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Greek · G630 · unreviewed

ἀπολύω

To release: release

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ἀπολύω G630
Pronunciation apolýō

What does ἀπολύω (apolýō) mean in the Bible?

ἀπολύω (apolýō) is a Greek word meaning "to release: release". ἀπο-λύω [in LXX for שׁוּב, etc. Declares authoritative liberation from bondage.

Full entry for ἀπολύω (G630) · Browse the biblical lexicon

Meaning

to release: release
Extended definition

Release from restraint or obligation, including forgiveness of debts and dissolution of marriage bonds.

1to set free, release: Luk.13:12, Jhn.19:10, al.; a debtor, Mat.18:27; metaphorically, of forgive­ness, Luk.6:37.
2to let go, dismiss (Field, Notes, 9 f.): Mat.15:23, Luk.2:29 9:12, Act.19:41, al.; of divorce, τ. γυναῖκα: Mat.1:19 5:31-32 19:3, 8 19:10 Mrk.10:2, 4 10:11, Luk.16:18; with ref. to Gk. and Rom. (net Jewish) custom, τ. ἄνδρα: Mrk.10:12. Mid., to depart: Act.28:25 (MM, see word)
Source: STEPBible TBESG + Abbott-Smith
Why This Word Matters
Declares authoritative liberation from bondage. Acts 19:28-41
Reflects reciprocal mercy grounded in divine forgiveness. Luke 13:10–17
Marks the peaceful conclusion of the riot. Luke 6:37–42
Grammatical Forms

How mood, tense, and voice shift the force of this verb in context.

Tenses
Aorist Perfect Present Future Imperfect
Voices
Active Passive Middle
Infinitive verbal noun — the action in abstract 14×
Aorist Active Matt 1:19 · Matt 15:32 · Matt 19:3 · Matt 19:7 · Matt 19:8 · Mark 10:2 · Mark 10:4 · Luke 23:20 · John 19:10 · John 19:12 · Acts 28:18 11×
Present Active Matt 27:15 · Acts 3:13 2×
Perfect Passive Acts 26:32 1×
Indicative states a fact or reality 22×
Aorist Active Matt 18:27 · Matt 27:26 · Mark 8:9 · Mark 15:15 · Luke 8:38 · Luke 14:4 · Luke 23:25 · Acts 19:40 · Acts 23:22 · Acts 4:21 · Acts 5:40 · Acts 13:3 · Acts 17:9 13×
Future Active Luke 23:16 · Luke 23:22 2×
Present Active Mark 6:45 · Luke 2:29 2×
Imperfect Active Mark 15:6 1×
Future Passive Luke 6:37 1×
Perfect Passive Luke 13:12 1×
Aorist Passive Acts 15:33 1×
Imperfect Middle Acts 28:25 1×
Imperative command or strong request 7×
Aorist Active Matt 14:15 · Matt 15:23 · Mark 6:36 · Luke 9:12 · Luke 23:18 · Acts 16:35 6×
Present Active Luke 6:37 1×
Subjunctive possibility, probability, or purpose 13×
Aorist Active Matt 27:17 · Matt 27:21 · Mark 8:3 · Mark 15:9 · John 18:39 · Matt 5:31 · Matt 14:22 · Matt 19:9 · Mark 10:11 · Mark 15:11 · John 19:12 12×
Aorist Passive Acts 16:36 1×
Participle verbal adjective — the action as a modifying quality 11×
Perfect Passive Matt 5:32 · Matt 19:9 · Luke 16:18 · Heb 13:23 4×
Aorist Active Matt 14:23 · Matt 15:39 · Mark 10:12 3×
Present Active Matt 5:32 · Luke 16:18 2×
Aorist Passive Acts 4:23 · Acts 15:30 2×
67 total occurrences across all forms in the biblical text Morphology: MorphGNT SBLGNT — CC BY-SA 3.0
Discourse Aspect

How this verb appears across 65 occurrences in the NT discourse index (MACULA Greek SBLGNT).

