The Greek word apallássō, represented by G525, signifies a release or removal. It appears 3 times in 3 unique verses in the Bible. Its base definition is "to change away, i.e. release, (reflexively) remove," and it is used in scripture to mean deliver or depart.
In its biblical usage, G525 applies to different kinds of liberation. In a judicial context, it is used to advise being delivered from a legal adversary to avoid being brought before a judge Luke 12:58. It is also used to describe physical healing, where diseases departed from the sick and evil spirits went out of them Acts 19:12. Theologically, it describes the act to deliver those who, through fear of death, were all their lifetime subject to bondage Hebrews 2:15.
Several related words help clarify the contexts in which G525 is used:
- G1777 énochos (liable to): This term, meaning subject to, is used in Hebrews 2:15 to define the state of vulnerability from which one is delivered.
- G1397 douleía (slavery): This word for bondage describes the condition caused by the fear of death in Hebrews 2:15.
- G2694 katasýrō (to drag down): In Luke 12:58, this word for hale describes the action one avoids by being delivered G525 from an adversary.
- G3860 paradídōmi (to surrender): This term for deliver up is used in contrast within the same verse, where the judge might deliver a person to an officer Luke 12:58.
The significance of G525 is seen in the distinct types of freedom it represents.
- Judicial Release: The word is used in a civil sense to describe being freed from a legal entanglement before it results in a formal, negative judgment Luke 12:58.
- Physical Restoration: Its use in Acts 19:12 demonstrates a release from physical affliction, as diseases and evil spirits are made to depart from people.
- Spiritual Deliverance: The term's most profound application is in Hebrews 2:15, where it points to a spiritual liberation from the lifelong bondage G1397 that comes from the fear of death.
In summary, G525 is a dynamic word for release that operates on multiple levels. It is more than a simple departure; it conveys a definitive removal from a negative condition. Whether from a legal opponent, a physical illness, or spiritual bondage, apallássō illustrates the concept of being set free from that which constrains or afflicts.
TRV