ἀποκυλίω (apokuliō)
apokuliō
to roll away
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 4 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The verb apokuliō means to roll something off or away, describing a physical action of moving a heavy object by turning it. In the New Testament, this word appears only four times, all within the resurrection narratives in Matthew, Mark, and Luke. It captures the specific motion required to remove the stone sealing Jesus’ tomb.
This term highlights the tangible reality of the empty tomb. The sources note its use in passages like Matthew 28:2 and Mark 16:3, where the women wonder who will roll the stone away for them. The word emphasizes the physical barrier that had to be removed, grounding the resurrection story in a concrete, historical event rather than an abstract idea.
Its root combines apo ("away") with kulio ("to roll"), creating a clear image of removal. By using this specific verb, the Gospel writers focus on the obstacle itself and its removal, underscoring that the tomb was physically sealed and then physically opened.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word apokuliō describes a heavy stone being rolled away, a physical act that marks the moment Jesus rose from the dead. In the Gospels, this verb appears in scenes where women approach the tomb expecting to find Jesus’ body still under a massive barrier. Instead, they encounter an empty grave and the news of His victory over death.
This simple action carries deep meaning for your faith. It shows that God does not leave obstacles in place when He intends to bring life. The stone was not moved so Jesus could exit—He had already risen—but so the women and the disciples could see that the tomb was truly empty. This tangible proof anchors our hope in history, not just feeling.
When you face barriers that seem too heavy to move, remember this image. God removes what stands between us and new life. The same power that rolled away the stone is at work in your circumstances, opening doors that seemed sealed shut.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 4 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- will roll away1×
- rolled away1×
- he rolled away1×
- has been rolled away1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- ἀποκυλίσει1×
- ἀποκεκύλισται1×
- ἀποκεκυλισμένον1×
- ἀπεκύλισεν1×
Key Verses
-
Matthew 28:2
Behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from the sky and came and rolled away the stone from the door and sat on it.
This verse uses apokuliō to describe the angel’s dramatic action of rolling away the stone, marking the divine intervention that initiated the resurrection event.
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Mark 16:3
They were saying among themselves, “Who will roll away the stone from the door of the tomb for us?”
Here the women wonder who will roll the stone away, highlighting their human concern about the physical barrier before they realize God has already acted.
-
Mark 16:4
for it was very big. Looking up, they saw that the stone was rolled back.
The text notes the stone was rolled back, confirming that the obstacle preventing access to the tomb had been removed by supernatural means.
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Luke 24:2
They found the stone rolled away from the tomb.
Luke records that they found the stone rolled away, emphasizing the result of God’s action rather than the process itself.