What does ἀφίημι (aphíēmi) mean in the Bible?
ἀφίημι is the NT's primary verb for forgiveness, and its root metaphor — sending away — is pastorally precise. Forgiveness is not suppression.
Greek · G863
ἀφίημι
To send forth, in various applications (as follow)
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ἀφίημι G863
Pronunciation aphíēmi
What does ἀφίημι (aphíēmi) mean in the Bible?
ἀφίημι is the NT's primary verb for forgiveness, and its root metaphor — sending away — is pastorally precise. Forgiveness is not suppression.
Reader summary
Full entry for ἀφίημι (G863) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render G863?
The BSB source-word alignment has 143 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include Let (11), left (10), forgive (9), are forgiven (8), they left (7).
Where does ἀφίημι (aphíēmi) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Matthew 3:15. Its strongest book concentrations include Matthew (47), Mark (34), Luke (31), John (15).
Are there verse guides for ἀφίημι (aphíēmi)?
This entry includes 3 verse guides that explain exact original-language forms in context.
What This Word Actually Means
ἀφίημι is the NT's primary verb for forgiveness, and its root metaphor — sending away — is pastorally precise. Forgiveness is not suppression. It is not pretending the offense did not happen. It is a release: the debt is discharged, the sin is sent away, the claim it held is dismissed. The Lord's Prayer uses the word twice in one verse (Matt 6:12): God forgives us our debts (ἄφες ἡμῖν τὰ ὀφειλήματα ἡμῶν) as we also have forgiven (ἀφήκαμεν) our debtors.
The same action that flows from God toward us is meant to flow through us toward others. Jesus' announcement 'your sins are forgiven' (ἀφέωνταί σου αἱ ἁμαρτίαι, Mark 2:5) claims the divine prerogative of the OT סָלַח — and the scribes know it. The word also appears in its sharpest negative form: the unforgivable sin (Matt 12:31-32) is described as a blasphemy that 'will not be forgiven' (οὐκ ἀφεθήσεται).
The gravity of that warning depends entirely on how absolute ἀφίημι normally is — if God routinely forgives all things, the exception means nothing. The exception is what reveals the rule.
How the Bible Uses It
ἀφίημι occurs about 143 times in the NT, with the forgiveness sense concentrated in the Gospels (Jesus' pronouncements, the Lord's Prayer, the unforgivable sin) and John 20:23 (the apostolic commission to forgive/retain sins). The Epistles use the related noun ἄφεσις (G859) more than the verb for the doctrine of forgiveness.
- Matt.6.12
And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
The Lord's Prayer uses the debt metaphor for sin (ὀφειλήματα, not ἁμαρτίαι here) and places the divine and human acts of ἀφίημι in explicit relation. The form 'as we also have forgiven' (ἀφήκαμεν, aorist) may suggest that human forgiveness toward others is the prior act that opens the request — or more likely, that the two belong together as marks of the kingdom community.
- Mark.2.5
When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”
The divine-prerogative claim. The scribes' response (v.7: 'Who can forgive sins but God alone?') correctly identifies what kind of act Jesus has performed. Jesus' response does not deny the claim — He confirms it by demonstrating the authority is real (vv.10-11).
- Matt.12.31-32
Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven.
The absolute scope of ἀφίημι ('every sin will be forgiven') makes the exception (blasphemy against the Spirit) stark. The pastoral weight is in the rule: the NT's normal announcement is that every sin is within the range of divine forgiveness. The exception narrows, not widens, the claim.
- Luke.23.34
Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up His garments by casting lots.
The cross itself as the place of ἀφίημι. Jesus prays the forgiveness He is accomplishing. The prayer is not merely example but enacted theology: the atonement that grounds forgiveness is occurring in the moment of the prayer.
- John.20.23
If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you withhold forgiveness from anyone, it is withheld.”
The apostolic commission to forgive/retain (ἀφῆτε/κρατῆτε) sins. The context is the post-resurrection breath (v.22, echoing Gen 2:7). This is not a transfer of autonomous divine prerogative but a commissioning to announce the terms of the gospel — those who receive the apostolic message receive forgiveness; those who reject it do not.
