ἐλευθερόω (eleutheroō)
eleutheroō
to set free
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 7 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The verb eleutheroō means to set someone free or at liberty. In the New Testament, it carries a specific spiritual weight, describing liberation from the dominion of sin rather than just physical release. This action is central to the Gospel message, where Jesus declares that knowing the truth leads to this freedom (John 8:32) and that the Son himself makes people truly free (John 8:36).
The sources highlight a characteristic usage pattern where the verb appears with the preposition apo ("from") to specify what the person is freed from. Paul uses this structure in Romans to describe believers being set free from sin’s power (Romans 6:18, 22) and from the law of sin and death (Romans 8:2). The term also appears in Galatians to urge Christians to stand firm in the liberty Christ has provided (Galatians 5:1), emphasizing a decisive, punctiliar act of liberation.
Derived from eleutheros ("free"), the word underscores a change in status and ownership. It is not merely an internal feeling but a real shift in authority. Translators consistently render it as "set free" or "made free," preserving the sense of being released from a master to serve God instead. This theological nuance distinguishes Christian freedom from mere independence, framing it as liberation for righteous service.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
This word describes a decisive shift in who holds authority over your life. When Scripture speaks of being set free, it is not talking about doing whatever you want, but about being released from a master that cannot save you. Jesus uses this term to show that He alone has the power to break chains that hold people down, whether those chains are sin, fear, or old patterns of behavior.
In Romans, Paul explains that this freedom is not an end in itself. Once you are released from the power of sin, you are free to serve righteousness instead. This means your life is no longer driven by guilt or compulsion, but by a new desire to follow God. It is a change of ownership that brings peace rather than chaos.
Galatians urges believers to stand firm in this liberty. The Christian life is not about trading one set of rules for another, but living in the reality that Christ has already done the work of liberation. This freedom invites you to rest in what Jesus has accomplished, allowing His truth to shape your daily choices without the weight of condemnation.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 7 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- will set free1×
- will be set free1×
- shall set free,1×
- having been set free1×
- has set free;1×
- has set free1×
- Having been set free1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- ἠλευθέρωσέν1×
- ἠλευθέρωσεν·1×
- Ἐλευθερωθέντες1×
- ἐλευθερώσῃ,1×
- ἐλευθερώσει1×
- ἐλευθερωθήσεται1×
- ἐλευθερωθέντες1×
Key Verses
-
John 8:36
If therefore the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.
This verse establishes that true and lasting freedom comes exclusively from the Son, distinguishing divine liberation from temporary human relief.
-
Romans 6:18
Being made free from sin, you became bondservants of righteousness.
Here the word clarifies that being freed from sin’s power results in a new allegiance to righteousness, showing freedom is for service, not isolation.
-
Galatians 5:1
Stand firm therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and don’t be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.
Paul uses this term to command believers to maintain their current status of liberty, warning against returning to spiritual bondage through legalism.