ἐλευθερ-όω G1659
To set free, liberate; to release from bondage, sin, or the power of death and the law.
A powerful verb of liberation, meaning to set free from slavery or bondage. In Jesus' teaching, knowing the truth sets people free (John 8:32), and 'if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed' (John 8:36). Paul develops this into a full theology of freedom: believers have been liberated from sin to become servants of righteousness (Rom 6:18, 22), freed from the law of sin and death by the Spirit of life (Rom 8:2), and creation itself groans in hope of being set free from its bondage to decay (Rom 8:21). The multilingual evidence — Spanish 'liberar,' French 'delivrer/liberer,' German 'befreien' — consistently points to deliverance from oppression rather than mere permission.
Senses
1. set free, liberate — To set free or liberate from bondage, slavery, sin, or any form of oppression — used in both literal and deeply theological contexts. Jesus promises that truth liberates (John 8:32) and that the Son's freedom is ultimate and complete (John 8:36). Paul's usage in Romans centers on the transfer from one master to another: freed from sin, enslaved to righteousness (Rom 6:18, 22). Romans 8:2 declares freedom from the law of sin and death through the Spirit, while 8:21 extends the hope of liberation to all creation. The Spanish 'liberar,' French 'delivrer,' and German 'befreien' all emphasize deliverance from real captivity, not mere autonomy. Galatians 5:1 (eleutheroo cognate) confirms the existential weight of this freedom. 7×
AR["حَرَّرَ", "حَرَّرَنا", "سَتُحَرَّرُ", "سَيُحَرِّر", "مُحَرَّرينَ", "يُحَرِّر"]·ben["মুক্ত-করবে", "মুক্ত-করে", "মুক্ত-করেছে", "মুক্ত-হবে", "মুক্ত-হয়ে", "স্বাধীন-করেছেন;"]·DE["befreien"]·EN["freed", "having-been-freed", "sets-free", "will-be-freed", "will-set-free"]·FR["délivrer", "libérer"]·heb["יְשַׁחְרֵר", "מְשֻחְרָרִים", "שִׁחְרְרָה", "שִׁחְרֵר", "תְּשַׁחְרֵר", "תְּשֻׁחְרַר"]·HI["छुड़ाये-जाकर", "मुक्त-की-जाएगी", "सवतन्त्र-किय;", "स्वतन्त्र-करे", "स्वतन्त्र-करेगा", "स्वतन्त्र-किया"]·ID["akan-dibebaskan", "akan-memerdekakan", "membebaskan", "memerdekakan", "setelah-dibebaskan"]·IT["liberare", "ēleutherōsen"]·jav["badhe-kamardikakaken", "badhe-mardikakaken", "dipunbebasaken", "mardikakaken,", "sampun-mardik-aken;", "sampun-mardikakaken"]·KO["자유롭게-하면", "자유롭게-하셨노라;", "자유롭게-할-것이다", "자유케-되리라", "자유케-하였다", "해방된-자들"]·PT["libertar", "libertará", "libertou", "libertou-", "será-libertada", "tendo-sido-libertados"]·RU["-закона", "освободил", "освободит", "освобождённые", "от-"]·ES["habiendo-sido-liberados", "libera", "liberará", "liberó", "será-liberada"]·SW["alitukomboa", "atawaweka-huru", "imekuweka-huru", "mkiwekwa-huru", "utawaweka-huru", "utawekwa-huru"]·TR["özgür-kılacak", "özgür-kılarsa", "özgür-kıldı", "özgür-kılınacak", "özgür-kılınmış-olarak"]·urd["آزاد-کرے", "آزاد-کرے-گی", "آزاد-کیا", "آزاد-ہو-کر", "آزاد-ہو-گی"]
Related Senses
H0935 1. come, arrive (Qal) (2413×)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×)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×)G1831 1. go/come out physically (193×)H5337 1. deliver, rescue, save (Hifil) (188×)H7901 1. lie down, rest, sleep (183×)G1525 1. enter a place physically (179×)H7812 1. prostrate oneself, bow down, worship (173×)H3318 2. Hifil: bring out, lead out, take out (persons) (172×)H7725 2. to bring back, restore (Hifil) (151×)H5674a 2. Qal: cross over (134×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
ἐλευθερ-όω, set free, τὰς Ἀθήνας Refs 5th c.BC+; ἐ. τὸν ἔσπλουν set the entrance free, clear it, Refs; release a debtor, Refs 5th c.BC+; τό γ᾽ εἰς ἑαυτὸν πᾶν ἐλευθεροῖ στόμα he keeps his tongue altogether free, i.e. does not commit himself by speech, Refs 5th c.BC+; free from blame, acquit, τινά Refs 5th c.BC+:—passive, to be set free, Refs 5th c.BC+; indulge in licence, Refs 5th c.BC+ __2…