# G0629 - apolytrosis **Strong's:** [G0629](https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g629/) · BLB lookup **Pronunciation:** ap-ol-oo'-tro-sis **Part of speech:** feminine noun **Root:** *apo-* (from / away from) + *lytrōsis* (a release / ransoming), the related verbal noun from *lytron* (ransom-price). The *apo-* intensifier yields "release-from" / "deliverance-out-of." **NT occurrences:** 10 ([Luke 21:28](/codex/luke-21-28/); [Romans 3:24](/codex/romans-3-24/); 8:23; [1 Corinthians 1:30](/codex/1-corinthians-1-30/); [Ephesians 1:7](/codex/ephesians-1-7/), [14](/codex/ephesians-1-14/); 4:30; [Colossians 1:14](/codex/colossians-1-14/); [Hebrews 9:15](/codex/hebrews-9-15/); 11:35) ## Semantic range (Thayer / BDAG / TDNT) 1. **Release effected by payment of ransom**, the basic etymology 2. **Redemption**, the theological term, release from sin / curse / wrath through Christ's ransom-payment 3. **Deliverance**, broader: liberation from bondage / oppression 4. **Eschatological redemption**, the future bodily-cosmic redemption at Christ's return The KJV: "redemption" (10x), uniformly. ## Theological force, Christ's ransom-deliverance *Apolytrōsis* is one of the **load-bearing Pauline / Hebrews atonement words**. Three theological dimensions: ### 1. Past, accomplished redemption Christ's death is the *ransom-payment* (*lytron*, [Mark 10:45](/codex/mark-10-45/)) that effects *apolytrōsis* (the deliverance / release): - **[Romans 3:24](/codex/romans-3-24/)**, "being justified as a gift by His grace through the *redemption (apolytrōseōs)* which is in Christ Jesus" - **[Ephesians 1:7](/codex/ephesians-1-7/); [Colossians 1:14](/codex/colossians-1-14/)**, "in Him we have *redemption (apolytrōsin)* through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses" - **[Hebrews 9:15](/codex/hebrews-9-15/)**, Christ as mediator of a new covenant, "having taken place for the *redemption (apolytrōsin)* of the transgressions that were committed under the first covenant" - **[1 Corinthians 1:30](/codex/1-corinthians-1-30/)**, Christ "became to us… *redemption (apolytrōsis)*" The redemption is *accomplished*, past-tense, in Christ's death. It is not merely *offered*; it is *achieved*. The Reformed doctrine of *limited atonement* / *definite atonement* / *particular redemption* engages these texts: Christ *actually* secured *apolytrōsis* for His people, not merely made it *possible*. ### 2. Present, applied redemption Believers presently *have* redemption ([Ephesians 1:7](/codex/ephesians-1-7/); [Colossians 1:14](/codex/colossians-1-14/)): - **Forgiveness of sins**, [Ephesians 1:7](/codex/ephesians-1-7/) explicates *apolytrōsis* as "the forgiveness of our trespasses" - **Sealing by the Spirit**, [Ephesians 1:13-14](/codex/ephesians-1-13-14/); the Spirit Himself is the *down-payment / earnest* (*arrabōn*) until *apolytrōseōs tēs peripoiēseōs*, "the redemption of God's possession", a future-realized phrase - **Sanctification**, [1 Corinthians 1:30](/codex/1-corinthians-1-30/); Christ as our *redemption* alongside our wisdom, righteousness, and sanctification ### 3. Future, eschatological redemption A subset of NT *apolytrōsis* uses points forward to bodily / cosmic eschatological deliverance: - **[Luke 21:28](/codex/luke-21-28/)**, "lift up your heads, because your *redemption (apolytrōsis)* is drawing near", at Christ's parousia - **[Romans 8:23](/codex/romans-8-23/)**, "we ourselves… groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the *redemption (apolytrōsin) of our body*" - **[Ephesians 1:14](/codex/ephesians-1-14/)**, the Spirit as down-payment until *apolytrōseōs tēs peripoiēseōs*, the redemption of God's purchased possession - **[Ephesians 4:30](/codex/ephesians-4-30/)**, sealed by the Spirit "for the day of *redemption (apolytrōseōs)*" The eschatological dimension: bodily resurrection, glorification, and the cosmic renewal of all things ([Romans 8:19-22](/codex/romans-8-19-22/)). *Apolytrōsis* is therefore an *already-and-not-yet* category, accomplished in Christ's death, applied in present-believer experience, completed at Christ's return. ## Redemption from what?, the OT-NT trajectory The OT background of *apolytrōsis* is the *padah* / *gaal* tradition: - ***Padah*** (H6299), to ransom / redeem (often by payment); used of Israel's exodus from Egypt ([Deuteronomy 7:8](/codex/deuteronomy-7-8/); 9:26) - ***Gaal*** (H1350), to redeem (often by