xxviii. 18 ; Heb. xiii. 23 ; amon. τινά τινι to release one to one, grant him his liberty: Mt. xxvii. 15, 17, 21, 26; Mk. xv. 6, 9, 11,15; Lk. xxiii. [16], 17[R L in br.], 18, 20, 25; (Jn. xviii. 89]. Ῥ. to acquit one accused of a crime and set him at liberty: Jn. xix. 12; Actsiii.13. ὁ. indulgently to grant a prisoner leave to depart: Acts iv. 21,23; v.40; xvii.9. ἃ. to release a debtor, i. e. not to press one’s claim against him, to remit his debt: Mt. xviii. 27; metaph. to pardon another his offences against me: Lk. vi. 37, (τῆς ἁμαρτίας ἀπολύεσθαι, 2 Mace. xii. 45). 4. used of divorce, as ἀπολύω τὴν γυναῖκα to dismiss from the house, to repudiate: Mt. i. 19; v. 31sq.; xix. 3, 7-9; Mk. x. 2, 4, 11; LK. xvi. 18; [1 Esdr. ix. 36]; and improperly a wife deserting her husband is said τὸν ἄνδρα ἀπολύειν in ΜΚ. x. 12 [ef. Diod. 12, 18] (unless, as is more probable, Mark, contrary to historic accuracy [yet ef. Joseph. antt. 15, 7, 10], makes Jesus speak in accordance with Greek and Roman usage, ace. to which wives also repudiated their husbands [reff. in Mey. ad1.]) ; (ef. τυ, Jer. iii. 8; Deut. xxi. 14; xxii. 19, 29). 5. Mid. ἀπολύομαι, prop. to send one’s self away; to depart [W. 253 (238)]: Acts xxviii. 25 (returned home; Ex. xxxiii. 11).

Mounce Concise Greek Dictionary

ἀπολύω apolyō 66x

pr. to loose; to release from a tie or burden, Mt. 18:27; to divorce, Mt. 1:19; to remit, forgive, Lk. 6:37; to liberate, discharge, Mt. 27:15; to dismiss, Mt. 15:23; Acts 19:40; to allow to depart, to send away, Mt. 14:15; to permit, or, signal departure from life, Lk. 2:29; mid. to depart, Acts 28:25; pass. to be rid, Lk. 13:12

Abbott-Smith Greek Lexicon

ἀπο-λύω,

[in LXX for שׁוּב, etc., freq. in I-IV Mac;]

to set free, release: Lk 13:12, Jo 19:10, al.; a debtor, Mt 18:27; metaph., of forgiveness, Lk 6:37.

to let go, dismiss (Field, Notes, 9 f.): Mt 15:23, Lk 2:29 9:12, Ac 19:41, al.; of divorce, τ. γυναῖκα: Mt 1:19 5:31, 32 19:3, 8, 9, Mk 10:2, 4, 11, Lk 16:18; with ref. to Gk. and Rom. (net Jewish) custom, τ. ἄνδρα: Mk 10:12. Mid., to depart: Ac 28:25 (MM, s.v.).

Moulton & Milligan — Vocabulary of the Greek NT

ἀπολύω. This common verb, in the sense “" dismiss,” ‘‘send away ona mission” (as Ac 13°, and probably Heb 1333) may be illustrated by P Par 49! (B.c. 164-58) (= Witkowski? p- 70) ἀπέλυσα εἴπας αὐτῶι ὀρθρίτερον ἐλθεῖν. In P Lond 4276 (see above under ἀπολαμβάνω) it is used of departure from seclusion in the Serapeum—trép τοῦ ἀπολελύσθαι σε ἐκ τῆς κατοχῆς : cf. P Petr II. ττ(1)8 (iii/B.c.) (= Selections, p- 7) ὅπως τῆς ἐπὶ τοῦ παρόντος σχολῆς ἀπολυθῶ, “in order that I may be relieved from my present occupation,” BGU I. 2714 (ii/a.p.) (= Se/ectéons, p. 101) ὥστε ἕως σήμερον μηδέν᾽ ἀπολελύσθαι τῶν μετὰ σίτου, “so that up till to-day

