ἀπέχομαι
apéchomai
G567
SILEX Entry
Definition
To keep oneself away from something or someone, to refrain, to abstain deliberately. In various contexts, can mean to avoid participation or involvement, especially in moral, ritual, or dietary matters; to distance oneself by conscious decision from an activity, condition, or relationship.
Semantic Range
to keep oneself away, to abstain, to refrain, to avoid, to distance oneself (physically or morally), to hold oneself off
Root / Etymology
Middle voice of the verb ἀπέχω, from ἀπό ('from, away from') + ἔχω ('to have, to hold'). In the middle voice, it reflects a reflexive or personal emphasis: 'to keep oneself from.'
Historical & Contextual Notes
In classical Greek, ἀπέχομαι primarily denoted physical distance: 'to keep oneself away, to abstain' from a place or person. In Hellenistic and Koine usage, it often developed a moral or ritual sense: intentionally refraining from actions considered inappropriate, impure, or disadvantageous—such as consumption of food or engagement in behaviors deemed unethical. In the New Testament and early Christian texts, ἀπέχομαι most often appears with the meaning 'to abstain,' especially from pollutions of idols, sexual immorality, or forbidden foods (Acts 15:20, 1 Thess 4:3, 1 Pet 2:11), emphasizing volitional restraint out of communal, ethical, or spiritual considerations. Standard English translations ('abstain') capture the basic sense but may understate the emphatically deliberate and sometimes communal aspect of the action. The verb is middle in form, highlighting the subject’s intentional action upon themselves.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
middle voice (reflexively) of ἀπέχω; to hold oneself off, i.e. refrain:--abstain.
Root Family
ἔχ- (enéchō) — to have, to hold, to keep
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| G1758 | ἐνέχω | to hold in against |
| G1836 | ἑξῆς | next in sequence |
| G1838 | ἕξις | acquired disposition |
| G2192 | ἔχω | may have |
Word Forms
0 distinct forms
No word forms found for this Strong's number.
Occurrences in Scripture
0 occurrences
No occurrences found.