English · KJV
G617

ἀποκυλίω

apokylíō /ap-ok-oo-lee'-o/ Ask about this word
Rootfrom ἀπό and κυλιόω
Meaningto roll away
KJV usageroll away (back).

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of apokylíō — 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 apokylíō, represented by G617, is a specific term meaning to roll away or roll back. It appears 5 times across 4 unique verses in the Bible, signifying its concentrated use in a single, pivotal narrative.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In the biblical narrative, G617 is used exclusively to describe the moving of the stone from the door of the sepulchre. The women approaching the tomb wonder, "Who shall roll us away the stone?" Mark 16:3. The gospels then reveal the answer: an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and rolled back the stone Matthew 28:2. This action is confirmed when the women arrive and find the stone already rolled away Luke 24:2, a stone described as "very great" Mark 16:4.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words provide context for the action of G617:

  • G3037 líthos (a stone): This is the object that is rolled away in every occurrence of G617. The stone itself is a central element, described as "very great" Mark 16:4.
  • G32 ángelos (a messenger; especially an "angel"): This term identifies the agent of the action. An angel of the Lord is the one who performs the act of rolling back the stone Matthew 28:2.
  • G2597 katabaínō (to descend): This verb describes the angel's origin, emphasizing the heavenly nature of the intervention. The angel descended from heaven before he came and rolled back the stone Matthew 28:2.
  • G4334 prosérchomai (to approach): This word describes the angel's purposeful movement towards the tomb, as he "came and rolled back the stone" Matthew 28:2, indicating a deliberate divine act.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of G617 is tied directly to its context in the resurrection narrative.

  • Divine Intervention: The act of rolling away the stone is not a human feat. It is accomplished by an angel G32 of the Lord G2962 who descended G2597 from heaven, demonstrating that the power at work is divine Matthew 28:2.
  • Removal of Obstacles: The stone G3037 represents a final, physical barrier. By being rolled away, it symbolizes the removal of the obstacle that separates humanity from the truth of the resurrection.
  • Manifestation of Authority: The act is a display of heaven's authority. The angel not only rolled back the stone but also "sat upon it" Matthew 28:2, signifying complete control and victory over the seal of the tomb.

Summary

In summary, G617 is a precise action verb whose significance is inseparable from its singular context. It is used only to describe the rolling away of the tomb's stone, an event central to the resurrection accounts. This act, performed by an angelic being, serves as the physical prelude to the greatest revelation, illustrating how a divine action can remove a seemingly insurmountable barrier to reveal a foundational truth of scripture.

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 4 occurrences, inflected in 4 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form.

  • Aorist Active Indicative 3rd Singular 1×
  • Future Active Indicative 3rd Singular 1×
  • Perfect Passive Indicative 3rd Singular 1×
  • Perfect Passive Participle Accusative Singular Masculine 1×
Accusative
The direct object of the verb.
Singular
One.
Masculine
Masculine grammatical gender.
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.
Perfect
A completed act whose results continue.
Active
The subject performs the action.
Passive
The subject is acted upon.
Indicative
A plain statement of fact.
Participle
A verbal adjective — describes while carrying the verb's action.

Related Words

Related

Other entries the study above points to — each one is drawn from a reference it makes. Follow the trail to see how the words connect.

G3037 λίθος apparently a primary word; a stone (literally or figuratively):--(mill-, stumbling-)stone. G32 ἄγγελος from (probably derived from ἄγω; compare ἀγέλη) (to bring tidings); a messenger; especially an "angel"; by implication, G2597 καταβαίνω from κατά and the base of βάσις; to descend (literally or figuratively):--come (get, go, step) down, fall (down). G4334 προσέρχομαι from πρός and ἔρχομαι (including its alternate); to approach, i.e. (literally) come near, visit, or (figuratively) worsh G2962 κύριος from (supremacy); supreme in authority, i.e. (as noun) controller; by implication, Master (as a respectful title):-- Go

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 4 verses across 3 of the 27 books. Most frequent in Mark (2 verses); never once in the other 24.

1
Matthew
2
Mark
1
Luke

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.