What does ἀπολαμβάνω (apolambánō) mean in the Bible?
G618 means to receive, receive back, obtain what is due, or take someone aside. 33, Jesus takes a deaf man aside from the crowd before touching him in the healing encounter.
Greek · G618
ἀπολαμβάνω
To receive (specially, in full, or as a host); also to take aside
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ἀπολαμβάνωG618
Pronunciationapolambánō
What does ἀπολαμβάνω (apolambánō) mean in the Bible?
G618 means to receive, receive back, obtain what is due, or take someone aside. 33, Jesus takes a deaf man aside from the crowd before touching him in the healing encounter.
Reader summary
Full entry for ἀπολαμβάνω (G618) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render G618?
The BSB source-word alignment has 10 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include [Jesus] took him (1), he has him back (1), received (1), to be repaid (1), we are receiving (1).
Where does ἀπολαμβάνω (apolambánō) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Mark 7:33. Its strongest book concentrations include Luke (5), 2 John (1), Colossians (1), Galatians (1).
What This Word Actually Means
G618 means to receive, receive back, obtain what is due, or take someone aside. In Mark. 7. 33, Jesus takes a deaf man aside from the crowd before touching him in the healing encounter. In Luke. 15. 27, the father receives his returning son back safe and sound. In Gal. 4. 5, Christ redeems those under law so that they might receive adoption. G618 opens teaching on private and personal care, restored relationship, adoption, inheritance, repayment, and recompense.
It does not make Jesus' healing gestures a required technique, guarantee material reward in this life, or reduce adoption to a metaphor detached from adoptees' lived realities. Reception may concern a person, report, outcome, or repayment, so the object and relationship must remain clear.
How the Bible Uses It
G618 covers receiving back a person, receiving a due result or inheritance, repayment in full, adoption received, reward obtained, and a person taken aside privately. The prefix can emphasize separation, return, or full receipt.
- Mark.7.33
So Jesus took him aside privately, away from the crowd, and put His fingers into the man’s ears. Then He spit and touched the man’s tongue.
Jesus takes the deaf man aside from the crowd, creating a personal setting for the healing interaction.
- Luke.15.27
‘Your brother has returned,’ he said, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has him back safe and sound.’
The father receives the returning son back safe and sound and marks restoration with a feast.
- Gal.4.5
To redeem those under the law, that we might receive our adoption as sons.
Christ redeems those under law so that they may receive adoption and the Spirit's filial cry.
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders It[Jesus] took him1×Mark 7:33
he has him back1×Luke 15:27
received1×Romans 1:27
to be repaid1×Luke 6:34
we are receiving1×Luke 23:41
we might receive1×Galatians 4:5
will fail to receive1×Luke 18:30
you may be fully rewarded1×2 John 1:8
you received1×Luke 16:25
you will receive1×Colossians 3:24
Show sample aligned rows
Mark 7:33ἀπολαβόμενοςto[Jesus] took himVerb - Aorist Participle Middle - Nominative Masculine SingularLuke 6:34ἀπολάβωσινtoto be repaidVerb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person PluralLuke 15:27ἀπέλαβενtohe has him backVerb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingularLuke 16:25ἀπέλαβεςtoyou receivedVerb - Aorist Indicative Active - 2nd Person SingularLuke 18:30ἀπολάβῃ*towill fail to receiveVerb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person SingularLuke 23:41ἀπολαμβάνομενtowe are receivingVerb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person PluralRomans 1:27ἀπολαμβάνοντεςtoreceivedVerb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine PluralGalatians 4:5ἀπολάβωμενtowe might receiveVerb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 1st Person PluralColossians 3:24ἀπολήμψεσθεtoyou will receiveVerb - Future Indicative Middle - 2nd Person Plural2 John 1:8ἀπολάβητεtoyou may be fully rewardedVerb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 2nd Person Plural
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned rowMark 7:33
Aligned rows10
Books represented6
Mark1Luke5Romans1Galatians1Colossians12 John1
Source forms
ἀπέλαβεν1xapelabenLuke 15:27
ἀπέλαβες1xapelabesLuke 16:25
ἀπολάβῃ*1xapolabēLuke 18:30
ἀπολάβητε1xapolabēte2 John 1:8
ἀπολαβόμενος1xapolabomenosMark 7:33
ἀπολάβωμεν1xapolabōmenGalatians 4:5
ἀπολάβωσιν1xapolabōsinLuke 6:34
ἀπολαμβάνομεν1xapolambanomenLuke 23:41
Parsing patterns
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 2nd Person Singular1xLuke 16:25
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular1xLuke 15:27
Verb - Aorist Participle Middle - Nominative Masculine Singular1xMark 7:33
Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 1st Person Plural1xGalatians 4:5
Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 2nd Person Plural1x2 John 1:8
Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person Plural1xLuke 6:34
Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person Singular1xLuke 18:30
Verb - Future Indicative Middle - 2nd Person Plural1xColossians 3:24
Using This Word Well
Be careful not to...