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 Let 11× Matthew 7:4, Matthew 8:22, Matthew 13:30, Matthew 19:14
left 10× Matthew 4:11, Matthew 8:15, Matthew 24:40, Matthew 24:41
forgive 9× Matthew 6:12, Matthew 6:15, Mark 2:7, Luke 5:21
are forgiven 8× Matthew 9:2, Matthew 9:5, Mark 2:5, Mark 2:9
they left 7× Matthew 4:20, Matthew 4:22, Matthew 22:22, Mark 1:18
He left 4× Matthew 26:44, Mark 8:13, John 4:3, Hebrews 2:8
will be forgiven 4× Matthew 12:31, Matthew 12:32, Mark 3:28, Luke 12:10
has left 3× Matthew 19:29, Mark 10:29, Luke 18:29
have left 3× Matthew 19:27, Mark 10:28, Luke 18:28
to forgive 3× Matthew 9:6, Mark 2:10, Luke 5:24
will be left 3× Matthew 24:2, Mark 13:2, Luke 21:6
you forgive 3× Matthew 6:14, Matthew 18:35, John 20:23
be forgiven 2× Matthew 12:31, Mark 4:12
deserted 2× Matthew 26:56, Mark 14:50
have been forgiven 2× Luke 7:47, 1 John 2:12
He did not allow 2× Mark 5:37, Luke 8:51
He has not left 2× John 8:29, Acts 14:17
He would not allow 2× Mark 1:34, Mark 11:16
Leave [Him] alone 2× Matthew 27:49, Mark 15:36
Leave her alone 2× Mark 14:6, John 12:7
will not be forgiven 2× Matthew 12:32, Luke 12:10
you have disregarded 2× Matthew 23:23, Mark 7:8
- 1× Mark 12:19
[Jesus] dismissed 1× Matthew 13:36
[Jesus] would not allow 1× Mark 5:19
[John] permitted 1× Matthew 3:15
[So] he left 1× Matthew 22:25
[the people] gave them permission 1× Mark 11:6
[who] left 1× Mark 13:34
{and} you will leave 1× John 16:32
abandoned 1× Romans 1:27
abandons 1× John 10:12
Disregard 1× Matthew 15:14
forgave 1× Matthew 18:27
forgive [it] 1× Mark 11:25
forgives 1× Luke 7:49
has been forgiven 1× Luke 7:47
have forgiven 1× Matthew 6:12
he must not divorce 1× 1 Corinthians 7:12
he will be forgiven 1× James 5:15
He will forgive 1× Acts 8:22
he would not have let 1× Luke 12:39
He yielded up 1× Matthew 27:50
I forgave 1× Matthew 18:32
I leave 1× John 14:27
I will leave 1× John 16:28
I will not leave 1× John 14:18
is left 1× Matthew 23:38
is left to you desolate 1× Luke 13:35
it left 1× Luke 4:39
leave 1× Matthew 5:24
leave it alone 1× Luke 13:8
leaving 1× Mark 12:20
leaving [him] 1× Luke 10:30
Let [it] be so 1× Matthew 3:15
let him have 1× Matthew 5:40
let out 1× Mark 15:37
Let them go 1× Acts 5:38
let us leave 1× Hebrews 6:1
must not divorce 1× 1 Corinthians 7:11
neglecting 1× Matthew 23:23
permitted 1× Mark 7:12
shall I forgive 1× Matthew 18:21
she must not divorce 1× 1 Corinthians 7:13
they are forgiven 1× John 20:23
they had dismissed 1× Mark 4:36
They will not leave 1× Luke 19:44
we let 1× John 11:48
will also forgive 1× Matthew 6:14
will forgive 1× Mark 11:25
will he not leave 1× Matthew 18:12
will not permit 1× Revelation 11:9
will you let 1× Matthew 23:13
you do not forgive 1× Matthew 6:15
You have abandoned 1× Revelation 2:4
you must forgive 1× Luke 17:4
You tolerate 1× Revelation 2:20
Show sample aligned rows
Matthew 3:15 Ἄφες to Let [it] be so Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person Singular Matthew 3:15 ἀφίησιν to [John] permitted Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular Matthew 4:11 ἀφίησιν to left Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular Matthew 4:20 ἀφέντες to they left Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural Matthew 4:22 ἀφέντες to they left Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural Matthew 5:24 ἄφες to leave Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person Singular Matthew 5:40 ἄφες to let him have Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person Singular Matthew 6:12 ἄφες to forgive Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person Singular Matthew 6:12 ἀφήκαμεν to have forgiven Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 1st Person Plural Matthew 6:14 ἀφῆτε to you forgive Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 2nd Person Plural
