ἀπέχω G0568
To receive in full, abstain from, be distant from, or (impersonally) be enough — a versatile verb of separation, completion, and distance.
This Greek verb carries remarkably distinct meanings depending on voice and context. In its active transactional sense, Jesus uses it to declare that hypocrites 'have received their reward in full' (Matt 6:2, 5, 16) — the same commercial term found in ancient receipts. In the middle voice it means to hold oneself away, as in the Apostolic Decree's command to 'abstain' from certain practices (Acts 15:20, 29). It also measures spatial or emotional distance, as when the crowd's heart 'is far' from God (Matt 15:8). Spanish neatly separates these: 'reciben' for receiving, 'absteneos' for abstaining, and 'dista' for distance.
Senses
1. receive in full / have back — To have received in full, especially in a commercial or transactional sense. In Matthew 6:2, 5, 16 Jesus says the hypocrites apechousin — they have already cashed out their reward and nothing more is coming. Philippians 4:18 uses the same word as Paul acknowledges full receipt of the Philippians' gift. The Spanish 'reciben' and the German 'hat genug' both reflect this notion of complete, settled transaction — a term at home on a papyrus receipt. 6×
AR["اِستَوفَوا", "تَملِكَهُ", "عِنْدي", "قَد-نِلتُم"]·ben["পেয়ে-গেছ", "পেয়ে-গেছে", "পেয়েছি", "ফিরে-পাও"]·DE["hat-genug", "ἀπέχω", "ἀπέχῃς"]·EN["I-have", "they-have-received", "you-are-receiving", "you-may-have"]·FR["être-loin"]·heb["מְקַבְּלִים", "קִבְּלוּ", "קִבַּלְתִּי", "תַּחֲזִיקֶנּוּ"]·HI["तु-पअये", "पा-चुके-हैं", "पा-चुके-हो", "मैने-पअय"]·ID["aku terima", "kalian-telah-menerima", "kamu-miliki,", "sudah-menerima"]·IT["astenersi", "avere"]·jav["kula-nampi", "panjenengan-gadhah,", "sampun-nampeni", "sampun-nampi"]·KO["가졌노라", "받았다", "소유하도록"]·PT["já-recebem", "possuas,", "tenho-recebido"]·RU["имел;", "получаете", "получают", "получил"]·ES["reciben", "recibo", "tengas", "ya-tenéis"]·SW["kuwa-na", "mmepokea", "ninayo", "wamepata"]·TR["aldılar", "alirim", "alıyorsunuz", "geri-alasın,"]·urd["تسلی", "تُو-رکھے", "پا-لیا-ہے", "پا-چکے-ہیں"]
2. abstain from — To hold oneself away from, to abstain — the middle voice (apechesthai) used for moral and dietary self-restraint. The Jerusalem Council's landmark decision tells Gentile believers to 'abstain from' polluted food and sexual immorality (Acts 15:20, 29). Paul extends it to broader ethical purity in 1 Thessalonians 4:3 and 5:22. Spanish 'absteneos/abstenerse' and French parallels preserve the reflexive, volitional character of this restraint. 6×
AR["أنْ-تَمْتَنِعوا", "أَن-تَمتَنِعوا", "أَن-يَمتَنِعوا", "الامتِناعَ", "امتَنِعوا", "امْتَنِعوا"]·ben["দূরে-থাক", "দূরে-থাকতে", "বিরত-থাকতে"]·DE["hat-genug", "ἀπέχεσθαι", "ἀπέχεσθε"]·EN["abstain", "to-abstain"]·FR["recevoir-en-plein", "être-loin"]·heb["הִמָּנְעוּ", "טֻמְאַת", "לְ-הִמָּנֵע", "לְהִמָּנֵעַ", "לְהִמָּנַע", "לְהִתְרַחֵק"]·HI["दूर-रहना", "दूर-रहें", "दूर-रहो", "दोओर-रहो", "दोओर-रेहन"]·ID["jauhilah", "menjauhi", "untuk-menjauhkan-diri"]·IT["astenersi", "avere-ricevuto-per-intero"]·jav["ngéwèki", "nyingkira", "nyingkiri", "padha-ngéwèki."]·KO["멀리하기를", "멀리하라", "멀리하라고", "삼가기를", "삼가라."]·PT["a-abster-vos", "abstende-vos", "abster-se", "abster-vos", "absterdes-vos", "absterem-se"]·RU["воздерживайтесь", "воздерживаться", "удаляться"]·ES["absteneos", "absteneros", "abstenerse"]·SW["jiepusheni", "kujiepusha"]·TR["kaçınmak", "kaçının", "uzak-durmak"]·urd["باز-رہو", "بچنا", "دور-رہو", "پرہیز-کرنا"]
