Understanding ἄφεσις (aphesis) Strong’s G859: The Divine Release that Brings Freedom, Forgiveness, and Restoration

Pronunciation Guide: ah-FEH-sis (emphasis on second syllable)

Basic Definition

Strong’s G859: ἄφεσις (aphesis) fundamentally means “release” or “letting go,” often translated as “forgiveness” or “remission” in the New Testament. It represents the complete cancellation of debt, obligation, or punishment. This word carries the rich concept of being set free from bondage, whether spiritual, social, or financial, highlighting God’s merciful act of removing the consequences and guilt of sin.

Etymology and Morphology

• Part of Speech: Feminine noun
• Root Word: From ἀφίημι (aphiēmi, G863) meaning “to send away, dismiss, release, forgive”
• Language Origin: Classical Greek
• Primary Usage: Found in narrative sections and theological discourse, especially relating to Jesus’ teaching on forgiveness and the apostolic proclamation of the gospel
• Semantic Domain: Belongs to the domain of interpersonal and religious relationships, specifically addressing the removal of guilt and penalties

ἄφεσις Morphology:

• ἄφεσις (nominative singular) – forgiveness, release, pardon
• ἀφέσεως (genitive singular) – of forgiveness, of release
• ἀφέσει (dative singular) – in/with/by forgiveness, in/with/by release
• ἄφεσιν (accusative singular) – forgiveness, release (as direct object)

Origin & History

The term ἄφεσις has rich secular roots in ancient Greek society. In classical Greek literature, it initially described a literal “sending away” or “release” of objects, water, or people. Aristotle used it in his Physics to describe the release of projectiles, while Plato employed it when discussing the discharge of water in Republic.

Its more significant historical development came with its usage in legal and financial contexts. In the papyri of the Hellenistic period, ἄφεσις was frequently found in documents canceling debts or releasing prisoners. Most notably, in the Septuagint (LXX), the translators chose ἄφεσις to render the Hebrew concept of יוֹבֵל (yovel, Jubilee) in Leviticus 25, where it represented the year of liberation when debts were forgiven, slaves freed, and ancestral lands returned. This connection to Jubilee significantly influenced its theological development in Jewish thought and subsequently in New Testament theology, where early Church Fathers like Origen and Chrysostom extensively explored its connection to divine forgiveness in their homilies and commentaries.

Expanded Definitions & Translation Options

• Release from captivity or imprisonment – The physical liberation of captives or prisoners
• Forgiveness or cancellation of sins – The complete removal of guilt and consequences of wrongdoing
• Remission of debts – The cancellation of financial obligations
• Freedom from obligation – Release from requirements or duties
• The Year of Jubilee – The special period of liberation and restoration in Jewish law

ἄφεσις Translation Options:

• Forgiveness – Most appropriate when the context deals with sin and moral failure, emphasizing the removal of guilt
• Remission – Particularly useful when the notion of completely canceling debt is emphasized, highlighting the total elimination of sin’s consequence
• Release – Best used in contexts discussing freedom from bondage, imprisonment, or obligation, preserving the original imagery of being set free
• Liberty – Effective when the focus is on the resulting freedom rather than the act of forgiving, particularly in Jubilee contexts (Luke 4:18)
• Pardon – Suitable when emphasizing the judicial aspect of forgiveness, where punishment is legally canceled

Biblical Usage

The term ἄφεσις appears 17 times in the New Testament, predominantly in contexts relating to the forgiveness of sins and the proclamation of freedom. Its first appearance comes in a climactic moment of Matthew’s Gospel, where Jesus establishes the new covenant in His blood for the forgiveness of sins (Matthew 26:28). This connection between ἄφεσις and covenant establishes a theological framework that continues throughout the New Testament.

Luke’s writings particularly emphasize this word, using it both in his Gospel and in Acts to highlight the missional imperative of proclaiming ἄφεσις as a core component of the gospel message. Paul, interestingly, never uses the noun ἄφεσις in his letters (preferring related verbal forms), while the author of Hebrews employs it in crucial passages about Christ’s sacrificial work. In the Septuagint, ἄφεσις appears over 50 times, frequently translating Hebrew terms related to the Jubilee year (שְׁמִטָּה, shemittah and דְּרוֹר, deror), establishing important theological connections between Israel’s covenant practices and New Testament forgiveness.

• “For this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for forgiveness [ἄφεσιν] of sins.” Matthew 26:28
• “To open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the dominion of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness [ἄφεσιν] of sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified by faith in Me.” Acts 26:18
• “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness [ἄφεσιν] of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace.” Ephesians 1:7
• “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim release [ἄφεσιν] to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free those who are oppressed.” Luke 4:18
• “And that repentance for forgiveness [ἄφεσιν] of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem.” Luke 24:47
• “Peter said to them, ‘Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus the Messiah for the forgiveness [ἄφεσιν] of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.'” Acts 2:38
• “Now where there is forgiveness [ἄφεσις] of these things, there is no longer any offering for sin.” Hebrews 10:18

Cultural Insights

The concept of ἄφεσις in first-century Jewish culture was deeply connected to the Year of Jubilee, a revolutionary socio-economic institution established in the Torah. Every fiftieth year, according to Leviticus 25, all debts were to be canceled, slaves freed, and ancestral lands returned to their original families. Trumpet blasts (the shofar) would herald this dramatic “reset” of society, ensuring no permanent underclass could develop in Israel. The Jubilee wasn’t merely economic but represented the restoration of God’s intended social order.

