ἀπαλλάσσω
apallássō
G525 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To set free, release from obligation or captivity, or remove (someone or something) from a particular state or condition; by extension, to deliver or cause to depart from a situation. The most basic sense is to remove or cause to be separated from, with shades of meaning depending on context such as freed from debt, law, illness, or captivity.
Semantic Range
to set free, to release, to remove from a state or obligation, to deliver, to depart, to cause to leave, to remove from burden or captivity, to cause a change of condition
Root / Etymology
From ἀπό (from, away from) and ἀλλάσσω (to change, exchange); thus, fundamentally 'to effect a change away from,' with a focus on removal or release.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In classical Greek, ἀπαλλάσσω primarily refers to removing someone or something from a state, often implying release from a burden, obligation, or captivity. It carries both literal and extended metaphorical senses—removal from illness, debts, fears, or unfavorable situations. In the Hellenistic and Koine periods, the term continued to hold similar meanings, frequently used in legal, social, and medical contexts (e.g., release from a contract, cure from disease). In the New Testament (e.g., Luke 13:12; Acts 19:12), the word appears in contexts of deliverance or release, whether from physical ailments or other binding conditions. English translations often render ἀπαλλάσσω as 'deliver,' 'release,' 'set free,' or 'depart,' but these may obscure the primary sense of removal from a specific predicament or relationship. The reflexive form (ἀπαλλάσσομαι) frequently means 'to depart' or 'to get away.' The term is distinct from λύω (to loose) and ἐλευθερόω (to make free), as ἀπαλλάσσω emphasizes the transition from one state to another, typically by means of release or separation, rather than simply setting free in an abstract sense.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from ἀπό and ἀλλάσσω; to change away, i.e. release, (reflexively) remove:--deliver, depart.
Root Family
ἀπαλλάσσω (apallassō) — to change away, to remove, to set free, to release
Word Forms
3 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G525-01 |
ἀπαλλάσσεσθαι | apallassesthai | V PRS PASS INF |
departed | to be set free | to be set free | 1 |
G525-03 |
ἀπηλλάχθαι | apellachthai | V PRF PASS INF |
to be delivered | to have been set free | to have been set free | 1 |
G525-02 |
ἀπαλλάξῃ | apallaxe | V AOR ACT SUBJ 3P SG |
might free | may set free | may set free | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
3 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G525-03 |
Luke 12:58 | ἀπηλλάχθαι | apellachthai | V PRF PASS INF |
to be delivered | to have been set free | to have been set free |
G525-01 |
Acts 19:12 | ἀπαλλάσσεσθαι | apallassesthai | V PRS PASS INF |
departed | to be set free | to be set free |
G525-02 |
Hebrews 2:15 | ἀπαλλάξῃ | apallaxe | V AOR ACT SUBJ 3P SG |
might free | may set free | may set free |