ἀφίημι G0863
To send away, release; hence to leave, abandon; to permit, allow; to forgive, pardon; to neglect; to yield up
Built from apo ('away') and hiemi ('send'), aphiemi is one of the New Testament's most theologically consequential verbs. Its semantic range runs from the physical act of leaving nets behind to follow Jesus (Matt 4:20) through the everyday 'let, allow' of social permission, to the profound declaration 'your sins are forgiven' (Matt 9:2). The same root that describes abandoning a place (Matt 23:38, 'your house is left desolate') also names the divine act of releasing a debtor from obligation (Matt 18:27). Arabic distinguishes taraka (leave) from ghafara (forgive), revealing that Greek unifies under one verb what many languages split apart.
1. leave, abandon, depart from — Physical leaving or abandoning — departing from a place, forsaking a person, or leaving something behind. Arabic taraka, Korean 버리다/떠나다, and Swahili -acha all render this concretely. Jesus' disciples leave their nets (Matt 4:20), fever leaves Peter's mother-in-law (Matt 8:15), and a man leaves father and mother (Matt 19:5). 46×
AR["إِذْ-تَرَكوهُ","تارِكينَ","تَارِكينَ","تَارِكًا","تَارِكِينَ","تَرَكوا","تَرَكَ","تَرَكَا","تَرَكَها","تَرَكَهُمْ","تَرَكُوهُ"]·ben["ছেড়ে","ছেড়ে-গেল","ছেড়ে-দিয়ে","ছেড়ে-দিয়েছে","ত্যাগ-করে"]·DE["lassen","lässt"]·EN["having-left","leaving","left"]·FR["laisser","pardonner"]·heb["עָזְב-וּ","עָזְבוּ","עָזַב","עָזַבְנוּ","עוֹזְבִים"]·HI["छोड़कर","छोड़ा","छोदकर","छोदेग"]·ID["meninggalkan","meninggalkanlah"]·IT["lasciare","perdonare"]·jav["nilar","nilaraken","ninggalaken","sami-nilar","sasampunipun-nilar"]·KO["남겨두고","남기고","떠나고","떠나보내고","떠나보내시고","떠나서","떠났다","버려두고","버렸으면","버리고"]·PT["deixando","deixou","tendo-deixado","tendo-despedido","tendo-o-deixado"]·RU["оставив","оставивши","оставил","оставила"]·ES["dejando","dejare","dejándolo","dejándolos","dejó","habiendo-dejado"]·SW["akiacha","akiwaacha","akiwacha","ikamwacha","nyumba","tukiacha","wakaacha","wakiacha","wakimwacha","yeye"]·TR["bırakarak","bıraktı","bırakıp"]·urd["چھوڑ-دیا","چھوڑ-کر","چھوڑا"]
Matt 4:11, Matt 4:20, Matt 4:22, Matt 8:15, Matt 13:36, Matt 18:12, Matt 19:27, Matt 19:29, Matt 22:22, Matt 22:25, Matt 26:44, Matt 26:56 (+34 more)
▼ 7 more senses below
Senses
2. permit, allow, let — Permitting, allowing, or letting someone act — a volitional sense distinct from physical departure. Arabic samaha/da'a, Korean 허락하다, and Hindi aagya dena mark this as a separate semantic field. Jesus tells John, 'Permit it now' at his baptism (Matt 3:15); he instructs disciples to 'let' the children come (Matt 19:14). 33×