- Do not copy Jesus' use of touch, saliva, or privacy without consent, medical wisdom, safeguarding, and attention to the person's communication.
- Do not pressure adoptees, estranged relatives, or abuse survivors into reunion by equating every family return with Luke 15.
Avoid claiming...
- Do not claim that G618 promises full financial repayment or visible reward for every faithful act in this age.
- Do not claim that receiving someone back requires restored access, trust, office, or proximity without evidence of safety.
Evidence Summary
Greek word. Receive as one's rightful due or reward, often emphasizing full and complete reception of what is owed.
Strong'sG618
Lexical occurrences10 versesGreek text appearances12 timesWord forms3 forms10 referencesVerse guides0 guides
Study linkLuke 16:25Source Gloss
to receive (specially, in full, or as a host); also to take aside
Extended definitionSource: STEPBible TBESG + Abbott-Smith
Receive as one's rightful due or reward, often emphasizing full and complete reception of what is owed.
1to receive from another; absol., to receive as one's due: Luk.16:25 18:30 (seel. λάβῃ) Luk.23:41, Rom.1:27, Gal.4:5, Col.3:24, 2Jn.8.
3to take apart or aside: Mrk.7:33 (cf. use in π. of the recluses of the Serapeum; MM, see word).
Greek Text Appearances
Textus Receptus witness, full corpusGreek token appearances from Scrivener 1894 Textus Receptus in the full New Testament corpus.
12 Greek text appearances shown. Linked morphology labels have verse guides.
Mark 7:33Verb Second Aorist Middle Participle Nominative Singular Masculine
ἀπολαβόμενοςapolabomenov
I get back, receive back
Read verseLuke 6:34Verb Second Aorist Active Infinitive
ἀπολαβεῖν,apolabein
I get back, receive back
Read verseLuke 6:34Verb Third Person Plural Second Aorist Active Subjunctive
ἀπολάβωσιapolabwsin
I get back, receive back
Read verseLuke 15:27Verb Third Person Singular Second Aorist Active Indicative
ἀπέλαβεν.apelaben
I get back, receive back
Read verseLuke 16:25Verb Second Person Singular Second Aorist Active Indicative
ἀπέλαβεςapelabev
I get back, receive back
Read verseLuke 18:30Verb Third Person Singular Second Aorist Active Subjunctive
ἀπολάβῃapolabh
I get back, receive back
Read verseLuke 23:41Verb First Person Plural Present Active Indicative
ἀπολαμβάνομεν·apolambanomen
I get back, receive back
Read verseRomans 1:27Verb Present Active Participle Nominative Plural Masculine
ἀπολαμβάνοντες.apolambanontev
I get back, receive back
Read verseGalatians 4:5Verb First Person Plural Second Aorist Active Subjunctive
ἀπολάβωμεν.apolabwmen
I get back, receive back
Read verseColossians 3:24Verb Second Person Plural Future Middle Deponent Indicative
ἀπολήψεσθεapolhyesqe
I get back, receive back
Read verse2 John 1:8Verb First Person Plural Second Aorist Active Subjunctive
ἀπολάβωμεν.apolabwmen
I get back, receive back
Read verse3 John 1:8Verb Present Active Infinitive
ἀπολαμβάνεινapolambanein
I get back, receive back
Read verseFull New Testament corpus: 260 chapters, 7,957 verses, 140,628 tokens. Data source: honza/textus-receptus (data only), with authority check against byztxt/greektext-textus-receptus.
