Word Study for G667 (ἀποφέρω)

apophérō /ap-of-er'-o/ Ask about this word

Rootfrom ἀπό and φέρω

Meaningto bear off (literally or relatively)

KJV usagebring, carry (away).

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of apophérō — 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 apophérō, represented by G667, means to bear off. Derived from ἀπό and φέρω, its base definition is to carry away, either literally or relatively. It appears 7 times in 5 unique verses, often describing a purposeful transport from one place or state to another.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In its scriptural usage, G667 signifies several kinds of transport. It is used to describe the transfer of a person into custody, as when the chief priests bound Jesus and carried him away to be delivered to Pilate Mark 15:1. The word also depicts supernatural movement, such as when the beggar was carried by angels into Abraham's bosom after his death Luke 16:22. In the book of Revelation, John is twice carried away in the spirit to receive divine visions, first into the wilderness Revelation 17:3 and then to a great and high mountain Revelation 21:10. Finally, it can describe a more conventional act of transport, such as the plan to bring the church's liberality to Jerusalem 1 Corinthians 16:3.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help clarify the context in which G667 is used:

G32 ángelos (a messenger; especially an "angel"): This word identifies the agents who carry the beggar's soul, highlighting the supernatural nature of the transport Luke 16:22.
G3860 paradídōmi (to surrender, i.e yield up, intrust, transmit): This term is used immediately after G667 in the account of Jesus' arrest, where he is carried him away and then delivered to Pilate, showing a sequence of transport and surrender Mark 15:1.
G599 apothnḗskō (to die off): This word for dying sets the stage for the use of G667. In the parable of the rich man and Lazarus, both men died, but only the beggar is described as being carried away to a place of comfort Luke 16:22.

Theological Significance

The conceptual significance of G667 is tied to the theme of transition and external agency.

Supernatural Transport: The word is frequently associated with movement that is not of human origin. An individual can be carried away by angels Luke 16:22 or "in the spirit" Revelation 17:3, indicating that a divine or spiritual power is initiating the action.
Transition of State: Using G667 often marks a critical shift. For the beggar, it is the transition from a life of suffering to the afterlife Luke 16:22. For Jesus, it is the move from the Jewish authorities to the Roman governor, a pivotal moment in his passion Mark 15:1.
Purposeful Delivery: The action is not aimless. Whether it is bringing a gift to Jerusalem 1 Corinthians 16:3 or moving a soul to its destination, the "carrying away" is directed and has a clear objective.

Summary

In summary, G667 does more than simply denote movement. It describes a purposeful act of "bearing off," often initiated by an external force to bring someone or something to a new location, state, or authority. From the physical delivery of a person to a legal authority to the spiritual transport of a soul, the word captures a definitive and significant transition.

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 6 occurrences, inflected in 5 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form.

Aorist Active Indicative 3rd Singular 2×
2nd Aorist Active Infinitive 1×
2nd Aorist Passive Infinitive 1×
Aorist Active Indicative 3rd Plural 1×
Present Passive Infinitive 1×

Singular: One.
Plural: More than one.
2nd: Second person — the one addressed ("you").
3rd: Third person — the one spoken about ("he"/"they").
Present: Action in progress or repeated — happening now or continually.
Aorist: Action viewed as a single whole — usually a simple past event.
Active: The subject performs the action.
Passive: The subject is acted upon.
Indicative: A plain statement of fact.
Infinitive: The verb as a noun — "to do".

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 5 verses across 4 of the 27 books. Most frequent in Revelation (2 verses); never once in the other 23.

Mark

Luke

1 Corinthians

Revelation

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.