AR["اترُكُوا","اتْرُكُوا","اتْرُكُوهُمْ","اتْرُكْ","اسْمَحْ","اُتْرُكْهَا","دَعوا","دَعُوا","دَعُوهُ","دَعِ","دَعِي","دَعْ","دَعْني","يَسْمَحْ لَهُ"]·ben["অনুমতি-দিলেন","আসতে-দাও","ছাড়ো","ছেড়ে-দাও","ছেড়ে-দিন","থাক-দাও","থাম","দাও"]·DE["lassen","lässt"]·EN["Allow","Leave","Leave-alone","Let","Permit","Wait","he-permitted","leave","let","let-go","let-grow"]·FR["laisser"]·heb["הִרְשָׁהּוּ","הֶרֶף","הַנִּיחָה","הַנִּיחוּ","הַנַּח","עֲזֹב","תְּנוּ"]·HI["आज्ञा-दी","आने-दो","उससे","चोदो","छोड़","छोड़-दे","छोड़-दो","छोड़ो","छोद्दो","जाने-दो","रहने-दे","रहने-दो"]·ID["Biarkanlah","Biarlah","Dia-mengizinkan","biarkanlah","biarlah","tinggalkan"]·IT["perdonare"]·jav["Ekna","Idinaken","Kaparengna","Kepareng","Keparenga;","Kèndela","Kèndèlna","Lilanana","Pasrahna","kaparingana","lilaaken","lilanana","marengaken","supami","tilar","ulungaken"]·KO["그녀를-내버려-두라","남겨라","내버려-두라","내버려두라","놓아-두라","놓아-두소서","놓아두라","놓아주라","놔두라","허락하라","허락하지"]·PT["Deixa","Deixai","deixa","deixai","permitiu"]·RU["Оставь","Оставьте","Позволь","Пустите","оставь","оставьте","позволил","позвольте"]·ES["Deja","Dejad","deja","dejad","dejadlo","dejadlos","déjala","permitió"]·SW["-","Acha","Acheni","Mwache","Mwacheni","Waache","Waacheni","acha","acheni","alimruhusu","mwache","mwacheni","uache","waache","waacheni"]·TR["Bırak","Bırakın","bırak","bırakmadı","bırakın","İzin-ver"]·urd["آنے-دو","جانے دو","جانے-دو","دیا","رہنے-دو","رہنے-دے","چھوڑ","چھوڑ-دو","چھوڑ-دے","چھوڑو"]
Matt 3:15, Matt 3:15, Matt 5:24, Matt 5:40, Matt 7:4, Matt 8:22, Matt 13:30, Matt 15:14, Matt 19:14, Matt 23:13, Matt 27:49, Mark 1:34 (+21 more)
3. forgive, cancel (active) — Active forgiveness of sins or cancellation of debts — the theological heart of aphiemi. Arabic ghafara and Korean 용서하다 consistently distinguish this from the 'leave' sense. The Lord's Prayer (Matt 6:12) and the parable of the unforgiving servant (Matt 18:27, 32) make forgiveness a central kingdom ethic. 27×
AR["أَن-يَغفِرَ","أَنْ يَغْفِرَ","اغْفِرْ","اِغفِرْ","اِغْفِرْ","تَغفِروا","تَغْفِرُوا","غَفَرتُم","غَفَرنا","نَغْفِرُ","يَغفِرَ","يَغفِرُ","يَغْفِرُ"]·ben["«ক্ষমা-করতে","ক্ষমা-কর","ক্ষমা-করতে","ক্ষমা-করবেন","ক্ষমা-করি","ক্ষমা-করেছি","ক্ষমা-করেন","ক্ষমা-করো","ἄφες-ক্ষমা-কর"]·DE["lassen","lässt"]·EN["He-may-forgive","forgave","forgive","may-forgive","to-forgive","we-forgive","will-forgive","you-forgive"]·FR["laisser"]·heb["יִסְלַח","לִ-סְלֹחַ","לִסְלֹחַ","מוֹחֲלִים","סְלַח","סָלַחְנוּ","תִּסְלְחוּ","תִסְלְחוּ"]·HI["कशम-करो","क्षमा-कर","क्षमा-करते-हैं","क्षमा-करना","क्षमा-करने-का","क्षमा-करने-के-लिए","क्षमा-करे","क्षमा-करेगा","क्षमा-करो","क्षमा-करोगे","क्षमा-किए","छोड़ो","पाप"]·ID["akan-mengampuni","ampunilah","kamu-mengampuni","mengampuni","telah-mengampuni"]·IT["perdonare"]·jav["apuntena","badhe-ngapura","ngapunten","ngapuntena","ngapuntenana","ngapunteni","ngapura","panjenengan-panjenengan-ngapunteni","panjenengan-sedaya-ngapunten","ugi-ngapunten"]·KO["용서하기-를","용서하기를","용서하다","용서하라","용서하리라","용서하면","용서하소서","용서하시도록","용서하시리라","용서하신다","용서하지-않으면","용서합니다","용서했다"]·PT["de-perdoar","nos-perdoar","perdoa","perdoamos","perdoar","perdoardes","perdoará"]·RU["не-простит","прости","простил","простили","простит","простите","простить","прощаем","прощать","прощать,"]·ES["perdona","perdonamos","perdonar","perdonareis","perdonará","perdone","perdonéis","perdónale","perdónalos","perdónanos"]·SW["atawasamehe","atusamehe","awasamehe","hatasamehe","hatawasamehe","kusamehe","mkimsamehe","msamehe","mtawasamehe","samehe","tulivyowasamehe","tunasamehe","tusamehe","wasamehe"]·TR["bağışla","bağışladık","bağışlamak","bağışlamaya","bağışlarsanız","bağışlasın","bağışlayacak","bağışlıyoruz"]·urd["خُدا","معاف-کر","معاف-کرتے-ہیں","معاف-کرنا","معاف-کرنے","معاف-کرنے-کا","معاف-کرو","معاف-کرے","معاف-کرے-گا","معاف-کیا","گناہوں-کو"]
Matt 6:12, Matt 6:12, Matt 6:14, Matt 6:14, Matt 6:15, Matt 6:15, Matt 9:6, Matt 18:21, Matt 18:27, Matt 18:32, Matt 18:35, Mark 2:7 (+15 more)
4. be forgiven (passive) — Passive voice: sins or debts 'are forgiven' — the divine passive (passivum divinum) where God is the unspoken agent. Arabic ghufira (passive), Korean 사함받다, and Swahili -samehewa all mark this grammatically. Jesus' pronouncement 'your sins are forgiven' (Matt 9:2; Mark 2:5; Luke 7:48) precipitates controversy over divine authority. 22×
AR["تُغْفَرُ","سَتُغْفَرُ","سَيُغفَرُ","سَيُغْفَرُ","غُفِرَت","قَد-غُفِرَت","مَغفورَةٌ","مَغْفورَةٌ","يُغفَرُ","يُغْفَرَ","يُغْفَرُ"]·ben["ক্ষমা-করা-হবে","ক্ষমা-করা-হয়েছে","ক্ষমা-হতে-পারে","ক্ষমা-হবে","ক্ষমা-হয়েছে"]·DE["lassen","lässt"]·EN["Are-forgiven","Have-been-forgiven","are-forgiven","have-been-forgiven","it-be-forgiven","they-have-been-forgiven","were-forgiven","will-be-forgiven"]·FR["laisser","pardonner"]·heb["יְכֻפַּר","יְסֻלַּח","יִסָּלֵח","יִסָּלַח","נִסְלְחוּ","נִסְלָחוּ"]·HI["कशमअ-किय-जअयेगअ","क्षमा-किए-गए-हैं","क्षमा-किया-जाएगा","क्षमा-किये-गए-हैं","क्षमा-की-गई","क्षमा-हुए","क्षमा-हो","छोड़े-गए-हैं","सब"]·ID["Diampuni","akan-diampuni","diampuni","sudah-diampuni"]·IT["lasciare","perdonare"]·jav["Diapura","Dipun-apunten","Kaapunten","Sampun-kaapunten","badhé-dipunapunten","badhé-kaapunten","badhé-kaapunten.","bakal-diapura","diapura","dipun-apunten","dipunapunten","kaapunten","sampun-diapunten","sampun-kaapunten"]·KO["사함-받았다","사함을-받았다","용서-받은","용서되었다","용서되지","용서된다","용서될-것이라","용서받으리라","용서받을-것-이다","용서받을-것이다","용서받을지","용서함-받았다"]·PT["Perdoados-são","São-perdoados","foram-perdoadas","seja-perdoado","serão-perdoadas","são-perdoados"]·RU["Прощаются","Прощены","будет-прощено","простится","прощаются","прощено-будет","прощены"]·ES["Han-sido-perdonados","Son-perdonados","fueron-perdonadas","han-sido-perdonados","le-será-perdonado","os-han-sido-perdonados","sea-perdonado","será-perdonada","será-perdonado","son-perdonados","te-será-perdonado"]·SW["Umesamehewa","Zimesamehewa","atasamehewa","itasamehewa","mmesamehewa","samehewa","samehewa.","umesamehewa","utasamehewa","wakasamehewa","wamesamehewa","yatasamehewa","zimesamehewa"]·TR["Bağışlandı","Bağışlanmıştır","Bağışlanıyor","bağışlanacak","bağışlanacaktır","bağışlandı","bağışlanmayacaktır","bağışlanmıştır","bağışlansın","bağışlanır","bağışlanıyor"]·urd["معاف-کی-جائے","معاف-کیا-جائے-گا","معاف-ہو","معاف-ہوئیں","معاف-ہوئے","معاف-ہوئے-ہیں","معاف-ہوتے-ہیں","معاف-ہوں-گے","گناہ"]
Matt 9:2, Matt 9:5, Matt 12:31, Matt 12:31, Matt 12:32, Matt 12:32, Mark 2:5, Mark 2:9, Mark 3:28, Mark 4:12, Luke 5:20, Luke 5:23 (+10 more)
5. be left, be abandoned (passive) — Passive of leaving: to be left behind, be abandoned, remain desolate. Arabic yutraku (passive) and Korean 버려지다 render this precisely. Jesus' lament over Jerusalem — 'your house is left to you desolate' (Matt 23:38) — and the apocalyptic 'one will be taken and one left' (Matt 24:40–41) carry judgment overtones. 10×
AR["تُترَكُ","يُترَكُ","يُتْرَكَ","يُتْرَكُ"]·ben["ছেড়ে-দেওয়া-হচ্ছে","ছেড়ে-দেওয়া-হবে","ত্যাগ-করা-হচ্ছে","রাখা-হবে","রেখে-দেওয়া-হবে","রেখে-যাবে"]·DE["lassen","lässt"]·EN["is-left","will-be-left"]·FR["laisser"]·heb["יֵעָזֵב","יֵשָׁאֵר","נֶעֱזָב","תִּשָּׁאֵר","תֵּעָזֵב"]·HI["छोड़ा-जाएगा","छोड़ा-जाएगा}।","छोड़ा-जाएगा।","छोड़ा-जाएगी","छोड़ा-जाता-है","छोड़ी-जाएगी।"]·ID["akan-ditinggalkan","ditinggalkan"]·IT["perdonare"]·jav["badhe-dipun-tilar.","badhe-dipun-tilar}.","badhé-dipuntilar","badhé-katilar","dipun-tilar","dipuntilar","katilar"]·KO["남겠다","남겨지지-않을-것이다","남겨진다","버려진다","버려질-것이다"]·PT["será-deixada","será-deixado","é-deixada"]·RU["будет-оставлен","будет-оставлена","оставляется","останется"]·ES["es-dejada","es-dejado","sea-dejada","será-dejada","será-dejado","será-dejado}"]·SW["ataachwa","halitaachwa","inaachwa","jiwe","kesheni","kwenu","litaachwa","wawili"]·TR["bırakılacak","bırakılır","bırakılıyor"]·urd["چھوڑ-دی-جائے-گی","چھوڑ-دیا-جائے-گا","چھوڑا-جائے-گا","چھوڑا-جاتا-ہے","چھوڑی-جائے-گی"]
6. sense 6 — A specialized sense in 1 Corinthians 7:11–13 meaning 'to divorce, send away' a spouse — the legal dissolution of a marriage. Spanish despida and the broader Greco-Roman legal context of aphiemi for divorce distinguish this from simple abandonment. Paul addresses mixed marriages where one partner has become a believer. 3×
