ἀπολύω G0630
To release, dismiss, divorce, or forgive; freeing captives, dispersing crowds, repudiating a spouse, pardoning sins.
Apoluo belongs to the luo ('loose') compound family and carries the fundamental image of untying or letting go. In the Gospels it operates across four distinct social spheres: the judicial (releasing Barabbas), the communal (dismissing crowds after feeding miracles), the domestic (divorce debates in Matt 5 and 19), and the spiritual (forgiving sins in Luke 6:37). What makes these boundaries sharp is the multilingual evidence: Arabic assigns entirely different roots — atlaqahu for release, sarafa for dismissal, yutalliqu for divorce, ighfiru for forgiveness. Korean and Swahili similarly deploy distinct lexical items across all four domains, confirming real conceptual boundaries.
1. release, set free — To release or set free from custody, bondage, or obligation — 32 occurrences concentrated in the Passion narratives around the Passover custom of releasing a prisoner (Matt 27:15-26; Mark 15:6-15; John 18:39). Also covers releasing from illness (Luke 13:12, the woman bound by Satan). Arabic atlaqa ('set free') and Swahili -achia ('release') map precisely to this liberation frame. Korean 놓아 주다 ('let go') similarly selects freedom-specific vocabulary. 32×
AR["أَطْلَقَ","أَطْلَقُوهُمَا","أَطْلَقُوهُمْ","أَنْ-يُطْلِقَ","أَنْ-يُطْلِقَهُ","أُطْلِقَ","سَأُطْلِقُهُ","كَانَ-يُطْلِقُ","مُطْلَقٌ","يُطْلِقَ"]·ben["ছেড়ে-দিতেন","ছেড়ে-দিলেন","ছেড়ে-দেন","মুক্ত","মুক্ত-করতে","মুক্ত-করব","মুক্ত-করলেন","মুক্ত-করি"]·DE["freilassen","lässt-frei"]·EN["I-release","I-should-release","I-will-release","having-been-released","he-released","he-should-release","he-was-releasing","released","to-release"]·FR["libérer","relâcher"]·heb["אֲשַׁחְרֵר","יְשַׁחְרֵר","לְ-הַתִּיר","לְשַׁחְרֵר","מְשֻׁחְרָר","שִׁחְרְרוּ","שִׁחְרֵר"]·HI["उन्हें","छोड़-दिया","छोड़-दूँगा","छोड़-दे","छोड़ता-था","छोड़ना","छोड़ूं","छोड़े-गए","मैं-छोड़ूँ"]·ID["Aku-membebaskan","Dia-melepaskan","aku-akan-melepaskan","aku-lepaskan","dia-melepaskan","dibebaskan;","melepaskan","melepaskan.","membebaskan"]·IT["apolelumenon","rilasciare"]·jav["Kawula-luwar","dipunlépas","kula-luwari","kula-ngluwari","ngluwari","ngluwari.","nglépas","nglépas-aken.","sampun-dipunbebasaken"]·KO["그리고","놓아주겠다","놓아주기를","놓아주도록","놓아주려고","놓아주었다","석방-된-것을","석방하고-있었다","석방하기-를","석방하도록","석방하였다","석방했다","위협하고"]·PT["foi-solto","soltar","soltaram","soltasse","soltava","solte","soltou"]·RU["освобождённого","отпускал","отпускать","отпустил","отпустили","отпустить","отпустить.","отпущу"]·ES["de-soltar","liberado","que-suelte","soltaba","soltar","soltara","soltaron