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Matthew 3:15
Aligned rows 143
Books represented 11
Matthew 47 Mark 34 Luke 31 John 15 Acts 3 Romans 2 1 Corinthians 3 Hebrews 2 James 1 1 John 2 Revelation 3
Source forms
ἀφῆκεν 18x aphēken Matthew 8:15, Matthew 18:27, Matthew 19:29, Matthew 22:25
ἀφέντες 14x aphentes Matthew 4:20, Matthew 4:22, Matthew 22:22, Matthew 26:56
ἀφεθήσεται 11x aphethēsetai Matthew 12:31, Matthew 12:32, Mark 3:28, Luke 12:10
ἄφες 9x aphes Matthew 5:24, Matthew 5:40, Matthew 6:12, Matthew 8:22
Ἄφες 6x Aphes Matthew 3:15, Matthew 7:4, Matthew 27:49, Mark 7:27
ἀφεὶς 5x apheis Matthew 13:36, Matthew 26:44, Mark 8:13, Mark 13:34
ἄφετε 5x aphete Matthew 13:30, Matthew 15:14, John 11:44, John 18:8
Ἄφετε 5x Aphete Matthew 19:14, Mark 10:14, Mark 14:6, Mark 15:36
Parsing patterns
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular 20x Matthew 8:15, Matthew 18:27, Matthew 19:29, Matthew 22:25
Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person Singular 15x Matthew 3:15, Matthew 5:24, Matthew 5:40, Matthew 6:12
Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural 15x Matthew 4:20, Matthew 4:22, Matthew 22:22, Matthew 26:56
Verb - Future Indicative Passive - 3rd Person Singular 12x Matthew 12:31, Matthew 12:32, Mark 3:28, Luke 12:10
Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person Plural 10x Matthew 13:30, Matthew 15:14, Matthew 19:14, Mark 10:14
Verb - Perfect Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Plural 6x Luke 5:20, Luke 5:23, Luke 7:47, Luke 7:48
Verb - Present Infinitive Active 6x Matthew 9:6, Matthew 23:23, Mark 2:7, Mark 2:10
Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular 5x Matthew 13:36, Matthew 26:44, Mark 8:13, Mark 13:34
Using This Word Well
Be careful not to...
- ἀφίημι in Matt 6:12 — 'forgive us as we have forgiven our debtors' — places human and divine forgiveness in parallel, not in a merit sequence. The text does not teach that God's forgiveness is conditioned on yours; it describes the kingdom posture of a community that both receives and extends the same release. Apply with care to avoid confusion about the basis of justification.
- John 20:23 (the apostolic commission to forgive or retain sins) is often pressed into ecclesiological debates about sacramental absolution or church discipline. The verse is better read as the commissioning to announce the gospel's terms: reception of the apostolic message results in forgiveness; rejection results in retained sin. Avoid importing later institutional debates into the exegetical moment.
- Matt 12:31-32 (the unforgivable sin) should be handled pastorally with great care. Jesus does not define it narrowly. Congregants who fear they have committed it are almost always not at risk — the passage describes a hardened rejection of the Spirit's testimony, not a moment of doubt or moral failure. Apply the warning without over-specifying.
Avoid claiming...
- Do not claim that Matt 6:12 ('as we have forgiven our debtors') means human forgiveness earns or unlocks divine forgiveness. The grammar presents the two acts as parallel marks of kingdom participation, not as a condition-reward sequence. Forgiveness is grounded in the atonement, not in the worshiper's prior performance.
- Do not claim that John 20:23 grants the church autonomous power to forgive sins independent of the gospel. The context is the post-resurrection commissioning: the apostles announce the gospel, and those terms determine whether sins are forgiven or retained. The authority is not self-generated but delegated and tied to the apostolic message.
Passage context
Key Verse and Form Guides
Verse-level guides showing how this original-language form works in its specific context, including grammar, verse function, and guarded interpretation.