AR["تَتْرُكْ","يَتْرُكْ"]·ben["ত্যাগ-করুক","ত্যাগ-করুক।"]·DE["lassen"]·EN["let-her-send-away","let-him-send-away","to-send-away"]·FR["pardonner"]·heb["יְשַׁלֵּחַ"]·HI["छोड़े"]·ID["meninggalkan","meninggalkan."]·IT["lasciare"]·jav["ngutahaken","ngutahaken."]·KO["버리라"]·PT["a-deixe","deixar.","deixe"]·RU["отпускать.","пусть-оставляет"]·ES["despida","la-despida","lo-despida"]·SW["asimwache","asimwache."]·TR["bırakmasın","kocasını-","onu"]·urd["چھوڑے"]
7. neglect, disregard — Neglecting or leaving undone important duties — a culpable omission rather than physical departure. Jesus rebukes the Pharisees for neglecting (aphiemi) justice, mercy, and faithfulness while tithing herbs meticulously (Matt 23:23). Spanish descuidar and Hindi chhodna in the sense of abandoning responsibility capture the moral weight. 3×
AR["تَترُكوا","تَرَكتُم","يَترُكُ"]·ben["তোমরা-ত্যাগ-করেছ","ত্যাগ-করা","রেখে-যায়"]·DE["lassen","lässt"]·EN["leaves","to-neglect","you-have-neglected"]·FR["laisser"]·heb["יִשְׁאַר","לַעֲזֹב","עֲזַבְתֶּם"]·HI["छोड़-दिया","छोड़ना","छोड़े"]·ID["kamu-mengabaikan","mengabaikan","meninggalkan"]·IT["perdonare"]·jav["nilar"]·KO["남기면","버렸다","버리지"]·PT["deixar"]·RU["оставили","оставит","оставлять"]·ES["dejara","descuidar","descuidasteis"]·SW["-","kuacha","viongozi"]·TR["bırakmak","bıraktınız","bırakırsa"]·urd["چھوڑ-دیا","چھوڑنا","چھوڑے"]
8. release, yield up — Releasing or yielding up, as in Jesus yielding up his spirit at death (Matt 27:50). Arabic aslama ('to surrender, hand over'), Korean 놓았다, and Swahili -toa ('give out, emit') all converge on a deliberate act of release rather than passive dying. Mark 15:37 parallels with the same verb, emphasizing Jesus' agency in his final moment. 2×
AR["أَسْلَمَ","مُطْلِقًا"]·ben["ছেড়ে-দিয়ে","ত্যাগ-করলেন"]·DE["lassen","lässt"]·EN["letting-out","released"]·FR["laisser"]·heb["נָתַן","שָׁלַח"]·HI["छोड़कर","त्याग-दिया"]·ID["mengeluarkan","menyerahkan"]·IT["perdonare"]·jav["masrahaken","sasampunipun-ngaturaken"]·KO["놓았다","놓으시고"]·PT["entregou","tendo-dado"]·RU["издав","испустил"]·ES["entregó","habiendo-dado"]·SW["akitoa","aliitoa"]·TR["bıraktı","vererek"]·urd["چھوڑ-کر","چھوڑی"]
BDB / Lexicon Reference
ἀφίημι, 2nd pers.singular ἀφίηςRefs 5th c.BC+ Ionic dialect ἀπίειRefs 5th c.BC+, 1st pers.plural ἀφίεμενRefs 5th c.BC+imperfect ἀφίειν, with double augment ἠφίεινRefs 5th c.BC+; 3rd.pers.singular ἀφίειRefs 8th c.BC+, Ionic dialect ἀπίειNT+5th c.BC+; 2nd pers.plural ἀφίετεRefs 4th c.BC+; 3rd.pers.plural ἀφίεσαν Refs 5th c.BC+: future ἀφήσωRefs 8th c.BC+, Ionic dialect ἀπ-Refs 5th c.BC+: perfect…