ἀποτίνω (apotinō)
apotinō
to repay
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The verb apotinō means to pay off a debt or render what is strictly due. In the New Testament, it appears only once, in Philemon 19, where Paul writes that he will repay whatever Onesimus owes. The word carries a sense of settling an account, whether through financial restitution or by making good on a liability.
Its formation combines apo ("away" or "off") with tino ("to pay"), suggesting the complete removal of an obligation. Lexical sources note that in the Septuagint, it often translates Hebrew terms for paying a fine or punishment. This usage highlights a legal or moral dimension: it is not merely giving, but satisfying a requirement.
Paul’s use here is striking because he takes personal responsibility for a debt incurred by another. By invoking apotinō, he frames his relationship with Onesimus in terms of justice and repayment, yet does so voluntarily as an act of grace. The word anchors the letter in concrete reality—debts are real, but forgiveness can absorb them.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word apotinō carries the weight of a settled account. It speaks of paying back exactly what is owed, clearing a ledger so that no debt remains. In our daily lives, we often feel the pressure of obligations—financial, emotional, or relational. We worry about whether things are fair or if we have done enough to make things right.
Paul uses this strong legal term in Philemon 1:19 to offer repayment for Onesimus. Yet he does so not as a cold transaction, but as a voluntary act of grace. He absorbs the cost so that relationship can be restored. This shows us that while justice demands payment, love is willing to pay it.
When we face conflicts or debts in our own lives, this word invites a different perspective. We do not have to carry the burden alone. God offers to settle what we cannot pay, inviting us into a freedom where forgiveness replaces the need for strict repayment.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- will repay [it];1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- ἀποτίσω·1×
Key Verses
-
Philemon 1:19
I, Paul, write this with my own hand: I will repay it (not to mention to you that you owe to me even your own self besides).
Paul uses this term to voluntarily assume Onesimus's debt, demonstrating how grace can absorb legal obligations to restore relationship.