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ἀπόθεσις

apóthesis

G595 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

The act of laying aside, putting away, or removing something from oneself, either physically (such as removing clothing or objects) or figuratively (such as abandoning attitudes, practices, or moral faults). Most often denotes a purposeful, decisive action of relinquishing or discarding.

Semantic Range

laying aside of clothing or physical objects, removal or putting away of impurity or dirt, abandonment of former habits or character, figurative removal of moral faults or practices

Root / Etymology

From the verb ἀποτίθημι ('to put off, lay aside, set away'), formed with the verbal noun suffix -σις. The root is ἀπο- (away) + τίθημι (to place/set).

Historical & Contextual Notes

ἀπόθεσις is a rare noun in ancient Greek, appearing mainly in Koine and later Greek. In the New Testament, it is found in Ephesians 4:22 and 1 Peter 3:21. In Ephesians, it refers metaphorically to laying aside the 'old self' or former way of life, using imagery of removing a garment. In 1 Peter, it is used of 'removal of dirt from the body' (in baptism), again referencing the act of putting aside or removing. The term's literal sense—to lay aside or remove something—was used in Hellenistic contexts (e.g., medical writers for removing bandages, literary or rhetorical contexts for discarding habits), but is limited in attestation. Unlike the more common word ἄφεσις ('release, forgiveness'), ἀπόθεσις emphasizes separation from or deliberate rejection. English translations as 'putting away' or 'removal' are often accurate, but may not fully capture the strong intentional and transformative nuance inherent to both literal and metaphorical uses.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from ἀποτίθημι; a laying aside (literally or figuratively):--putting away (off).

Root Family

ἀπόθεσις (apothesis) — laying aside, putting away, removal, laying off

Root ἀποθέ- to put aside, to remove, to lay off

Word Forms

1 distinct form

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
G595-01 ἀπόθεσις apothesis N NOM F SG putting-off a laying aside a laying aside 2

Occurrences in Scripture

2 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
G595-01 1 Peter 3:21 ἀπόθεσις apothesis N NOM F SG removal a laying aside a laying aside
G595-01 2 Peter 1:14 ἀπόθεσις apothesis N NOM F SG putting-off a laying aside laying aside
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