### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Greek verb ἀποφεύγω (G668) is a compound word formed from the preposition ἀπό (apo, `{{G575}}`), meaning "from" or "away from," and the verb φεύγω (pheugō, `{{G5343}}`), meaning "to flee" or "to escape." The combination signifies a successful act of fleeing *away from* something, resulting in a complete escape or deliverance. While φεύγω can denote literal physical flight, ἀποφεύγω in its New Testament usage is employed figuratively, emphasizing an escape from abstract concepts, conditions, or corrupting influences. Its semantic range thus includes to flee completely, to get away from, to be delivered from, or to escape the pervasive influence or power of something.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The verb ἀποφεύγω (G668) appears exclusively twice in the New Testament, both instances occurring within the Second Epistle of Peter, offering profound insights into the nature of spiritual liberation and vulnerability.
1. **[[2 Peter 1:4]]**: "by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having **escaped** from the corruption that is in the world because of lust."
* Here, the perfect participle ἀποφυγόντες ("having escaped") indicates a completed action with lasting results. Believers have decisively and effectively escaped from the "corruption" (φθορᾶς, `{{G5356}}`) that pervades the world due to sinful lusts. This is not a physical escape but a profound ethical and spiritual deliverance from the defiling and destructive power of worldly desires. The context emphasizes that this escape is divinely enabled, a direct result of God's "precious and very great promises" and the believer's participation in the divine nature. It signifies a radical break from the former way of life.
2. **[[2 Peter 2:18]]**: "For speaking loud boasts of folly, they entice by sensual passions of the flesh those who are barely **escaping** from those who live in error."
* In stark contrast to the completed escape in 2 Peter 1:4, this verse uses the present participle ἀποφεύγοντας ("barely escaping"). It describes those who are in the precarious process of attempting to separate themselves from a life of error (πλάνη, `{{G4106}}`), yet remain vulnerable. False teachers leverage "sensual passions" to draw these individuals back into their former ways. The phrase "barely escaping" suggests an incomplete or unstable detachment, highlighting their susceptibility to deception and the danger of spiritual relapse. This passage serves as a warning against superficial conversion or an insufficient break from the world's influence.
### Related Words & Concepts
Understanding ἀποφεύγω (G668) is enhanced by examining related terms and concepts:
* **φεύγω (pheugō, `{{G5343}}`)**: The foundational verb, meaning "to flee." While it can denote literal flight (e.g., [[Matthew 2:13]]), ἀποφεύγω adds the nuance of successfully getting *away from* something.
* **ἐκφεύγω (ekpheugō, `{{G1628}}`)**: Also meaning "to flee out" or "to escape." Similar in meaning to ἀποφεύγω, but ἐκ (ek, `{{G1537}}`) often emphasizes movement *out from* a specific place or state, whereas ἀπό (apo, `{{G575}}`) emphasizes separation *away from* something.
* **σῴζω (sōzō, `{{G4982}}`)**: "To save," "to deliver," "to preserve." While ἀποφεύγω focuses on the act of escaping, σῴζω emphasizes the broader concept of salvation and being brought to safety.
* **ῥύομαι (rhyomai, `{{G4506}}`)**: "To rescue," "to deliver," "to snatch away from danger." This term highlights divine intervention in deliverance.
* **φθορά (phthora, `{{G5356}}`)**: "Corruption," "decay," "destruction." This is the very state or influence from which believers are said to have escaped in [[2 Peter 1:4]].
* **πλάνη (planē, `{{G4106}}`)**: "Error," "deception," "straying." This is the state from which some are "barely escaping" in [[2 Peter 2:18]], underscoring the spiritual danger of false teaching.
### Theological Significance
The theological significance of ἀποφεύγω (G668) in 2 Peter is profound, illuminating aspects of sanctification, divine power, and spiritual vigilance.
1. **Divine Enablement in Sanctification**: The escape from "the corruption that is in the world because of lust" ([[2 Peter 1:4]]) is not portrayed as a mere act of human will, but as a divinely empowered reality. It is a consequence of God's "precious and very great promises" and the believer's participation in the "divine nature." This highlights that true sanctification involves a supernatural break from the dominion of sin and the world's defilement, a work initiated and sustained by God's grace. It underscores the transformative power of the gospel to effect a genuine separation from the old life.
2. **The Nature of True Conversion**: The perfect tense of ἀποφυγόντες in [[2 Peter 1:4]] signifies a decisive, completed, and lasting break from the world's corruption. This contrasts sharply with the present participle ἀποφεύγοντας in [[2 Peter 2:18]], which describes an ongoing, precarious, and incomplete escape. This distinction implicitly defines the nature of genuine conversion: it is a definitive turning away from sin and error, not a hesitant or partial detachment. Those who have truly "escaped" are firmly rooted in God's promises and partake in His nature, rendering them resilient against the world's allurements.
3. **Spiritual Vigilance and Discernment**: The "barely escaping" ([[2 Peter 2:18]]) serves as a potent warning about the persistent danger of spiritual deception and the need for constant vigilance. It illustrates that a superficial or incomplete break from error leaves one vulnerable to the enticements of false teachers and worldly passions. This emphasizes the critical importance of spiritual discernment, firm grounding in truth, and a complete commitment to Christ to avoid falling back into destructive patterns.
### Summary
The Greek verb ἀποφεύγω (G668) denotes a decisive and complete act of escaping or fleeing *away from* something, primarily in a figurative, spiritual sense within the New Testament. Its two sole occurrences in 2 Peter provide a rich theological contrast. In [[2 Peter 1:4]], it describes the believer's divinely enabled and completed deliverance from the world's pervasive corruption, a foundational aspect of their participation in the divine nature and a testament to the transformative power of God's promises. This signifies a definitive break from the old life. Conversely, [[2 Peter 2:18]] employs the term to characterize those who are only "barely escaping" from error, highlighting their precarious spiritual state and ongoing susceptibility to the enticements of false teaching. Together, these uses underscore the profound spiritual separation true believers experience from worldly defilement, a separation enabled by divine grace, and the ever-present need for vigilance and firm commitment to truth to avoid spiritual compromise. The word thus speaks to both the accomplished work of sanctification in the believer's life and the ongoing dangers faced by those not fully rooted in Christ.
TRV