ἀπο-λούω G0628
to wash away, cleanse by washing
A compound verb meaning to wash off or wash away completely. In Acts 22:16, Ananias commands Saul to wash away his sins through baptism. In 1 Corinthians 6:11, Paul reminds the Corinthians they were washed clean from their former sinful state. Homer used it for washing gore or brine from the body; the New Testament applies this physical cleansing metaphorically to spiritual purification. The middle voice emphasizes washing oneself or having oneself washed.
Senses
1. sense 1 — Both occurrences connect water baptism with spiritual cleansing (Acts 22:16; 1 Cor 6:11). The Greek middle voice in both passages suggests personal agency in receiving cleansing rather than purely passive reception. Multilingual evidence shows direct washing terminology across languages, though German preserves the actual Greek forms, suggesting recognition of this as technical baptismal vocabulary. 2×
AR["اغْتَسَلْتُمْ", "اِغْسِلْ"]·ben["তোমরা-ধৌত-হয়েছ,", "ধুয়ে-ফেল"]·DE["ἀπελούσασθε", "ἀπόλουσαι"]·EN["wash-away", "you-were-washed"]·FR["laver"]·heb["הִטָּהֵר", "נִרְחַצְתֶּם"]·HI["धो-लो", "धोए-गए"]·ID["dibasuh", "kamu-sudah-dibasuh,"]·IT["lavare-via"]·jav["dipun-resiki", "panjenengan-kumbah,"]·KO["씨어라", "씬겨졌다"]·PT["vos-lavastes"]·RU["вы-омылись,", "омой"]·ES["fuisteis-lavados", "lava"]·SW["mlioshwa,", "osha"]·TR["ama-", "yıka"]·urd["دھو-ڈال", "دھوئے-گئے"]
Related Senses
G0846 1. third-person pronoun reference (5552×)H???? 1. (4670×)H6213a 1. do, perform, act (2383×)G4160 1. do, act, perform (473×)H5221 1. Hifil: to strike in battle, smite enemies (362×)H0899b 1. garment, article of clothing (216×)H6213a 2. make, construct, fabricate (148×)H3772 1. cut a covenant / make a pact (97×)H5060 1. touch physically (Qal) (96×)H3615 1. complete a task (Piel) (85×)H3772 2. cut off / destroy (Hifil causative) (81×)H3920 1. capture, seize (Qal) (76×)H???? 12. (76×)H3772 3. be cut off / be eliminated (Niphal) (74×)H6213a 3. be done, be made (Niphal) (73×)G4160 2. make, construct, create (62×)H3847 1. Qal: put on, wear (60×)H8210 1. pour out (liquid/libation) (59×)G2440 1. garment or clothing (general) (54×)H4191 4. kill / put to death (Hifil causative) (50×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
ἀπο-λούω, __I with accusative of things, wash off, λούειν ἄπο βρότονRefs 8th c.BC+ —middle, ὄφρ᾽.. ἅλμην ὤμοιϊν ἀπολούσομαι that I may wash the brine from off my shoulders, Refs 8th c.BC+; of baptism, ἀ. τὰς ἁμαρτίαςNT __I.2 with accusative person, wash clean, Refs 5th c.BC+:—middle, wash away from oneself, λούσασθαι ἄπο βρότον αἱματόενταRefs 8th c.BC+: in archaic style, ἀπολούμενοςRefs 2nd c.AD+…