Liddell-Scott-Jones — Greek-English Lexicon

ἀπολύω (apoluō) — to release: release. ἀπολύω [see. λύω], future -λύσω, etc.: future passive __A ἀπολελύσομαι[Refs 5th c.BC+]:—loose from, ἱμάντα θοῶς ἀπέλυσε κορώνης[Refs 8th c.BC+]; ὄφρ᾽ ἀπὸ τοίχους λῦσε κλύδων τρόπιος the sides of the ship from the keel, [Refs]; undo, ἀπὸ κρήδεμνον ἔλυσεν[Refs 5th c.BC+] __A.2 set free, release, relieve from, ἀ. τινὰ τῆς φρουρῆς[Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἀ. τῆς μετρήσεως save them from the trouble of measuring, [Refs 4th c.BC+]:— passive, to be set free, τῶν δεινῶν, φόβου, [Refs 5th c.BC+] __A.2.b frequently in legal sense, ἀ. τῆς αἰτίης acquit of the charge, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; opposed to καταψηφίζω, [Refs 5th c.BC+]infinitive, ἀ. τινὰ μὴ φῶρα εἶναι acquit of being a thief, [Refs 5th c.BC+]: absolutely, acquit, [Refs 5th c.BC+] __A.II in [Refs 8th c.BC+], release on receipt of ransom, οὐδ᾽ ἀπέλυσε θύγατρα καὶ οὐκ ἀπεδέξατ᾽ ἄποινα[Refs]:—middle, set free by payment of ransom, ransom, redeem, χαλκοῦ τε χρυσοῦ τ᾽ ἀπολυσόμεθ᾽ at a price of.., [Refs 8th c.BC+] (but active in Prose, ἀπολύειν πολλῶν χρημάτων[Refs 5th c.BC+] __A.II.2 let go, let alone, leave one, of an illness, [Refs 5th c.BC+] __A.III discharge, disband an army, ἀ. οἴκαδε[Refs 5th c.BC+]; generally, dismiss, discharge, ἐμὲ.. ἀπέλυσ᾽ ἄδειπνον[Refs 5th c.BC+] __A.III.2 divorce a wife, [NT+1st c.BC+] __A.III.3 do away with, remove, αἰσχύνην[Refs 4th c.BC+]:—passive, [Refs 5th c.BC+] __A.III.4 discharge or pay a debt, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; pay, ἀ. τὸν χαλκόν[Refs 1st c.BC+]; pay off a mortgage, [Refs] __A.III.5 dismiss a charge, εἰσαγγελία ὑπὸ τοῦ κατηγόρου ἀπολελυμένη[Refs 4th c.BC+] __A.IV ἀ. ἀνδράποδα Θρᾳξίν sell, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἀ. οἰκίαν τινί sell a mortgaged house outright, [Refs 4th c.BC+] __A.V deliver, τί τινι[Refs 3rd c.AD+] —passive [Refs 3rd c.AD+] __A.VI begin to count, [μοίρας] ἀπό.. Vett. Val. [Refs 4th c.AD+] __A.VII intransitive, depart (cf. B.IV, C. 2), [Refs 2nd c.BC+] __B middle with aorist 2 ἀπελύμην (in passive sense), [Refs 3rd c.AD+]:— redeem, see above [Refs 4th c.BC+] __B.II ἀπολύεσθαι διαβολάς do away with, refute calumnies against one, [Refs 5th c.BC+] __B.II.2 τὴν αἰτίαν, τὰς βλασφημίας, τὰ κατηγορημένα, [Refs 5th c.BC+] __B.II.2.b refute, τοὺς ἐναντίους λόγους[Refs 5th c.AD+]in defence, [Refs 5th c.BC+] __B.III like active, acquit, τοῦ μὴ κακῶς ἔχειν ἀλλ᾽ ὀρθῶς[Refs 5th c.BC+] __B.III.2 release from, τοὺς Ἕλληνας ἀ. δουλείας[Refs] __B.IV like passive (with [Refs]depart, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; also, put off, πνεῦμα ἀ.[Refs 1st c.BC+] __C passive, to be released, ἐλπίζων τοὺς υἱέας τῆς στρατηΐης ἀπολελύσθαι from military service, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; τῆς ἀρχῆς ἀπολυθῆναι βουλόμενοι to be freed from their rule, [Refs 5th c.BC+]: absolutely, to be acquitted, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; to be absolved from, τῶν ἀδικημάτων[Refs 5th c.BC+] __C.II of combatants, to be separated, part, οὐ ῥᾳδίως ἀπελύοντο[Refs 5th c.BC+]; generally, to be separated or detached, ἀλλήλων or ἀπ᾽ ἀλλήλων, [Refs 4th c.BC+]; ἀπολελυμένος, absolutely, detached, αἰδοῖον, γλῶττα, ὄρχεις, [Refs]; τὴν γλῶτταν ἀ. having its tongue detached, [Refs]; also, distinct, differentiated, [Refs] __C.II.2 depart, ἔθανες, ἀπελύθης, [LXX+5th c.BC+] __C.III of a child, to be brought forth, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; of the mother, to be delivered, [Refs 5th c.BC+] __C.IV to be annulled, [Refs 4th c.BC+] __C.V ἀπολελυμένος, η, ον, absolute, especially in Grammars, [Refs 2nd c.BC+]: also, general, of meaning, [Refs 4th c.AD+] __C.VI of metres, irregular, without strophic responsion, [Refs 7th c.AD+]