","soltaré","soltó","suelte"]·SW["akamtoa","aliwaachia","ameachiliwa;","awaachie","kukuachilia","kumtoa","kumwachia","kumwachilia","kutoa","nimwachie","nimwachilie","nitamtoa","waliwaachia"]·TR["bırakayım","bırakmak","bıraktı","salacağım","salmak","salverdi","salıverdi","salıveriyordu","salıversin","serbest-bırakayım","serbest-bırakmak","serbest-bırakmaya","serbest-bıraktılar","serbest-bırakılmış-olduğunu"]·urd["رہا-کرنے-کے-لیے","رہا-کیا-گیا","چھوڑ دوں","چھوڑ-دوں-گا","چھوڑ-دُوں","چھوڑ-دیا","چھوڑا","چھوڑتا-تھا","چھوڑنا","چھوڑنے کا","چھوڑے"]
Matt 27:15, Matt 27:17, Matt 27:21, Matt 27:26, Mark 15:6, Mark 15:9, Mark 15:11, Mark 15:15, Luke 2:29, Luke 13:12, Luke 23:16, Luke 23:17 (+20 more)
▼ 4 more senses below
Senses
2. dismiss, send away — To dismiss or send away a group or individual — 18 occurrences, prominent in the feeding narratives where Jesus refuses to 'send away' the crowds hungry (Matt 14:15, 22-23; 15:23, 32). The crucial evidence for separating this from sense 1 is Arabic sarafa ('dismiss'), a completely different root from atlaqa. Korean distinguishes 보내다 ('send away') from liberation vocabulary, and Swahili -ruhusu ('permit to leave') differs from -achia ('free'). 18×
AR["أَصْرِفْهُمْ","أَطلَقوا","أَطلَقوهُما","أَطْلَقَهُ","أَنْ-أَصْرِفَ","أُرسِلوا","اصْرِفِ","اصْرِفْ","اصْرِفْهُمْ","اِصْرِفِ","صَرَفَ","صَرَفَهُ","صَرَفَهُمْ","يَصْرِفَ","يَصْرِفُ"]·ben["ছেড়ে-দিল","ছেড়ে-দিলেন","ছেড়ে-দেওয়া","তিনি-বিসর্জন-দিলেন","পাঠিয়ে-দিলেন","বিদায়-দাও","বিদায়-দিই","বিদায়-দিতে","বিদায়-দিয়ে","বিদায়-দিলেন","বিদায়-দেন"]·DE["freilassen","lässt-frei"]·EN["Dismiss","I-send-away","Send-away","dismiss","dismisses","having-been-released","having-dismissed","having-sent-away","he-dismissed","he-sent-away","released","send-away","sent-away","they-released","to-send-away"]·FR["libérer","relâcher"]·heb["אֲשַׁלֵּחֵם","לְשַׁלֵּחַ","מְשַׁלֵּחַ","מְשֻׁחְרָרִים","שִׁלְּחָם","שִׁלְּחוֹ","שִׁלְּחוּ","שִׁלֵּחַ","שִׁלַּח","שַׁלְּחֵם","שַׁלְּחֶהָ","שַׁלַּח"]·HI["चोद-दिय","छोड़ा","विदअ-कर","विदअ-करके","विदअ-करन","विदअ-करे","विदअ-करो","विदा-कर","विदा-करूं","विदा-किया","विदा-किया।","विदा-होकर"]·ID["Aku-menyuruh-pergi","Dia-menyuruh-pergi","Lepaskanlah","Suruhlah-pergi","dia-membubarkan","dilepaskan","melepaskan","menyuruh-pergi","mereka-melepaskan","suruhlah-pergi"]·IT["rilasciare"]·jav["Kawula-lila","Kèndela","Kéndela","Luwèhna","dipun-luwari","lilakaken","maringi-lilanipun","mbubaraken","ngeculaken","nglipur","ngluwari","ngluwèh","ngutus."]