Brief Overview of ἀποχωρέω (G672: Apochōréō)

1. Brief Overview:

Transliteration: Apochōréō

Root Words: The word ἀποχωρέω is derived from the prefix ἀπό (apó), meaning “away from,” and the verb χωρέω (chōréō), meaning “to go” or “to move.” Together, the term conveys the idea of “moving away” or “withdrawing.”

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Primary Meanings:

• To go away or depart from a place or situation.
• To withdraw or retire, often used in the context of leaving a location or stepping back from a position.
• To give way or allow space for something else.

2. Detailed Description:

BDAG (Bauer-Danker-Arndt-Gingrich): BDAG defines ἀποχωρέω as “to go away” or “to withdraw,” with a focus on leaving a place or moving away from a situation. It may also mean to “retire” or “withdraw” from a particular role or position.

Thayer’s: Thayer’s Greek Lexicon describes ἀποχωρέω as “to go away” or “to withdraw,” indicating a departure from a place or situation, and emphasizes the act of leaving or retreating.

Vines: Vines’ Expository Dictionary notes that ἀποχωρέω means “to withdraw” or “to depart,” with applications ranging from physical departure to figurative withdrawal from roles or responsibilities.

LSJ (Liddell-Scott-Jones): LSJ defines ἀποχωρέω as “to depart” or “to withdraw,” focusing on the movement away from a place or situation, including the formal or figurative context of leaving.

Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance: Strong’s describes ἀποχωρέω as “to withdraw” or “to depart,” highlighting its use in the sense of leaving a location or stepping back from an engagement.

Bible Verses:

• Luke 5:4 (NIV): “When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, ‘Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.’” (In this context, it implies moving away from the shore into deeper water.)

3. Usage in Classic Greek Literature:

Plato (Phaedo, 4th century BCE): Plato uses ἀποχωρέω to describe the philosophical withdrawal or departure from the material world to the realm of ideas.

Aristotle (Nicomachean Ethics, 4th century BCE): Aristotle employs similar concepts to discuss the idea of withdrawing or retreating from certain actions or decisions in ethical contexts.

Demosthenes (Orations, 4th century BCE): Demosthenes uses ἀποχωρέω in political speeches to refer to withdrawing from particular positions or public engagements.

4. Summary:

ἀποχωρέω (Apochōréō) primarily means “to go away” or “to withdraw,” referring to the act of leaving a place or situation. It can also imply stepping back from a role or responsibility. In classical Greek literature, the term reflects both literal and figurative departures, illustrating the concept of retreating from a physical location or figuratively withdrawing from engagements or positions.