ἀπαλλάσσω (apallassō)
apallassō
to release
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 3 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The verb apallassō carries the core meaning of removing or releasing someone from a state or obligation. In the New Testament, it appears only three times, yet each instance highlights a significant transition. The most prominent usage is in Hebrews 2:15, where it describes Christ’s work to set free those who were held in bondage by the fear of death. Here, the sense is one of liberation from a powerful, paralyzing force.
The word also appears in Acts 19:12 and Luke 12:58 with slightly different nuances. In Acts, it refers to departing or being removed, while in Luke’s legal context, it means to be quit of or released from a person or debt. This range shows the word can apply to physical departure, legal discharge, or spiritual deliverance. It is not merely about moving location but about ending a binding condition.
Etymologically, apallassō combines the prefix apo- (meaning "away" or "from") with allassō (meaning "to change"). This structure reinforces the idea of a decisive shift away from one state into another. Translators often render it as "release," "deliver," or "depart," depending on the context. The word’s rarity in Scripture gives each occurrence greater weight, marking moments where God intervenes to break chains or settle accounts.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word apallassō describes a decisive release from a binding condition, whether legal, physical, or spiritual. In Luke 12:58, it speaks of being quit of an adversary before judgment, highlighting the value of early resolution and peace. This reminds us that reconciliation is not just a social courtesy but a practical wisdom that frees us from lingering conflict.
Hebrews 2:15 uses this term to describe Christ’s work in delivering those held in bondage by the fear of death. Here, the release is profound: Jesus breaks the power of fear that keeps people trapped in anxiety and despair. This liberation is not merely about moving locations but about ending a state of spiritual slavery.
Acts 19:12 shows a physical dimension, where diseases depart and evil spirits leave those touched by Paul’s ministry. While the contexts vary, the core idea remains consistent: God intervenes to remove what holds us back. This release invites us to trust in His power to set us free from every chain.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 3 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- to have been set free1×
- may set free1×
- departing1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- ἀπηλλάχθαι1×
- ἀπαλλάσσεσθαι1×
- ἀπαλλάξῃ1×
Key Verses
-
Hebrews 2:15
and might deliver all of them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.
This verse uses apallassō to describe Christ’s deliverance of those enslaved by the fear of death, highlighting spiritual liberation.
-
Luke 12:58
For when you are going with your adversary before the magistrate, try diligently on the way to be released from him, lest perhaps he drag you to the judge, and the judge deliver you to the officer, and the officer throw you into prison.
Here the word refers to being released from an adversary through diligent effort, emphasizing practical wisdom in conflict resolution.
-
Acts 19:12
so that even handkerchiefs or aprons were carried away from his body to the sick, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out.
In this context, apallassō describes diseases departing and evil spirits leaving, showing physical and spiritual release through divine power.