·KO["그가-해산했다","그들이-석방했다","놓아주었다","보내다","보내면","보내셨다","보내소서","보내시고","보내시는-동안","보내시오","보내십시오","보내진","보냈다","해산시키신다"]·PT["Despede","despedir","despediram.","despedisse","despediu","tendo-despedido","tendo-sido-despedidos,"]·RU["Отпусти","Отпустил","отпускает","отпусти","отпустив","отпустил","отпустили","отпустит","отпустить","отпущенные","отпущу","распустил"]·ES["Despídela","despedidos","despedirlos","despide","despidiera","despidió","despido","despídelos","habiendo-despedido","lo-despidió","lo-soltó","los-despidieron","soltaron"]·SW["Mwache-aende","Waruhusu-waende","akamwacha","akiwaruhusu","aliivunja","alimruhusu-aende","alimwachia","aliwaaga","anawaaga","awaache","kuwaruhusu","nikiwaaga","waache","waache-waende","wakawaruhusu.","wakiachiliwa","waliwaachilia"]·TR["Bırak","Gönder","bırak","bıraktı","bırakılınca","bırakır","bırakırsam","dağıttı","gönder","gönderdi","gönderip","göndermek","göndermesi","salIverdi","saldı","salıverdiler","serbest-bıraktılar"]·urd["برخاست-کیا","رخصت-دے","رخصت-کر","رخصت-کر-کے","رخصت-کرنا","رخصت-کرے","رخصت-کیا","رُخصت-کر","رُخصت-کیا","رُخصت-ہو-کر","رہا-کیا","چھوڑ-دوں","چھوڑ-دیا"]
Matt 14:15, Matt 14:22, Matt 14:23, Matt 15:23, Matt 15:32, Matt 15:39, Matt 18:27, Mark 6:36, Mark 6:45, Mark 8:3, Mark 8:9, Luke 8:38 (+6 more)
3. divorce, put away spouse — To divorce or repudiate a spouse — 15 occurrences in the synoptic marriage passages (Matt 1:19; 5:31-32; 19:3-9; Mark 10:2-12; Luke 16:18). Arabic yutalliqu uses the dedicated divorce root t-l-q in Form II, Korean 버리다 ('throw away') shifts to abandonment vocabulary, and Swahili -mwacha ('forsake a spouse') selects spousal separation language. The halakhic Hillel/Shammai backdrop of Matt 19 confirms this as a tightly bounded legal-domestic sense. 15×
AR["أَنْ-تُطَلِّقُوا","أَنْ-يُطَلِّقَ","أَنْ-يُطَلِّقَهَا","المُطَلَّقَةَ","مَنْ-يُطَلِّقْ","مُطَلَّقَةً","مُطَلِّقَةً","يَتَزَوَّجْ-مُطَلَّقَةً","يُطَلِّقَ","يُطَلِّقُ","يُطَلِّقْ"]·ben["ত্যাগ-করছে","ত্যাগ-করতে","ত্যাগ-করা","ত্যাগ-করে","ত্যাগপ্রাপ্ত","ত্যাগপ্রাপ্তাকে"]·DE["freilassen","lässt-frei"]·EN["divorced","divorced-woman","divorces","divorcing","having-been-divorced","to-divorce"]·FR["relâcher"]·heb["גְּרוּשָׁה","יְשַׁלֵּחַ","לְשַׁלְּחָהּ","לְשַׁלֵּחַ","מְגָרֵשׁ","מְגוּרֶשֶׁת","מְשַׁלֵּחַ","מְשֻׁלֶּחֶת","שִׁלְּחָה"]·HI["छोड़-दे","छोड़-देना","छोड़कर","छोड़ना","छोड़नेवाला","छोड़ी-हुई-से","छोड़े","त्यअगन","त्यअगि-हुइ-से","त्यअगे","त्यागने-वाला","त्यागी-हुई"]·ID["menceraikan","yang-diceraikan","yang-menceraikan"]·IT["rilasciare"]·jav["dipegat","ingkang-dipun-pegat","megat","negakaken","sampun-dipun-pegat","sasampunipun-megat"]·KO["끊다","내보내는-것이","내보내도록","내보내면","내보낸-여자-와","버리고","버리기-를","버리는","버리는-자","버리리라","버리면","버림-받은-여자-를","버림받은-여자와"]·PT["a-despedida","com-a-despedida","com-repudiada","despedi","despedi-la","despedindo","despedir","que-despede","que-repudia"]·RU["на-отпущенной","отпускать","отпускающий","отпустив","отпустит","отпустить","отпущенную","разведённую","разведётся","разводящийся"]·ES["a-la-despedida","a-repudiada","con-la-despedida","despedir","despedirla","despida","despidiere","habiendo-despedido","que-despide","que-repudia"]·SW["-","akaoa","akimwacha","aliyeachwa","anayemwacha","atakayemwacha","kumwacha","mwache","yeye"]·TR["boşamak","boşamaya","boşanmış","boşanmış-olanla","boşanmış-olanı","boşarsa","boşayan","boşayıp"]·urd["طلاق-دینے-والا","طلاق-دے","طلاق-یافتہ","مطلقہ-سے","چھوڑ-دینا","چھوڑ-کر","چھوڑنا","چھوڑی-ہوئی-سے","چھوڑے"]
4. forgive, pardon — To forgive or pardon — two occurrences in Luke 6:37 ('forgive and you will be forgiven'). The 'loosing' metaphor extends from physical bonds to moral debts. Arabic deploys the entirely distinct root gh-f-r (ighfiru), Swahili uses -samehe ('pardon'), Korean 용서하다 ('forgive') — all dedicated forgiveness vocabulary with no overlap to release, dismissal, or divorce. Cross-linguistic unanimity confirms a real sense. 2×
AR["اغفِروا","تُغفَروا"]·ben["ক্ষমা-কর","ক্ষমা-পাবে"]·DE["lässt-frei"]·EN["release","you-will-be-released"]·FR["relâcher"]·heb["שַׁחְרְרוּ","תְּשֻׁחְרַרוּ"]·HI["छोड़े-जाओगे","छोड़ो"]·ID["Ampunilah","kalian-akan-diampuni"]·IT["rilasciare"]·jav["ngapuntena","panjenengan-sedaya-badhe-dipun-apunten"]·KO["놓아주라","놓임-받을-것이다"]·RU["будете-отпущены","отпускайте"]·ES["perdonad","seréis-perdonados"]·SW["mtasamehewa","sameheni"]·TR["bırakılacaksınız.","bırakın,"]
5. sense 5 — To depart or take one's leave — a single occurrence at Acts 28:25 where the Jewish leaders in Rome 'were departing' after discussion with Paul. English 'they were departing' and Spanish se-iban ('they were leaving') both treat this as intransitive middle-voice departure rather than being released by another. Well attested in classical Greek but marginal in the New Testament. 1×
AR["انصَرَفوا"]·ben["চলিয়া-যাইতেছিল"]·DE["lässt-frei"]·EN["they-were-departing"]·FR["libérer"]·heb["הָלְכוּ"]·HI["चले-गए;"]·ID["pergi;"]·IT["rilasciare"]·jav["késah;"]·KO["떠났다"]·PT["despediam-se;"]·RU["расходились;"]·ES["se-iban"]·SW["waliondoka"]·TR["-o"]·urd["رخصت-ہوتے-تھے"]
BDB / Lexicon Reference
ἀπολύω [see. λύω], future -λύσω, etc.: future passive __A ἀπολελύσομαιRefs 5th c.BC+:—loose from, ἱμάντα θοῶς ἀπέλυσε κορώνηςRefs 8th c.BC+; ὄφρ᾽ ἀπὸ τοίχους λῦσε κλύδων τρόπιος the sides of the ship from the keel, Refs; undo, ἀπὸ κρήδεμνον ἔλυσενRefs 5th c.BC+ __A.2 set free, release, relieve from, ἀ. τινὰ τῆς φρουρῆςRefs 5th c.BC+; ἀ. τῆς μετρήσεως save them from the trouble of measuring, Refs…