Brief Overview of ἀποφορτίζομαι (G670: Apofortízomai)

1. Brief Overview:

Transliteration: Apofortízomai

Root Words: The term ἀποφορτίζομαι is derived from the prefix ἀπό (apó), meaning “away from,” and the verb φορτίζω (fortízō), meaning “to load” or “to burden.” Together, they convey the sense of removing or unloading something that was previously burdened or loaded.

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Primary Meanings:

• To unload or remove a burden.
• To relieve someone of a load or responsibility.
• To discharge or get rid of something that has been carried.

2. Detailed Description:

BDAG (Bauer-Danker-Arndt-Gingrich): BDAG defines ἀποφορτίζομαι as “to unload” or “to remove a burden.” It emphasizes the act of relieving or discharging a load, whether physical or metaphorical.

Thayer’s: Thayer’s Greek Lexicon describes ἀποφορτίζομαι as “to unload” or “to take off a burden,” focusing on the idea of removing something that has been carried.

Vines: Vines’ Expository Dictionary highlights that ἀποφορτίζομαι means “to unload” or “to relieve of a burden,” indicating its use in contexts where something is being removed or discharged.

LSJ (Liddell-Scott-Jones): LSJ defines ἀποφορτίζομαι as “to unload” or “to relieve,” reflecting its usage in describing the act of removing a load or responsibility.

Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance: Strong’s describes ἀποφορτίζομαι as “to unload,” emphasizing its role in the act of removing a burden or load.

Bible Verses:

• Hebrews 12:1 (NIV): “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles.” (Here, the concept of unloading or removing burdens is metaphorically applied to sin and hindrances.)

3. Usage in Classic Greek Literature:

Homer (The Iliad, 8th century BCE): Homer uses related terms to describe the act of unloading or removing burdens in epic narratives, particularly in contexts involving the physical removal of loads.

Herodotus (Histories, 5th century BCE): Herodotus employs similar concepts to describe the removal or unloading of burdens in historical accounts, often in military or logistical contexts.

Aristotle (Rhetoric, 4th century BCE): Aristotle uses related terminology in discussions about the removal of physical or metaphorical burdens, focusing on the idea of relieving or unloading.

4. Summary:

ἀποφορτίζομαι (Apofortízomai) primarily means “to unload” or “to relieve of a burden.” It conveys the act of removing a load or responsibility, whether physical or metaphorical. In classical Greek literature and biblical texts, it reflects the process of discharging or getting rid of something that has been carried. The term emphasizes the relief and freedom that comes from unloading or removing burdens.