G1955 — ἐπίλυσις (epilysis)¶

Core Data¶

Strong's: G1955
Original: ἐπίλυσις
Transliteration: epílysis
Pronunciation: ep-il'-oo-sis
Part of Speech: Feminine noun
Root: ἐπιλύω (epilyo) G1956 — compound of ἐπί (epi) G1909 "upon" + λύω (lyo) G3089 "to loose"; literally "to loose upon," i.e., to unravel or solve
Occurrences: 1 in NT (1 unique verse, 1 token, 1 book)
First Occurrence: 2 Pet 1:20 — "Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation."
Hapax Legomenon: YES — this word appears only once in the entire NT (and the entire Bible in its Greek form)

Lexicon Definition¶

Explanation, i.e. application: — interpretation. From G1956 ἐπιλύω (epilyo).

Louw-Nida Semantic Domain¶

Domain: 33.010 — Interpret, Mean, Explain
Parent Domain: 33 — Communication
Other words in subdomain: ἀνατίθημι (G394), ἀφίημι (G863), δηλόω (G1213), διανοίγω (G1272), διασαφέω (G1285), διερμηνευτής (G1328), διερμηνεύω (G1329), δυσερμήνευτος (G1421)

Translation Distribution (KJV)¶

Translation	Count	%
interpretation	1	100%

Distribution by Book¶

Book	Count	Per 100 Verses
2 Peter	1	1.6

Single-book, single-verse word. Appears only in the Petrine epistles.

Semantic Categories¶

As a hapax legomenon, epilysis has only one attested NT usage, though its semantic range can be understood through its root verb G1956 and its LXX background.

1. Explanation / Interpretation of Scripture¶

2 Pet 1:20 — "Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation (epilyseos)."

The genitive form ἐπιλύσεως (epilyseos) here is paired with ἰδίας (idias, "one's own / private" — G2398), forming the phrase "private interpretation." The context (v. 21) clarifies the contrast: prophecy did not originate from human will but from the Holy Spirit, and therefore its "unloosing" (interpretation) cannot be privately self-generated.

Root Verb: G1956 ἐπιλύω (epilyo)¶

Since epilysis is a hapax, the root verb epilyo provides essential semantic context. It appears twice in the NT:

Reference	Form	Parsing	Translation	Context
Mark 4:34	ἐπέλυεν	Imperfect Active Indicative 3S	"he expounded"	Jesus privately explaining parables to disciples
Acts 19:39	ἐπιλυθήσεται	Future Passive Indicative 3S	"it shall be determined"	Town clerk referring matters to a lawful assembly

These two NT uses show both senses of the word: (a) explaining/interpreting meaning (Mark), and (b) resolving/deciding a matter (Acts). The Mark 4:34 usage is closest to the noun in 2 Pet 1:20 — Jesus "unloosing" the parables for his disciples is the same kind of activity Peter says no one should attempt privately with Scripture.

LXX Background: The epilyo Word Group in Genesis¶

The lexicon entry for G1956 lists Gen 41:12 among its biblical usage references, and the G1955 entry lists Gen 40:8. Though the Hebrew-to-Greek mapping database does not register a formal LXX alignment (the LXX translators used different vocabulary), the connection is well-attested in the lexicographic tradition:

Genesis 40:8 (LXX context) — Joseph says to Pharaoh's butler and baker: "Do not interpretations belong to God? Tell me them, I pray you." The Hebrew word here is H6623 פִּתְרוֹן (pithrown, "interpretation of a dream"). The LXX renders the verb form in Gen 40:8 with διασαφέω (G1285), while epilyo appears in the LXX tradition for the broader Joseph interpretation narrative.
Genesis 41:12 — "And there was there with us a young man, an Hebrew... and he interpreted to us our dreams; to each man according to his dream he did interpret." The lexicon specifically cites this verse for epilyo.

The theological link is significant: Joseph insists that dream-interpretation belongs to God, not to human initiative — the same principle Peter applies to Scripture prophecy in 2 Pet 1:20.

Common Collocations¶

As a hapax, epilysis has no statistically meaningful collocations. However, within its single verse (2 Pet 1:20), the key co-occurring terms are:

Word	Strong's	Relationship
ἰδίας (idias)	G2398	Modifier — "private/one's own" interpretation
προφητεία (propheteia)	G4394	Subject being interpreted — "prophecy"
γραφή (graphe)	G1124	Source domain — "scripture"

Word Family / Cognates¶

G1956 ἐπιλύω (epilyo) — root verb: to explain, expound, resolve (2 NT occurrences)
G3089 λύω (lyo) — base root: to loose, release, destroy (43 occurrences)
G1909 ἐπί (epi) — prefix preposition: upon, over (896 occurrences)

Easily Confused Words¶

Word	Strong's	Shared Translation	Key Difference
ἑρμηνεία (hermeneia)	G2058	"interpretation" (1 Cor 12:10, 14:26)	hermeneia = translation/rendering of languages (tongues); epilysis = explanation/unloosing of meaning
διερμηνεύω (diermeneuo)	G1329	"interpret, by interpretation" (Lk 24:27, 1 Cor 12:30, 14:5, 14:13, 14:27)	diermeneuo = translate between languages or explain systematically; epilysis = solve/unravel a specific problem
διερμηνευτής (diermeneutes)	G1328	"interpreter" (1 Cor 14:28)	diermeneutes = a translator of tongues in worship; epilysis concerns prophetic/scriptural meaning

The hermeneia/diermeneuo word group relates to translation and linguistic rendering (especially of tongues in 1 Corinthians). Epilysis, by contrast, connotes solving or unraveling — closer to decoding a riddle or explaining a parable than rendering one language into another.

Domain Neighbors (Louw-Nida 33.010)¶

Strong's	Word	Total Verses	Primary Translation
G1329	διερμηνεύω	4	interpret, by interpretation
G1328	διερμηνευτής	1	interpreter
G1285	διασαφέω	1	and told
G1213	δηλόω	3	declared, did signify
G1272	διανοίγω	4	were opened, Be opened
G1421	δυσερμήνευτος	1	hard (to be uttered)