Matthew 3:15 Verb Second Person Singular Second Aorist Active Imperative
Ἄφες Aphes to send forth, in various applications (as follow) The grammar gives the line direct force, so the verse sounds like a present allowance for this action rather than a general rule. Read verse guide Matthew 4:20 Verb Second Aorist Active Participle Nominative Plural Masculine
ἀφέντες aphentes to send forth, in various applications (as follow) The participle gives concrete shape to immediate response. Read verse guide Matthew 27:50 Verb Third Person Singular Aorist Active Indicative
ἀφῆκε apheken to send forth, in various applications (as follow) The active predicate reports Jesus' death as the release or giving up of the spirit. Read verse guide Evidence Summary
CovenantMessiah
Greek word. to send forth, in various applications (as follow)
Source Gloss
to send forth, in various applications (as follow)
Greek Text Appearances
Textus Receptus witness, full corpus Greek token appearances from Scrivener 1894 Textus Receptus in the full New Testament corpus.
16 of 146 Greek text appearances shown. Linked morphology labels have verse guides.
afev
I send away, release, remit, forgive, permit
Read verse Matthew 3:15 Verb Third Person Singular Present Active Indicative
ἀφίησιν afihsin
I send away, release, remit, forgive, permit
Read verse Matthew 4:11 Verb Third Person Singular Present Active Indicative
ἀφίησιν afihsin
I send away, release, remit, forgive, permit
Read verse afentev
I send away, release, remit, forgive, permit
Read verse Matthew 4:22 Verb Second Aorist Active Participle Nominative Plural Masculine
ἀφέντες afentev
I send away, release, remit, forgive, permit
Read verse Matthew 5:24 Verb Second Person Singular Second Aorist Active Imperative
ἄφες afev
I send away, release, remit, forgive, permit
Read verse Matthew 5:40 Verb Second Person Singular Second Aorist Active Imperative
ἄφες afev
I send away, release, remit, forgive, permit
Read verse Matthew 6:12 Verb Second Person Singular Second Aorist Active Imperative
ἄφες afev
I send away, release, remit, forgive, permit
Read verse Matthew 6:12 Verb First Person Plural Present Active Indicative
ἀφίεμεν afiemen
I send away, release, remit, forgive, permit
Read verse Matthew 6:14 Verb Second Person Plural Second Aorist Active Subjunctive
ἀφῆτε afhte
I send away, release, remit, forgive, permit
Read verse Matthew 6:14 Verb Third Person Singular Future Active Indicative
ἀφήσει afhsei
I send away, release, remit, forgive, permit
Read verse Matthew 6:15 Verb Second Person Plural Second Aorist Active Subjunctive
ἀφῆτε afhte
I send away, release, remit, forgive, permit
Read verse Matthew 6:15 Verb Third Person Singular Future Active Indicative
ἀφήσει afhsei
I send away, release, remit, forgive, permit
Read verse Matthew 7:4 Verb Second Person Singular Second Aorist Active Imperative
Ἄφες afev
I send away, release, remit, forgive, permit
Read verse Matthew 8:15 Verb Third Person Singular Aorist Active Indicative
ἀφῆκεν afhken
I send away, release, remit, forgive, permit
Read verse Matthew 8:22 Verb Second Person Singular Second Aorist Active Imperative
ἄφες afev
I send away, release, remit, forgive, permit
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 groups 5 Aligned forms 143 Tenses Aorist, Future, Present, Perfect, Imperfect Voices Active, Passive
Tenses
Voices
Indicative states a fact or reality 76×
Aorist Active Matt 8:15 · Matt 18:27 · Matt 19:29 · Matt 22:25 · Matt 27:50 · Mark 1:31 · Mark 5:19 · Mark 5:37 · Mark 10:29 · Mark 12:20 · Luke 4:39 · Luke 8:51 · Luke 12:39 · Luke 18:29 · John 4:3 · John 4:28 28×
Future Passive Matt 12:31 · Matt 12:32 · Mark 3:28 · Luke 12:10 · Luke 17:34 · Luke 17:35 · Luke 21:6 · Acts 8:22 · Jas 5:15 12×