Grammatical Forms
How mood, tense, and voice shift the force of this verb in context.
This verb appears through different tense, voice, mood, or stem patterns. Those forms help readers see how the action is presented in context.
Form groups3Aligned forms10TensesAorist, Present, FutureVoicesMiddle, Active
Verse guides are not available for this word yet, so verse references remain plain evidence markers.
Tenses
Voices
Participleverbal adjective — the action as a modifying quality2×
Aorist MiddleMark 7:331×
Present ActiveRom 1:271×
Subjunctivepossibility, probability, or purpose4×
Aorist ActiveLuke 6:34 · Luke 18:30 · Gal 4:5 · 2 John 1:84×
Indicativestates a fact or reality4×
Aorist ActiveLuke 15:27 · Luke 16:252×
Present ActiveLuke 23:411×
Future MiddleCol 3:241×
Discourse Aspect
How this verb appears across 10 occurrences in the NT discourse index (MACULA Greek SBLGNT).
Aspect
Tense
aorist7present2future1
Voice
active8middle2
Mood
subjunctive4indicative4participle2
NT Occurrences
Mark 7:33ἀπολαβόμενοςaorist middle participleparticipleLuke 6:34ἀπολάβωσινaorist active subjunctivesubjunctiveLuke 15:27ἀπέλαβενaorist active indicativecompletedLuke 16:25ἀπέλαβεςaorist active indicativecompletedLuke 18:30ἀπολάβῃaorist active subjunctivesubjunctiveLuke 23:41ἀπολαμβάνομενpresent active indicativeongoingRomans 1:27ἀπολαμβάνοντεςpresent active participleparticipleGalatians 4:5ἀπολάβωμενaorist active subjunctivesubjunctiveColossians 3:24ἀπολήμψεσθεfuture middle indicativeprospective2 John 1:8ἀπολάβητεaorist active subjunctivesubjunctive
Aspect reflects grammatical form — not authorial emphasis. Participles and infinitives are verbal adjectives and nouns respectively.
Clause data: MACULA Greek (Clear Bible, CC BY 4.0) · SBLGNT (Logos/SBL, CC BY 4.0)
Selected Scripture Witnesses
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Biblical Witnesses
to receive one's due reward or recompense in full
to receive manifold recompense or reward in the age to come
to receive the reward of inheritance from the Lord as due payment
to receive in full the penalty or due consequence of error
Showing 4 selected witnesses from 10 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
Part of These Phrases
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.
For the Preacher and Teacher
G618 places receiving within relationship and moral context. Jesus takes a deaf man aside from the crowd, a detail that can support dignified, attentive care without turning the specific gestures into a universal method. In Luke's parable, the father receives his lost son back safe, yet the story also preserves confession, costly mercy, and the older brother's unresolved response.
Galatians moves deeper: Christ redeems people from bondage so that they receive adoption and the Spirit, making inheritance a gift of filial belonging rather than wages earned through status. Other passages describe repayment, recompense, and the results actions receive. Faithful application protects privacy, welcomes return with wise boundaries, and distinguishes gift from debt.
It expects ultimate inheritance from the Lord while treating workers and borrowers justly now. Receiving grace never means erasing truth, coercing family reunion, or promising a precise material return.
Anchor passage
Gal.4.5
Doctrinal connections
- G618: Jesus can move an afflicted person away from a crowd and give focused personal attention.
- G618: receiving a lost family member back celebrates life and restored relationship.
- G618: redemption from bondage leads to adoption, the Spirit, and inheritance in Christ.
- G618: inheritance from the Lord dignifies service without approving unjust labor conditions.
- G618: lending that expects full return offers no distinctive generosity toward those unable to reciprocate.
- G618: actions may receive consequences, but Christians must not presume authority to assign every suffering as due penalty.
G618 is a Greek compound verb that can mean receive from, receive fully, receive back, or take aside. The object and directional setting distinguish recompense, restoration, inheritance, and private separation.
From Old to New Testament
God receives returning people, gives inheritance, and identifies Israel as a son, while the New Testament centers adoption and restored household belonging in Christ and the Spirit. Jesus receives excluded people, and apostolic communities are called to restore repentant members without bypassing truth, safety, or accountability.