Aspect
completed 14 ongoing 2 prospective 3 resultant 1 imperative 7 background 2 subjunctive 13 infinitive 14 participle 9
Tense
aorist 49 present 7 perfect 4 future 3 imperfect 2
Voice
active 55 passive 9 middle 1
Mood
indicative 22 infinitive 14 subjunctive 13 participle 9 imperative 7
NT Occurrences
Matthew 1:19 ἀπολῦσαι aorist active infinitive infinitive Matthew 5:31 ἀπολύσῃ aorist active subjunctive subjunctive Matthew 5:32 ἀπολύων present active participle participle Matthew 14:15 ἀπόλυσον aorist active imperative imperative Matthew 14:22 ἀπολύσῃ aorist active subjunctive subjunctive Matthew 14:23 ἀπολύσας aorist active participle participle Matthew 15:23 Ἀπόλυσον aorist active imperative imperative Matthew 15:32 ἀπολῦσαι aorist active infinitive infinitive Matthew 15:39 ἀπολύσας aorist active participle participle Matthew 18:27 ἀπέλυσεν aorist active indicative completed Matthew 19:3 ἀπολῦσαι aorist active infinitive infinitive Matthew 19:7 ἀπολῦσαι aorist active infinitive infinitive Matthew 19:8 ἀπολῦσαι aorist active infinitive infinitive Matthew 19:9 ἀπολύσῃ aorist active subjunctive subjunctive Matthew 19:9 ἀπολελυμένην perfect passive participle participle Matthew 27:15 ἀπολύειν present active infinitive infinitive Matthew 27:17 ἀπολύσω aorist active subjunctive subjunctive Matthew 27:21 ἀπολύσω aorist active subjunctive subjunctive Matthew 27:26 ἀπέλυσεν aorist active indicative completed Mark 6:36 ἀπόλυσον aorist active imperative imperative Mark 6:45 ἀπολύει present active indicative ongoing Mark 8:3 ἀπολύσω aorist active subjunctive subjunctive Mark 8:9 ἀπέλυσεν aorist active indicative completed Mark 10:11 ἀπολύσῃ aorist active subjunctive subjunctive Mark 10:12 ἀπολύσασα aorist active participle participle Mark 10:2 ἀπολῦσαι aorist active infinitive infinitive Mark 10:4 ἀπολῦσαι aorist active infinitive infinitive Mark 15:11 ἀπολύσῃ aorist active subjunctive subjunctive Mark 15:15 ἀπέλυσεν aorist active indicative completed Mark 15:6 ἀπέλυεν imperfect active indicative background Mark 15:9 ἀπολύσω aorist active subjunctive subjunctive Luke 2:29 ἀπολύεις present active indicative ongoing Luke 6:37 ἀπολύετε present active imperative imperative Luke 6:37 ἀπολυθήσεσθε future passive indicative prospective Luke 8:38 ἀπέλυσεν aorist active indicative completed Luke 9:12 Ἀπόλυσον aorist active imperative imperative Luke 13:12 ἀπολέλυσαι perfect passive indicative resultant Luke 14:4 ἀπέλυσεν aorist active indicative completed Luke 16:18 ἀπολύων present active participle participle Luke 23:16 ἀπολύσω future active indicative prospective +25 more occurrences

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)

Biblical Occurrences

Each occurrence shows the passage reference, the original language term as it appears in that context, its transliteration, and the contextual sense.

New Testament Witnesses
Acts 19:28-41 Dismissed apolýō Indicative · Aorist Active
To release or send away.
Luke 13:10–17 ἀπολέλυσαι apolýō Indicative · Perfect Passive
have been released
Luke 6:37–42 ἀπολύετε apolýō Indicative · Future Passive
forgive/release
Additional Occurrences
Luke 13:10–17 ἀπολέλυσαι apolýō
You have been freed
Appears In

Compound and idiomatic lexemes in which this word is a constituent. Follow a link to study the phrase and its other participating words.

ἀπολύω · γυνή G630, G1135
divorcing/sending away his wife
ἀπολύω · λύω G630, G3089
to release, set free, untie
ἀπολύω · ὄχλος G630, G3793
dismiss, release, send away the crowd
ἀπολύω · ἀπό · ἀνήρ · γαμέω G630, G575, G435, G1060
marrying a woman having been divorced from a husband
ἀποστάσιον · ἀπολύω G647, G630
a written notice or certificate of divorce
Word Pictures (Robertson)

A.T. Robertson's Word Pictures in the New Testament (1930–31) discusses this term in the following chapters. Open any chapter and go to the Word Pictures tab to read his verse-by-verse commentary.

Acts 28 — Paul in Rome: The Kingdom Proclaimed Without Hindrance John 18 — The Arrested King: Betrayal, Sovereign Surrender, Denial, Trial, and the Kingdom Not of This World Luke 13 — Repentance, Kingdom Reversal, and the Urgent Narrow Door Luke 6 — The Lord of the Sabbath Forms a Kingdom People Mark 10 — The Way of the Servant King: Marriage, Children, Wealth, Cross, Ransom, and Sight Mark 8 — Seeing Jesus Clearly: Bread, Blindness, Confession, Cross, and Discipleship Matthew 14 — The Death of John, the Compassion of Jesus, and the Son of God over Bread, Sea, and Fear Matthew 15 — Tradition, the Heart, Gentile Faith, and the Compassionate Bread of the Messiah Matthew 18 — Kingdom Humility, Care for the Little Ones, Discipline, and Forgiveness in Christ’s Community Matthew 19 — Marriage from Creation, Children Received, Riches Renounced, and the Reward of Following Christ

A.T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament (1930–31) — public domain

Sources

MorphGNT Strong's Dictionary XML — CC0 1.0 Public Domain

Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (morphhb/OSHB) — CC BY 4.0

Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon — CC BY 4.0

STEPBible Data — CC BY 4.0

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