Present Active Matt 3:15 · Matt 4:11 · Luke 7:49 · John 10:12 · Matt 23:13 · Mark 7:12 · John 14:27 · John 16:28 · Luke 11:4 · Rev 2:20 · Rev 11:9 11×
Present Passive Matt 23:38 · Matt 24:40 · Matt 24:41 · Luke 7:47 · Luke 13:35 · Matt 9:2 · Matt 9:5 · Mark 2:5 · Mark 2:9 9×
Future Active Matt 6:14 · Matt 6:15 · Matt 18:12 · Matt 18:21 · John 14:18 · Luke 17:4 · Luke 19:44 7×
Perfect Passive Luke 5:20 · Luke 5:23 · Luke 7:47 · Luke 7:48 · John 20:23 · 1 John 2:12 6×
Imperfect Active Mark 1:34 · Mark 11:16 2×
Aorist Passive Rom 4:7 1×
Imperative command or strong request 28×
Aorist Active Matt 3:15 · Matt 5:24 · Matt 5:40 · Matt 6:12 · Matt 7:4 · Matt 8:22 · Matt 27:49 · Mark 7:27 · Luke 6:42 · Luke 9:60 · Luke 11:4 · Luke 13:8 · Luke 17:3 · Luke 23:34 · John 12:7 · Matt 13:30 25×
Present Active 1 Cor 7:12 · 1 Cor 7:13 · Mark 11:25 3×
Participle verbal adjective — the action as a modifying quality 20×
Aorist Active Matt 4:20 · Matt 4:22 · Matt 22:22 · Matt 26:56 · Mark 1:18 · Mark 1:20 · Mark 4:36 · Mark 7:8 · Mark 12:12 · Mark 14:50 · Luke 5:11 · Luke 10:30 · Luke 18:28 · Rom 1:27 · Heb 6:1 · Matt 13:36 20×
Infinitive verbal noun — the action in abstract 7×
Present Active Matt 9:6 · Matt 23:23 · Mark 2:7 · Mark 2:10 · Luke 5:24 · 1 Cor 7:11 6×
Aorist Active Luke 5:21 1×
Subjunctive possibility, probability, or purpose 12×
Aorist Active Matt 6:14 · Matt 6:15 · Matt 18:35 · John 16:32 · John 20:23 · Mark 11:25 · Mark 12:19 · 1 John 1:9 · John 11:48 9×
Aorist Passive Matt 24:2 · Mark 4:12 · Mark 13:2 3×
Discourse Aspect
How this verb appears across 143 occurrences in the NT discourse index (MACULA Greek SBLGNT).
Aspect
Tense
aorist 87 present 29 future 19 perfect 6 imperfect 2
Voice
active 112 passive 31
Mood
indicative 76 imperative 28 participle 20 subjunctive 12 infinitive 7
NT Occurrences
Matthew 3:15 Ἄφες aorist active imperative imperative Matthew 3:15 ἀφίησιν present active indicative ongoing Matthew 4:11 ἀφίησιν present active indicative ongoing Matthew 4:20 ἀφέντες aorist active participle participle Matthew 4:22 ἀφέντες aorist active participle participle Matthew 5:24 ἄφες aorist active imperative imperative Matthew 5:40 ἄφες aorist active imperative imperative Matthew 6:12 ἄφες aorist active imperative imperative Matthew 6:12 ἀφήκαμεν aorist active indicative completed Matthew 6:14 ἀφῆτε aorist active subjunctive subjunctive Matthew 6:14 ἀφήσει future active indicative prospective Matthew 6:15 ἀφῆτε aorist active subjunctive subjunctive Matthew 6:15 ἀφήσει future active indicative prospective Matthew 7:4 Ἄφες aorist active imperative imperative Matthew 8:15 ἀφῆκεν aorist active indicative completed Matthew 8:22 ἄφες aorist active imperative imperative Matthew 9:2 ἀφίενταί present passive indicative ongoing Matthew 9:5 Ἀφίενταί present passive indicative ongoing Matthew 9:6 ἀφιέναι present active infinitive infinitive Matthew 12:31 ἀφεθήσεται future passive indicative prospective Matthew 12:31 ἀφεθήσεται future passive indicative prospective Matthew 12:32 ἀφεθήσεται future passive indicative prospective Matthew 12:32 ἀφεθήσεται future passive indicative prospective Matthew 13:30 ἄφετε aorist active imperative imperative Matthew 13:36 ἀφεὶς aorist active participle participle Matthew 15:14 ἄφετε aorist active imperative imperative Matthew 18:12 ἀφήσει future active indicative prospective Matthew 18:21 ἀφήσω future active indicative prospective Matthew 18:27 ἀφῆκεν aorist active indicative completed Matthew 18:32 ἀφῆκά aorist active indicative completed Matthew 18:35 ἀφῆτε aorist active subjunctive subjunctive Matthew 19:14 Ἄφετε aorist active imperative imperative Matthew 19:27 ἀφήκαμεν aorist active indicative completed Matthew 19:29 ἀφῆκεν aorist active indicative completed Matthew 22:22 ἀφέντες aorist active participle participle Matthew 22:25 ἀφῆκεν aorist active indicative completed Matthew 23:13 ἀφίετε present active indicative ongoing Matthew 23:23 ἀφήκατε aorist active indicative completed Matthew 23:23 ἀφιέναι present active infinitive infinitive Matthew 23:38 ἀφίεται present passive indicative ongoing
