ἐλεύθερος G1658
Free -- not enslaved, liberated; possessing the legal or spiritual status of a free person
Describes the state of being free as opposed to enslaved, carrying both social and theological weight. Jesus declares 'if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed' (John 8:36), transforming a legal category into spiritual reality. Paul contrasts the children of promise with those in bondage through the Sarah-Hagar allegory (Gal 4:22-31) and proclaims that in Christ there is 'neither slave nor free' (Gal 3:28). The word also appears in its basic social sense: kings' sons are exempt from taxation (Matt 17:26), and Revelation pairs free persons with slaves to encompass all humanity (Rev 6:15). Spanish, French 'libre,' and German 'frei' converge on a single core meaning.
Senses
1. free — Possessing the status of a free person, not enslaved or bound. Used socially of free versus slave (1 Cor 12:13; Gal 3:28; Rev 6:15), of exemption from obligation (Matt 17:26; Rom 7:3), and theologically of liberation through Christ from sin (Rom 6:20) and the law (Gal 4:26, 31). Paul's Sarah-Hagar allegory (Gal 4:22-31) anchors the concept in salvation history. Spanish and French 'libre' and German 'frei' converge uniformly. 23×
AR["أحرارًا", "أحرارٍ", "أَحرار", "أَحراراً", "أَحْرارٍ", "أَحْرَارٌ", "الأَحرارَ", "الحُرَّةِ", "الحُرُّ", "حُرٌّ", "حُرٍّ", "حُرَّةً", "حُرَّةٌ", "حُرّاً"]·ben["মুক্ত", "স্বাধীন", "স্বাধীন,", "স্বাধীন;", "স্বাধীন?", "স্বাধীনের,", "স্বাধীনের।"]·DE["frei", "ἐλεύθεροί"]·EN["free", "free-woman"]·FR["libre"]·heb["בְּנֵי־חוֹרִין", "בֶּן-חוֹרִין", "הַ-חָפְשִׁיָּה", "הַחָפְשִׁיִּים", "חָפְשִׁי", "חָפְשִׁיִּים", "חָפְשִׁיָּה", "חָפְשִׁיים", "חָפְשִׁים", "חוֹפְשִׁיִּים"]·HI["सवतन्त्र", "सवतन्त्र,", "सवतन्त्र.", "सवतन्त्र;", "स्वतंत्र", "स्वतन्त्र", "स्वतन्त्र,", "स्वतन्त्रों"]·ID["bebas", "bebas?", "merdeka", "merdeka,", "orang-bebas", "orang-merdeka", "orang-merdeka,", "orang-orang-merdeka", "perempuan-merdeka"]·IT["eleutheroi", "libero"]·jav["bebas", "ingkang-mardika", "mardika", "mardika,", "mardika?", "tiyang-mardika", "tiyang-mardika,", "tiyang-mardika.", "tiyang-mardika;"]·KO["자유로d다", "자유로운", "자유로운-자들", "자유로운-자들과", "자유로운-자들이다", "자유롭다", "자유인", "자유인,", "자유인-이", "자유인.", "자유인;", "자유인들", "자유인들의", "자유인들이", "자유인의.", "자유인이"]·PT["livre", "livre?", "livres", "livres,"]·RU["были", "от-", "свободен", "свободен?", "свободна", "свободного", "свободной", "свободны", "свободные,", "свободный", "свободный,", "свободным", "свободными", "свободных", "свободных,"]·ES["libre", "libre?", "libres"]·SW["aliyekuwa-huru", "huru", "huru?", "mtu-huru,", "watu-huru", "yuko-huru"]·TR["mıyım", "ozgur", "özgür", "özgür-", "özgür-kadından", "özgür-kadının", "özgürdür", "özgürler", "özgürleri", "özgürlerin"]·urd["آزاد", "آزاد-سے", "آزاد-کے", "آزاد،", "آزادوں", "آزادوں-کا"]
Matt 17:26, John 8:33, John 8:36, Rom 6:20, Rom 7:3, 1 Cor 7:21, 1 Cor 7:22, 1 Cor 7:39, 1 Cor 9:1, 1 Cor 9:19, 1 Cor 12:13, Gal 3:28 (+11 more)
Related Senses
G2962 1. Lord (divine title) (661×)H0136 1. Lord (divine title) (440×)H0113 1. lord, human superior (249×)G1849 1. authority, power (91×)H6485a 2. Qal: punish, bring judgment (63×)H8198 1. maidservant, female slave (63×)G2962 2. master, lord (human authority) (61×)H0034 1. needy, poor, destitute (61×)H0519 1. female servant, maidservant (56×)H6041 1. poor, needy person (55×)H0113 2. master, owner of servants (49×)H4910 1. Qal: to have dominion, exercise power over (44×)H1800 1. poor, needy (socioeconomic) (38×)H3515 1. heavy, severe, grievous (36×)G4434 1. (34×)G5092 1. honor, esteem, respect (33×)H6485a 4. Qal: visit, attend to, care for (32×)H3513 1. honor / show respect (Piel) (30×)H4910 2. Qal: to rule, govern (administrative authority) (27×)H4513 1. withhold, restrain, hold back (25×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
ἐλεύθερος, α, ον (ος, ον Refs 5th c.BC+: later ἐλαύθερος Refs; Elean ἐλεύθαρος Refs:— free, Refs 8th c.BC+ has the word only in Refs 8th c.BC+ the day of freedom, i.e.freedom, Refs 8th c.BC+; and κρητὴρ ἐλεύθερος the cup drunk to freedom,Refs 4th c.BC+; of persons, Refs 7th c.BC+: comparative, Refs 5th c.BC+: superlative, Refs; τὸ ἐ. freedom, Hdt Refs, etc.; τοὐλεύθερον Refs 5th c.BC+:…