ἀπολύω (apoluō) — to release: divorce. ἀπολύω [see. λύω], future -λύσω, etc.: future passive __A ἀπολελύσομαι[Refs 5th c.BC+]:—loose from, ἱμάντα θοῶς ἀπέλυσε κορώνης[Refs 8th c.BC+]; ὄφρ᾽ ἀπὸ τοίχους λῦσε κλύδων τρόπιος the sides of the ship from the keel, [Refs]; undo, ἀπὸ κρήδεμνον ἔλυσεν[Refs 5th c.BC+] __A.2 set free, release, relieve from, ἀ. τινὰ τῆς φρουρῆς[Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἀ. τῆς μετρήσεως save them from the trouble of measuring, [Refs 4th c.BC+]:— passive, to be set free, τῶν δεινῶν, φόβου, [Refs 5th c.BC+] __A.2.b frequently in legal sense, ἀ. τῆς αἰτίης acquit of the charge, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; opposed to καταψηφίζω, [Refs 5th c.BC+]infinitive, ἀ. τινὰ μὴ φῶρα εἶναι acquit of being a thief, [Refs 5th c.BC+]: absolutely, acquit, [Refs 5th c.BC+] __A.II in [Refs 8th c.BC+], release on receipt of ransom, οὐδ᾽ ἀπέλυσε θύγατρα καὶ οὐκ ἀπεδέξατ᾽ ἄποινα[Refs]:—middle, set free by payment of ransom, ransom, redeem, χαλκοῦ τε χρυσοῦ τ᾽ ἀπολυσόμεθ᾽ at a price of.., [Refs 8th c.BC+] (but active in Prose, ἀπολύειν πολλῶν χρημάτων[Refs 5th c.BC+] __A.II.2 let go, let alone, leave one, of an illness, [Refs 5th c.BC+] __A.III discharge, disband an army, ἀ. οἴκαδε[Refs 5th c.BC+]; generally, dismiss, discharge, ἐμὲ.. ἀπέλυσ᾽ ἄδειπνον[Refs 5th c.BC+] __A.III.2 divorce a wife, [NT+1st c.BC+] __A.III.3 do away with, remove, αἰσχύνην[Refs 4th c.BC+]:—passive, [Refs 5th c.BC+] __A.III.4 discharge or pay a debt, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; pay, ἀ. τὸν χαλκόν[Refs 1st c.BC+]; pay off a mortgage, [Refs] __A.III.5 dismiss a charge, εἰσαγγελία ὑπὸ τοῦ κατηγόρου ἀπολελυμένη[Refs 4th c.BC+] __A.IV ἀ. ἀνδράποδα Θρᾳξίν sell, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἀ. οἰκίαν τινί sell a mortgaged house outright, [Refs 4th c.BC+] __A.V deliver, τί τινι[Refs 3rd c.AD+] —passive [Refs 3rd c.AD+] __A.VI begin to count, [μοίρας] ἀπό.. Vett. Val. [Refs 4th c.AD+] __A.VII intransitive, depart (cf. B.IV, C. 2), [Refs 2nd c.BC+] __B middle with aorist 2 ἀπελύμην (in passive sense), [Refs 3rd c.AD+]:— redeem, see above [Refs 4th c.BC+] __B.II ἀπολύεσθαι διαβολάς do away with, refute calumnies against one, [Refs 5th c.BC+] __B.II.2 τὴν αἰτίαν, τὰς βλασφημίας, τὰ κατηγορημένα, [Refs 5th c.BC+] __B.II.2.b refute, τοὺς ἐναντίους λόγους[Refs 5th c.AD+]in defence, [Refs 5th c.BC+] __B.III like active, acquit, τοῦ μὴ κακῶς ἔχειν ἀλλ᾽ ὀρθῶς[Refs 5th c.BC+] __B.III.2 release from, τοὺς Ἕλληνας ἀ. δουλείας[Refs] __B.IV like passive (with [Refs]depart, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; also, put off, πνεῦμα ἀ.[Refs 1st c.BC+] __C passive, to be released, ἐλπίζων τοὺς υἱέας τῆς στρατηΐης ἀπολελύσθαι from military service, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; τῆς ἀρχῆς ἀπολυθῆναι βουλόμενοι to be freed from their rule, [Refs 5th c.BC+]: absolutely, to be acquitted, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; to be absolved from, τῶν ἀδικημάτων[Refs 5th c.BC+] __C.II of combatants, to be separated, part, οὐ ῥᾳδίως ἀπελύοντο[Refs 5th c.BC+]; generally, to be separated or detached, ἀλλήλων or ἀπ᾽ ἀλλήλων, [Refs 4th c.BC+]; ἀπολελυμένος, absolutely, detached, αἰδοῖον, γλῶττα, ὄρχεις, [Refs]; τὴν γλῶτταν ἀ. having its tongue detached, [Refs]; also, distinct, differentiated, [Refs] __C.II.2 depart, ἔθανες, ἀπελύθης, [LXX+5th c.BC+] __C.III of a child, to be brought forth, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; of the mother, to be delivered, [Refs 5th c.BC+] __C.IV to be annulled, [Refs 4th c.BC+] __C.V ἀπολελυμένος, η, ον, absolute, especially in Grammars, [Refs 2nd c.BC+]: also, general, of meaning, [Refs 4th c.AD+] __C.VI of metres, irregular, without strophic responsion, [Refs 7th c.AD+]