+103 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)
Selected Scripture Witnesses
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Additional Occurrences
1-john Forgiven aphíēmi
to release, to send away
Luke 11:1–4 ἄφες aphíēmi
Forgive, release
Luke 23:32–38 ἄφες aphíēmi
Forgive, release
Luke 4:38–41 ἀφῆκεν aphíēmi
It left
New Testament Witnesses
will be left
to forgive
forgiveness
leaving
Showing 8 selected witnesses from 143 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
ἀφίημι is built from this root:
Why This Word Matters
Essential for covenant communion.
Indicates the cancellation of sin’s debt.
Future passive indicating certain and total destruction.
Expresses Christ’s intercessory mercy.
Describes the release from sin secured by Christ. Luke 21:5–6
Indicates total surrender in discipleship. Luke 23:33–43
Declares completed and enduring forgiveness. Luke 24:36–49
Indicates completed forgiveness with continuing effect. Luke 5:1–11
Affirms definitive removal of guilt grounded in Christ’s name and authority.
Canonical Themes
Covenant Messiah
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
The sending-away metaphor gives forgiveness a concrete directional reality that 'overlooking' or 'tolerating' do not. When God forgives, sin is released — dismissed from its claim, sent off from the account. This is what makes the Lord's Prayer's connection between divine and human forgiveness so demanding: we are not asked to feel warm toward those who wronged us; we are asked to perform the same act of release that God performs toward us.
The word is a verb, an action, not primarily an emotional state. Preaching on aphiemi should make this concrete: describe the act of release, not just the feeling of relief.
Anchor passage
Matt.6.12
Doctrinal connections
- H5545 סָלַח — the OT divine-only pardon that ἀφίημι renders in the LXX and fulfills in the NT
- G859 ἄφεσις — the related noun: forgiveness as a completed state; used more in the Epistles
- H2398 חָטָא — the sin being forgiven
- G629 ἀπολύτρωσις — Eph 1:7 links redemption and forgiveness (ἄφεσις) as the same event from different angles
- Mark 2:5-10 — the Christological weight of Jesus claiming the divine prerogative of forgiveness
The perfect passive ἀφέωνταί (Mark 2:5; Luke 5:20; 7:48) — 'have been forgiven, and remain forgiven' — carries a completed-state force. The forgiveness has been enacted and its effect stands. This is not a repeated act but a settled reality. The aorist ἀφῆκεν (Matt 8:15, 'the fever left') shows the range: the same word used for a fever departing is used for God sending sin away. Both involve a release that changes the situation definitively.
From Old to New Testament
Jer 31:34 ('I will forgive their iniquity') uses סָלַח; Heb 8:12 quotes it using the noun ἄφεσις. The NT's argument in Hebrews is that Jesus' once-for-all sacrifice is what grounds the new-covenant forgiveness Jeremiah promised. ἀφίημι in the Gospels and ἄφεσις in the Epistles are both the NT's answer to the OT's question: on what basis does God exercise His exclusive divine prerogative of סָלַח?
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
Berean Standard Bible (BSB) source-word alignment - CC0 Public Domain