ἀφαιρ-έω G0851
Take away, remove; cut off or sever — whether abstractly removing (sins, disgrace) or physically severing (a body part)
Aphaireo spans a broad semantic arc from abstract removal to violent physical severance. Elizabeth praises God who 'took away' her disgrace (Luke 1:25), and Paul declares that the blood of bulls and goats cannot 'take away' sins (Heb 10:4) — both abstract removals of a condition or burden. Yet the same verb describes Peter cutting off the high priest's servant's ear in Gethsemane (Matt 26:51; Mark 14:47; Luke 22:50), where the Spanish 'corto' (cut) replaces the more general 'quitar' (remove) used in abstract contexts. This shift from removal to severance marks a genuine sense distinction.
Senses
1. take away, remove — To take away, remove, or withdraw something from its place or association — whether a disgrace (Luke 1:25), a stewardship (Luke 16:3), sins (Rom 11:27; Heb 10:4), or words from a prophetic book (Rev 22:19). The action is abstract or relational: something is lifted, revoked, or annulled. Spanish uses 'quitar' (remove, take away) and French 'retrancher,' both emphasizing removal rather than physical cutting. 7×
AR["أَرْفَعُ", "حَذَفَ", "سَيَحْذِفُ", "لِيَنْزِعَ", "يَأْخُذُ", "يُزِيلَ", "يُنْزَعَ"]·ben["কেড়ে-নিচ্ছেন", "দূর-করতে", "দূর-করব", "নেওয়া-হবে", "সরিয়ে-নেবেন", "সরিয়ে-নেয়"]·DE["wegnehmen", "ἀφαιρεθήσεται", "ἀφαιρεῖται", "ἀφελεῖν"]·EN["I-take-away", "takes-away", "to-take-away", "will-be-taken", "will-take-away"]·FR["retrancher"]·heb["אָסִיר", "יִגְרַע", "יָסִיר", "לְהָסִיר", "לוֹקֵחַ", "תִּלָּקַח"]·HI["उठाने-को", "का-भाग", "घटाए", "छीना-जाएगा", "दूर-करूं", "ले-लेता-है", "हटाने"]·ID["Aku-mengambil", "akan-diambil", "akan-mengurangi", "mengambil", "mengurangi", "untuk-menghapus"]·IT["aphairein", "aphelei", "aphelē", "togliere"]·jav["Gusti-Allah-badhe-ngirangi", "Kula-ngilangi", "dipun-pundhut", "mendhet", "ngilangi", "ngirangi", "supados-mbucal"]·KO["내가-제거하면", "빼낸다면", "빼실-것이다", "빼앗기지-않으리라", "빼앗는다", "없애시려고", "제거하기를"]·PT["para-tirar", "tira", "tirar", "tirará"]·RU["-грехи", "будет-отнята", "отнимает", "отнимать", "отнимет", "снять"]·ES["le-será-quitada", "quita", "quitar", "quitará", "quite"]·SW["anaondoa", "ataondoa", "haitaondolewa", "kuondoa", "ondoa"]·TR["alınacak", "alıyor", "kaldırmak", "kaldırsam", "çıkaracak", "çıkarırsa"]·urd["دور-کرنے-کو", "دور-کرے", "لیا-جائے-گی", "لے-جاؤں-گا", "لے-رہا-ہے", "گھٹائے", "گھٹائے-گا"]
2. cut off, sever — To cut off or sever a body part, specifically an ear, by violent physical action with a weapon. All three occurrences describe the same Gethsemane incident from different Gospel perspectives (Matt 26:51; Mark 14:47; Luke 22:50). The shift to physical severance is reflected in Spanish 'corto' (cut) rather than the abstract 'quitar,' and the aorist tense throughout emphasizes a single decisive blow. 3×
AR["قَطَعَ"]·ben["কেটে-নিল", "কেটে-ফেলল"]·DE["wegnehmen", "ἀφεῖλεν"]·EN["cut-off"]·FR["retrancher"]·heb["הֵסִיר", "חָתַךְ"]·HI["उड़ा-दिया", "काट-दिया"]·ID["memenggal", "memotong"]·IT["togliere"]·jav["ngethok", "ngiris", "nugel"]·KO["잘라-버렸다", "잘라냈다", "잘랐다"]·PT["cortou"]·RU["отсек"]·ES["cortó", "le-cortó"]·SW["akakata", "akamkata", "alikata"]·TR["kesti"]·urd["کاٹ-دیا", "کاٹ-لِیا"]
Related Senses
G0846 1. third-person pronoun reference (5552×)H???? 1. (4670×)H0935 1. come, arrive (Qal) (2413×)H6213a 1. do, perform, act (2383×)G1473 1. first person singular pronoun (2084×)H3318 1. Qal: go out, depart, come forth (891×)H7725 1. to return, come/go back (Qal) (874×)H5927 1. go up, ascend (Qal) (779×)H7971 1. to send, dispatch (Qal) (701×)G2064 1. come / arrive (physical movement toward) (588×)G4160 1. do, act, perform (473×)H5221 1. Hifil: to strike in battle, smite enemies (362×)H5307 1. Qal: fall down physically (339×)H5375 1. Qal: to lift up, raise (330×)H5975 1. to stand, stand up (310×)H5674a 1. Qal: pass by, pass through (256×)H3381 1. Qal: to go down, descend (physical movement) (242×)H0899b 1. garment, article of clothing (216×)G1831 1. go/come out physically (193×)H5337 1. deliver, rescue, save (Hifil) (188×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
ἀφαιρ-έω, Ionic dialect ἀπαιρέω, future -ήσω: perfect ἀφῄρηκα, Ionic dialect ἀπαραίρηκα: aorist ἀφεῖλον, later infinitive ἀφέλαιRefs 2nd c.AD+:—take away from:—Constr.: mostly ἀ. τί τινι, σῖτον μέν σφιν ἀφεῖλε took it from him, Refs 8th c.BC+ codices, etc. (but also, relieve one of a duty, Refs 5th c.BC+; also τινά τι probably Refs 5th c.BC+, see infr. II. I, III: with genitive, take from, τιμῆς…