Word Study for G533 (ἀπαρνέομαι)

aparnéomai /ap-ar-neh'-om-ahee/ Ask about this word

Rootfrom ἀπό and ἀρνέομαι

Meaningto deny utterly, i.e. disown, abstain

KJV usagedeny.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of aparnéomai — the range of meaning it carries, how Scripture actually uses it, and where it points. Written for readers who don’t know the original language.

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Greek word aparnéomai, represented by G533, is defined as to deny utterly, disown, or abstain. Derived from ἀπό and ἀρνέομαι, it carries a sense of complete refusal or rejection. It appears 14 times across 13 unique verses in the Bible, primarily in contexts of discipleship and personal testimony.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In scripture, G533 is used in two significant contexts. First, it outlines a core requirement of discipleship. Jesus commands those who wish to follow him to deny himself, take up his cross, and follow (Luke 9:23, Matthew 16:24, Mark 8:34). Second, it features prominently in the narrative of Peter's denial of Christ. Despite promising not to deny Jesus even if it meant death Mark 14:31, Peter is told he will deny Jesus three times before the cock crows Matthew 26:34, a prophecy that is fulfilled, causing Peter to weep bitterly Matthew 26:75.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help clarify the meaning of G533:

G720 arnéomai (to contradict, i.e. disavow, reject, abnegate): As the root of aparnéomai, this word signifies denial. In Luke's Gospel, it is used in parallel, stating that he who "denieth G720 me before men shall be denied G533 before the angels of God" Luke 12:9.
G1438 heautoû (him-...self): This reflexive pronoun is crucial to the call to discipleship, where the object of the denial is one's own self. The command is explicitly to "deny himself" Luke 9:23.
G190 akolouthéō (to be in the same way with, i.e. to accompany): This word for "follow" is presented as the direct consequence and purpose of self-denial. A person must first deny himself in order to then follow Christ Mark 8:34.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of G533 is profound, touching on core aspects of faith and salvation.

The Cost of Discipleship: The call to deny oneself establishes that following Christ is an act of total surrender. It involves disowning personal ambition and will in favor of taking up one's cross daily Luke 9:23.
Human Weakness and Loyalty: The story of Peter illustrates the struggle between human intention and action. His firm declaration that he would not deny Jesus Matthew 26:35 is directly contrasted with his subsequent actions, highlighting the frailty of even a devoted disciple.
Confession and Consequence: The use of the word carries eternal significance. Denying Christ before men is linked to being denied before the angels of God, making the act of confession or denial a matter of ultimate importance Luke 12:9.

Summary

In summary, G533 is not merely about refusal but about a complete and utter disownment. It defines a central dynamic of the Christian life through its use in the call to discipleship and the poignant narrative of Peter. The word encapsulates the profound challenge issued to followers of Christ: to deny themselves and, unlike Peter in his moment of weakness, to faithfully acknowledge Jesus.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists the renderings but not their weight. These are counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the bar under each is how often the translators actually reached for it. Select one to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Greek New Testament, this word appears as a verb across 13 occurrences, inflected in 5 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form.

Future Middle Deponent Indicative 2nd Singular 6×
Aorist Middle Deponent Imperative 3rd Singular 3×
Future Middle Deponent Indicative 1st Singular 2×
Aorist Middle Subjunctive 2nd Singular 1×
Future Passive Indicative 3rd Singular 1×

Singular: One.
1st: First person — the speaker ("I"/"we").
2nd: Second person — the one addressed ("you").
3rd: Third person — the one spoken about ("he"/"they").
Future: Action yet to take place.
Aorist: Action viewed as a single whole — usually a simple past event.
Middle: The subject acts on or for itself.
Passive: The subject is acted upon.
Middle Deponent: Middle in form but active in meaning.
Indicative: A plain statement of fact.
Imperative: A command or entreaty.
Subjunctive: Possibility or purpose — "might", "should".

Theographic Context

Context

The people, places, and span of history the verses containing this word touch on — drawn from the theographic tagging of Scripture. Select any name to isolate its verses in the occurrence list.

Biblical Distribution

Distribution

Appears in 13 verses across 4 of the 27 books. Most frequent in Matthew, Mark, and Luke (4 verses each); never once in the other 23.

Matthew

Mark

Luke

John

Every Occurrence

Concordance

Every verse where the word is tagged in the King James text. Filter by book, by the English word the translators chose, or search within the verses.

Sources. Definition and numbering: James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890). Morphology: STEPBible / Tyndale House (CC BY). Verse tagging: the King James text keyed to Strong’s numbers. Every count on this page is computed from the tagged corpus, not estimated.