3. be distant from — To be at a spatial or metaphorical distance from a place or person. In Matthew 14:24 the boat apeichen many stadia from land, while in Matthew 15:8 (citing Isa 29:13) 'their heart is far (apechei) from me.' Spanish distinguishes this clearly with 'dista/distaba,' and the sense extends from measurable geographic distance (Luke 7:6, 15:20) to the painful spiritual gap between lip-service and true devotion. 6×
AR["ابْتَعَدَتْ", "بَعيدَةٍ", "بُعْدُهُ", "كانَ", "يَبْعُدُ", "يَكُونُ"]·ben["থাকতে", "থাকে", "থেকে", "দূরে", "দূরে-ছিল"]·DE["hat-genug", "ἀπέχει"]·EN["being-away", "being-distant", "is-distant", "was-distant"]·FR["être-loin"]·heb["הָיְתָה-רָחוֹק", "הָיָה", "הוּא", "נִשְׁמָר", "רְחוֹקָה", "רָחַק"]·HI["दूर", "दोओर-थि", "है", "होते-हुए", "होने-पर"]·ID["ada", "dari", "jauh", "sedang", "terpisah", "yang-berjarak"]·IT["avere"]·jav["saking", "tebih", "tebihipun", "tebihipun,", "tumrap"]·KO["떨어져-있는", "떨어져-있다", "떨어져-있었다", "떨어져-있을-때", "떨어진"]·PT["distava", "estando", "está"]·RU["будучи", "была", "находящемуся", "отстоит", "отстоящее"]·ES["dista", "distaba", "distante", "estando", "está"]·SW["akiwa", "iko", "ilikuwa-mbali", "umbali-wa"]·TR["duruyor", "iken", "olunca", "uzak", "uzaktaydı"]·urd["دور", "دور-تھی", "گھر", "ہوتے-ہوئے", "ہے"]
4. it is enough / it is settled — An impersonal use meaning 'it is enough' or 'the matter is settled.' Found only in Mark 14:41, where Jesus in Gethsemane says apechei after finding the disciples sleeping yet again. The exact nuance is debated — 'enough!' as resignation, or 'the account is settled' linking back to the commercial sense — but Spanish 'basta' captures the abrupt finality well. It marks a turning point: the hour of betrayal has arrived. 1×
AR["كَفَى"]·ben["যথেষ্ট"]·DE["ἀπέχει"]·EN["It-is-enough"]·FR["être-loin"]·heb["דַּי"]·HI["पर्याप्त-है"]·ID["Cukuplah"]·IT["avere"]·jav["cekap"]·KO["끝났다"]·PT["Basta"]·RU["довольно"]·ES["basta"]·SW["Imetosha"]·TR["yeter"]·urd["کافی-ہے"]
Related Senses
H3808 1. simple negation (not) (4839×)G1722 1. locative: in, within (2442×)H1004b 1. house, dwelling, building (2015×)H5414 1. give, bestow (1855×)G3756 1. not (negation particle) (1635×)H4480a 1. source or separation (1198×)H5892b 1. city, town (1093×)G1519 1. direction: into, to, toward (1061×)H3947 1. take, seize, grasp (Qal) (940×)H3427 1. Qal: to dwell, inhabit (937×)G1537 1. from, out of (source/origin) (886×)H8034 1. Name (designation / identifier) (856×)G3361 1. subjective negation (not) (834×)G1909 1. on, upon (spatial surface) (757×)H0369 1. existential negation: there is not (738×)H5869a 1. in the eyes/sight of (evaluative) (734×)H5650 1. Servant, attendant, subject (723×)H0408 1. prohibitive negation do-not (712×)G2192 1. possess / have (680×)G2443 1. so that, in order that (purpose/result) (665×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
ἀπέχω, future ἀφέξω, and Refs 8th c.BC+aorist ἀπέσχον:— keep off or away from, αἴ κεν τυδέος υἱὸν ἀπόσχη Ἰλίου ἱρῆςRefs 8th c.BC+; κληῖδες ἀπ᾽ ὤμων αὐχέν᾽ ἔχουσιν the collar-bone parts the neck from the shoulders, Refs 8th c.BC+; Εὐβοίης ἀπέχειν.. αἶγας Oracle texts cited in Refs 5th c.BC+ __2 with dative person, τοι.. χεῖρας ἀφέξωRefs 8th c.BC+ __3 with a preposition, ἀ. φρένα περισσῶν παρὰ…