ἀπο-σπάω G0645
to tear away, draw away, withdraw; to separate forcibly or by persuasion
Carrying the force of violent tearing or forcible separation, this verb spans physical and relational rupture. Peter drew his sword and slashed off the servant's ear (Matt 26:51). Jesus withdrew a stone's throw from the disciples to pray (Luke 22:41). Paul warns that from among the Ephesian elders, some will arise drawing away disciples (Acts 20:30). The painful farewell at Miletus, where believers were 'torn away' from each other (Acts 21:1), adds emotional depth. Spanish 'arrastrar' (to drag) and French 'arracher' (to tear out) highlight the forceful separation at the verb's core.
Senses
1. sense 1 — To tear away, drag apart, or forcibly separate — whether physically, spatially, or relationally. In Matthew 26:51, Peter draws (tears out) his sword in Gethsemane. Luke 22:41 softens the force: Jesus 'withdrew' from the disciples about a stone's throw to pray. Acts 20:30 uses the verb metaphorically for false teachers who will 'draw away' disciples after themselves. Acts 21:1 describes the wrenching departure from the Ephesian elders — passive voice emphasizing that the believers were torn from each other. Spanish 'arrastrar' (drag) and French 'arracher' (tear out) confirm the core sense of forcible separation across all contexts. 4×
AR["انْفَصَلَ", "سَحَبَ", "لِيَسْحَبُوا", "مُنْفَصِلِينَ"]·ben["টানতে", "বিচ্ছিন্ন-হয়ে", "বের-করল", "সরিয়ে-গেলেন"]·DE["ἀπέσπασεν", "ἀπεσπάσθη", "ἀποσπασθέντας", "ἀποσπᾶν"]·EN["drew", "having-parted", "to-draw-away", "withdrew"]·FR["arracher"]·heb["הִתְרַחֵק", "לִמְשֹׁךְ", "נִתְפָּרְדוּ", "שָׁלַף"]·HI["अलग-हो-गया", "अलग-होकर", "खींचने-को", "खींची"]·ID["berpisah", "menarik", "menarik-diri", "mencabut"]·IT["strappare", "tirare-via"]·jav["misah", "narik", "sampun-pisah"]·KO["끌어내기를", "떠나", "떨어지셨다", "빼았다"]·PT["arrastar", "desembainhou", "tendo-nos-separado"]·RU["выхватил", "отвлечь", "оторвавшись", "удалился"]·ES["arrastrar", "sacó", "se-apartó", "separándonos"]·SW["alichomoa", "aliondoka", "kuwavuta", "tukijitenga"]·TR["ayrılarak", "saptirmak", "uzaklaştı", "çekti"]·urd["الگ-ہو-گیا", "جدا-ہو-کر", "کھینچنے-کو", "کھینچی"]
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-σπάω, future -σπάσω [ᾰ], tear or drag away from, τινόςRefs 5th c.BC+ tear a thing from one, Refs 5th c.BC+; ἀ. τινά tear him away, Refs 5th c.BC+; ἀ. τι τῆς λείας detach, abstract some of it, Refs 5th c.BC+; and reversely also ἀ. τῆς φρενὸς αἵ μοι μόναι παρῆσαν ἐλπίδωνRefs; detach, withdraw, πλήρωμα a gang of labourers, Refs 3rd c.BC+; τινὰ ἀπό τινοςNT+5th c.BC+middle, τὴν μάχην οὕτω μακρὰν…