WG: Forgiveness¶
Overview¶
The NT forgiveness concept operates through several Greek words that approach the same reality from different angles: release from debt/bondage (aphesis/aphiēmi), gracious pardon (charizomai), propitiation/mercy (hilaskomai), and redemptive liberation (apolytrōsis). One near-synonym (paresis) marks the distinction between temporary divine forbearance and permanent forgiveness.
Word Group Members¶
| Strong's | Word | Transliteration | POS | Occurrences | Role in Concept | Library Entry |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G859 | ἄφεσις | aphesis | noun | 16 | The result — forgiveness/remission as accomplished state | G859-aphesis.md |
| G863 | ἀφίημι | aphiēmi | verb | 133 | The action — to release, send away, forgive | G863-aphiemi.md |
| G629 | ἀπολύτρωσις | apolytrōsis | noun | 10 | The mechanism — redemption/ransom that produces aphesis | G629-apolytrosis.md |
| G2433 | ἱλάσκομαι | hilaskomai | verb | 2 | The Godward dimension — propitiation/mercy | G2433 |
| G5483 | χαρίζομαι | charizomai | verb | 19 | The grace dimension — to forgive freely as a gift | G5483 |
| G3929 | πάρεσις | paresis | noun | 1 | The contrast — passing over sins (temporary forbearance, not full forgiveness) | G3929-paresis.md |
Relationships¶
Shared Roots¶
- ἄφεσις (G859) and ἀφίημι (G863) — both from ἀπό + ἵημι ("send away from"); noun and verb forms of the same root
Co-occurrence (appear in same verses)¶
| Word A | Word B | Shared Verses | Typical Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| ἄφεσις (G859) | ἀπολύτρωσις (G629) | 2 (Eph 1:7, Col 1:14) | "redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins" — aphesis as appositive explanation of apolytrōsis |
Note: The forgiveness words are largely distributed across different passages and contexts rather than clustering together in single verses. Each word carries its own distinct strand of the forgiveness concept.
Shared Hebrew Source (LXX Bridge)¶
| Hebrew | Transliteration | Strong's | Greek Members Bridged | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| סָלַח (salach) | çâlach | H5545 | G863 (14 co-occ), G2433 (6 co-occ) | "to forgive, pardon" — the primary OT forgiveness verb bridges to both aphiēmi and hilaskomai |
Roles in the Concept¶
- Action: ἀφίημι (G863) — the act of sending away / releasing sins
- Result: ἄφεσις (G859) — the state of being released / forgiven
- Mechanism: ἀπολύτρωσις (G629) — the ransom/redemption that makes forgiveness possible
- Godward basis: ἱλάσκομαι (G2433) — the propitiation that satisfies divine justice
- Grace motive: χαρίζομαι (G5483) — the free generosity behind forgiveness
- Contrast: πάρεσις (G3929) — the passing over of sins (temporary tolerance), distinguished from true aphesis (permanent release)
Key Passages Where Multiple Group Words Appear Together¶
- Eph 1:7 — ἀπολύτρωσις + ἄφεσις: "In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins"
- Col 1:14 — ἀπολύτρωσις + ἄφεσις: "In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins"
- Rom 3:24–25 — Near-context cluster: δικαιόω (v.24) + ἀπολύτρωσις (v.24) + ἱλαστήριον (v.25, cognate of G2433) + πάρεσις (v.25) — the full theological framework in three verses
Generated from: gather_word_group_data.py, gather_word_data.py, louw_nida.db Last updated: 2026-04-26