kinship / kinsman-redeemer); used of property, persons, and Israel ([Leviticus 25:25-49](/codex/leviticus-25-25-49/); [Ruth 4:1-12](/codex/ruth-4-1-12/); [Job 19:25](/codex/job-19-25/); [Isaiah 41:14](/codex/isaiah-41-14/), [43](/codex/isaiah-41-43/):1) The exodus is the great paradigm: God *redeems* Israel out of Egyptian bondage. The *apolytrōsis* is *deliverance from*: - **Sin** ([Romans 3:24](/codex/romans-3-24/); [Ephesians 1:7](/codex/ephesians-1-7/)), the primary NT focus - **The curse of the Law** ([Galatians 3:13](/codex/galatians-3-13/), *exēgorasen*; cognate / parallel concept) - **Death and corruption** ([Romans 8:23](/codex/romans-8-23/); eschatological bodily redemption) - **Satan's kingdom** ([Colossians 1:13-14](/codex/colossians-1-13-14/), "rescued us from the domain of darkness… in whom we have *redemption*") - **The wrath of God** ([1 Thessalonians 1:10](/codex/1-thessalonians-1-10/); through Christ's propitiation, see [G2434 - hilasmos](/codex/g2434-hilasmos/)) ## *Apolytrōsis* and the four atonement-words cluster *Apolytrōsis* is part of the NT atonement-vocabulary cluster (cf. [G3083 - lytron](/codex/g3083-lytron/)): | Word | Sense | Locus | |------|-------|-------| | *lytron* (G3083) | the *ransom-price* paid | Mark 10:45 | | *antilytron* (G487) | the *ransom-substitute* paid in another's place | 1 Timothy 2:6 | | *lytrōsis* (G3085) | the *act of ransoming* | Luke 1:68; 2:38; Hebrews 9:12 | | *apolytrōsis* (G629) | the *deliverance / release* effected by ransom | Romans 3:24; Ephesians 1:7; etc. | | *hilasmos* (G2434) | the *propitiation* | 1 John 2:2; 4:10 | | *hilastērion* (G2435) | the *means / place of propitiation* | Romans 3:25 | The vocabulary cluster forms the systematic NT atonement theology: Christ's *lytron* / *antilytron* (price paid) at the *hilastērion* (mercy-seat) effects *hilasmos* (propitiation) and *apolytrōsis* (redemption). ## Patristic / scholarly note Patristic engagement with *apolytrōsis* primarily through atonement-theology debates. Origen (*Commentary on Matthew*; *Commentary on Romans*) develops the *ransom-to-Satan* atonement model partly from these texts (Christ's blood as ransom paid to the devil for sinners' release). Gregory of Nyssa (*Catechetical Oration* 22-26) extends the ransom-to-Satan reading. Anselm of Canterbury (*Cur Deus Homo*, c. AD 1098) decisively shifts the model to *satisfaction*, Christ's death satisfies divine honor / justice, not Satan. The Reformation: penal substitution (Calvin *Institutes* II.16-17), Christ bears the *penalty* of sin in the sinner's place; *apolytrōsis* is the legal-forensic deliverance from the wage of sin (*death*). Modern conservative: Leon Morris (*The Apostolic Preaching of the Cross*, 1955); D. A. Carson; J. I. Packer; Steve Jeffery, Mike Ovey, Andrew Sach (*Pierced for Our Transgressions*, 2007), all defend penal-substitutionary *apolytrōsis*. ## Notable verses ### Christ as / accomplishing *apolytrōsis* - **[Romans 3:24](/codex/romans-3-24/)**, justified through the *apolytrōsis* in Christ Jesus - **[1 Corinthians 1:30](/codex/1-corinthians-1-30/)**, Christ became to us *apolytrōsis* - **[Ephesians 1:7](/codex/ephesians-1-7/)**, *apolytrōsis* through His blood - **[Colossians 1:14](/codex/colossians-1-14/)**, in whom we have *apolytrōsis*, the forgiveness of sins - **[Hebrews 9:15](/codex/hebrews-9-15/)**, Christ mediator for *apolytrōsis* of OT-covenant transgressions ### Eschatological *apolytrōsis* - **[Luke 21:28](/codex/luke-21-28/)**, *apolytrōsis* draws near at Christ's coming - **[Romans 8:23](/codex/romans-8-23/)**, *apolytrōsis* of the body - **[Ephesians 1:14](/codex/ephesians-1-14/)**, *apolytrōsis* of the purchased possession - **[Ephesians 4:30](/codex/ephesians-4-30/)**, sealed for the day of *apolytrōsis* ### [Hebrews 11:35](/codex/hebrews-11-35/) - **[Hebrews 11:35](/codex/hebrews-11-35/)**, martyrs refusing *apolytrōsin* in this life to gain a "better resurrection", the only NT *negative* use; deliverance refused for the sake of greater eschatological reward ## See also - [G3083 - lytron](/codex/g3083-lytron/), the ransom-price - [G2434 - hilasmos](/codex/g2434-hilasmos/), propitiation - [G2435 - hilasterion](/codex/g2435-hilasterion/), the mercy-seat / place of propitiation - [Romans 5.8](/codex/romans-5-8/), atonement narrative - [Romans 6.23](/codex/romans-6-23/), wages of sin / gift of God ## Notes _Lexical workspace for apolytrōsis._