When Jesus stood in the Nazareth synagogue and read from Isaiah, proclaiming “to announce ἄφεσιν (release) to the captives” (Luke 4:18), His Jewish audience would have immediately recognized the Jubilee imagery. By declaring “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing,” Jesus was making the remarkable claim that He Himself was inaugurating the ultimate Jubilee—not just a temporary economic reprieve that happened every 50 years, but an eternal spiritual liberation. This connection between personal forgiveness and social justice inherent in ἄφεσις would have been revolutionary, suggesting that the Messiah’s work addresses both individual sin and systemic injustice, a concept that would have deeply challenged both Roman imperial power and religious hierarchies of the day.

Theological Significance

The concept of ἄφεσις stands at the heart of the gospel message, revealing profound aspects of God’s character and redemptive plan. It demonstrates יהוה’s perfect harmony of justice and mercy—sin’s consequences are not simply ignored (which would violate justice), but rather transferred to the Messiah who bears them on our behalf. This divine exchange showcases God’s unfathomable love, where He Himself provides what we cannot—complete liberation from sin’s penalty and power.

Theologically, ἄφεσις challenges our tendency toward self-salvation, revealing that true forgiveness cannot be earned or achieved through human effort. The completeness of the release described by ἄφεσις—a total cancellation rather than a mere reduction of debt—illuminates the thoroughness of God’s work in removing sin “as far as the east is from the west” (Psalm 103:12). This comprehensive nature of divine forgiveness stands in stark contrast to human forgiveness, which often remains partial or conditional.

Furthermore, ἄφεσις connects personal salvation to the broader kingdom vision of restoration and liberation. By linking New Testament forgiveness with Jubilee imagery, Scripture suggests that God’s redemptive work doesn’t merely save individual souls but ultimately aims to restore all creation to its intended wholeness, addressing both personal sin and systemic evil. In this way, ἄφεσις reveals God as both intimate Redeemer of individual hearts and cosmic Liberator setting all creation free from bondage to decay.

Personal Application

Understanding ἄφεσις invites us into a life-transforming encounter with divine forgiveness that goes far beyond a mere intellectual grasp of being “let off the hook.” The radical release this word describes calls us to experience freedom at the deepest level—not just from sin’s penalty, but from its power to define and control us. When we truly grasp that we have received ἄφεσις, we no longer need to live bound by shame, guilt, or the desperate need to prove ourselves worthy.

This understanding should fundamentally change how we extend forgiveness to others. If God’s forgiveness is complete and unconditional through the Messiah, how can we withhold the same from those who wrong us? The parable of the unforgiving servant (Matthew 18:21-35) takes on new meaning when we recognize the magnitude of the ἄφεσις we’ve received. Our forgiveness of others becomes not a burden but a natural overflow of having experienced such divine liberation ourselves. Today, ask yourself: Are there areas where you’re still living as though your sins haven’t been completely forgiven? And are there people to whom you need to extend the same complete ἄφεσις that you’ve received from God?

Related Words

• χάρις (charis, “grace”) [KHAH-ris] – While ἄφεσις focuses on the release from sin’s penalty, χάρις emphasizes the divine favor and kindness motivating forgiveness. Grace is the source from which forgiveness flows. See G5485
• ἀφίημι (aphiēmi, “to forgive, release”) [ah-FEE-ay-mee] – The verb form from which ἄφεσις derives, emphasizing the active process of releasing someone from obligation or guilt, often used when Jesus directly forgives individuals. See G863
• καταλλαγή (katallagē, “reconciliation”) [kah-tah-lah-GAY] – While ἄφεσις focuses on the removal of sin, καταλλαγή emphasizes the restoration of relationship that follows forgiveness, highlighting the relational outcome of being forgiven. See G2643
• λύτρωσις (lytrōsis, “redemption”) [loo-TRO-sis] – Whereas ἄφεσις emphasizes release through cancellation, λύτρωσις emphasizes release through payment of a price, highlighting the cost involved in securing our forgiveness. See G3085
• ἱλασμός (hilasmos, “propitiation”) [hil-as-MOS] – While ἄφεσις focuses on the result of forgiveness, ἱλασμός addresses how forgiveness becomes possible through the satisfaction of divine justice, explaining the mechanism that allows for release from sin. See G2434

Did you Know?

• In ancient papyri records from Egypt during the Ptolemaic period (332-30 BCE), ἄφεσις frequently appears in tax amnesty declarations from the government. These documents would announce a special release (ἄφεσις) from taxation in celebration of a royal birth or military victory. This background illuminates why early Christians would have understood ἄφεσις as not just emotional forgiveness but as an official, authoritative declaration canceling real debts—making the gospel proclamation all the more powerful as a royal decree from the divine King canceling the spiritual debt of humanity.
• The earliest baptismal creeds of the Church specifically included the phrase “εἰς ἄφεσιν ἁμαρτιῶν” (“for the forgiveness of sins”), directly connecting this word to Christian initiation. The Apostles’ Creed and Nicene Creed both preserve this language, demonstrating how central the concept of ἄφεσις was to early Christian identity and practice. This connection between baptism and ἄφεσις echoes Peter’s Pentecost sermon where he explicitly links the two (Acts 2:38).
• In modern Greek, the word ἄφεσις (now pronounced ÁF-e-sis) has evolved to refer to the starting line in a race or athletic competition. This contemporary usage preserves the original sense of “release” or “letting go,” as runners are released from their starting positions at the beginning of a race. This provides a beautiful metaphor for understanding biblical forgiveness not merely as the cancellation of past debt but as the starting point for a new race—the beginning of a transformed life freed from previous constraints and enabled to run toward new purposes.

Remember This

ἄφεσις is not merely the erasure of a debt but the divine proclamation of Jubilee for your soul—complete liberation from all that binds you, freeing you to live in the fullness of relationship with God and participate in His ongoing work of releasing others.