1657. eleutheria

Lexical Summary

eleutheria: Freedom, Liberty

Original Word: ἐλευθερία
Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine
Transliteration: eleutheria
Pronunciation: eh-loo-ther-EE-ah
Phonetic Spelling: (el-yoo-ther-ee'-ah)
KJV: liberty
NASB: freedom, liberty
Word Origin: [from G1658 (ἐλεύθερος - free)]

1. freedom (legitimate or licentious, chiefly moral or ceremonial)

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

liberty.

From eleutheros; freedom (legitimate or licentious, chiefly moral or ceremonial) -- liberty.

see GREEK eleutheros

HELPS Word-studies

Cognate: 1657 eleuthería – freedom, liberty. See 1658 (eleutheros).

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
from eleutheros
Definition
liberty, freedom
NASB Translation
freedom (7), liberty (4).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon

STRONGS NT 1657: ἐλευθερία

ἐλευθερία, ἐλευθέρας, ἡ (ἐλεύθερος), liberty, (from Pindar, Herodotus down); in the N. T.

a. liberty to do or to omit things having no relation to salvation, 1 Corinthians 10:29; from the yoke of the Mosaic law, Galatians 2:4; Galatians 5:1, 13; 1 Peter 2:16; from Jewish errors so blinding the mental vision that it does not discern the majesty of Christ, 2 Corinthians 3:17; freedom from the dominion of corrupt desires, so that we do by the free impulse of the soul what the will of God requires: ὁ νόμος τῆς ἐλευθερίας, i. e. the Christian religion, which furnishes that rule of right living by which the liberty just mentioned is attained, James 1:25; James 2:12; freedom from the restraints and miseries of earthly frailty: so in the expression ἡ ἐλευθερία τῆς δόξης (epexegetical genitive (Winer's Grammar, 531 (494))), manifested in the glorious condition of the future life, Romans 8:21.

b. fancied liberty, i. e. license, the liberty to do as one pleases, 2 Peter 2:19. J. C. Erler, Commentatio exeg. de libertatis christianae notione in N. T. libris obvia, 1830 (an essay I have never had the good fortune to see).

Topical Lexicon

Eleutheria – Freedom or Liberty

Summary of Concept

Eleutheria signifies the liberating reality that believers possess in Christ. More than political emancipation or philosophical autonomy, it is the God-given release from every form of spiritual bondage so that the redeemed may serve the Lord willingly, joyfully, and fruitfully.

Old Testament Background

Although the term is Greek, its roots reach back to decisive Old Testament moments: the Exodus, the Year of Jubilee, the prophetic calls to “proclaim liberty to the captives,” and the promise of a new covenant written on the heart. These themes prepare the way for the fuller revelation of freedom in the New Covenant.

New Testament Usage

1. Freedom from Law-based Bondage
• Galatians 5:1; Galatians 5:13 – Paul insists that believers are no longer under the condemning power of the Mosaic code.
• Galatians 2:4 – Liberty must be guarded against legalistic intrusion.

2. Freedom in the Spirit
• 2 Corinthians 3:17 – “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” The indwelling Spirit writes God’s law on the heart, producing willing obedience.

3. Freedom of Conscience
• 1 Corinthians 10:29 – Exercising liberty with regard to disputed matters must be tempered by love for another’s conscience.

4. Freedom from Sin and Decay
• Romans 8:21 – Creation itself will share “the glorious freedom of the children of God,” when the curse is lifted.

5. Freedom Misused or Counterfeited
• 2 Peter 2:19 – False teachers “promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves to corruption.”
• 1 Peter 2:16 – “Live in freedom, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God.”

6. Freedom as the Law of Liberty
• James 1:25; James 2:12 – The Word is called “the perfect law of freedom,” setting believers free to obey in earnest rather than under compulsion.

Theological Significance

• Justification: Liberty flows from a once-for-all acquittal in Christ; the penalty of the law no longer hangs over the believer.
• Sanctification: Freedom is not moral indifference but empowerment by the Holy Spirit to pursue holiness.
• Eschatology: Full liberty awaits creation’s renewal, guaranteeing believers that present sufferings are temporary.
• Ecclesiology: Christian communities are to safeguard liberty by resisting both legalism and licentiousness, nurturing informed consciences.

Pastoral and Ministry Applications

• Teaching: Stress both the gift and the responsibility of liberty—freedom to obey, not freedom from obedience.
• Counseling: Address scruples and gray areas by applying the law of love; liberty must edify others.
• Evangelism: Present the gospel as true liberation from guilt, fear, and futility.
• Worship: Genuine freedom expresses itself in Spirit-directed worship that remains anchored to Scriptural order.

Historical Reception

• Early Church: Apologists contrasted the liberating power of Christ with the bondage of paganism.
• Reformation: “Christian liberty” became a rallying cry against meritorious works and hierarchical control.
• Modern Missions: Emphasis on Scripture’s liberating message has fueled efforts to abolish slavery, combat addiction, and promote human dignity.

Related Terms and Concepts

• Eleutheros – a free person, especially in contrast with doulos, “slave.”
• Doulos – bond-servant; true liberty leads to voluntary service to God.
• Redemption, Jubilee, New Covenant, Spirit-indwelling.

Key Verses

2 Corinthians 3:17; Galatians 5:1; Galatians 5:13; 1 Peter 2:16; James 1:25

See Also

Freedom in Christ; Law and Gospel; Conscience; Spirit-led Living

Forms and Transliterations

ελευθερια ελευθερία ἐλευθερία ἐλευθερίᾳ ελευθεριαν ελευθερίαν ἐλευθερίαν ελευθεριας ελευθερίας ἐλευθερίας eleutheria eleuthería eleutheríāi eleutherian eleutherían eleutherias eleutherías

Englishman's Concordance

Romans 8:21 N-AFS
GRK: εἰς τὴν ἐλευθερίαν τῆς δόξης
NAS: to corruption into the freedom of the glory
KJV: the glorious liberty of the children
INT: into the freedom of the glory

1 Corinthians 10:29 N-NFS
GRK: γὰρ ἡ ἐλευθερία μου κρίνεται
NAS: [man's]; for why is my freedom judged
KJV: is my liberty judged of
INT: indeed the freedom of me is judged

2 Corinthians 3:17 N-NFS
GRK: πνεῦμα Κυρίου ἐλευθερία
NAS: of the Lord is, [there] is liberty.
KJV: of the Lord [is], there [is] liberty.
INT: Spirit of [the] Lord [is] [there is] freedom

Galatians 2:4 N-AFS
GRK: κατασκοπῆσαι τὴν ἐλευθερίαν ἡμῶν ἣν
NAS: in to spy out our liberty which
KJV: to spy out our liberty which we have
INT: to spy out the freedom of us which

Galatians 5:1 N-DFS
GRK: Τῇ ἐλευθερίᾳ ἡμᾶς Χριστὸς
NAS: It was for freedom that Christ
KJV: therefore in the liberty wherewith
INT: In the freedom us Christ

Galatians 5:13 N-DFS
GRK: γὰρ ἐπ' ἐλευθερίᾳ ἐκλήθητε ἀδελφοί
NAS: For you were called to freedom, brethren;
KJV: unto liberty; only
INT: Because for freedom were called brothers

Galatians 5:13 N-AFS
GRK: μὴ τὴν ἐλευθερίαν εἰς ἀφορμὴν
NAS: only [do] not [turn] your freedom into an opportunity
KJV: only [use] not liberty for an occasion
INT: [use] not the freedom for an occasion

James 1:25 N-GFS
GRK: τὸν τῆς ἐλευθερίας καὶ παραμείνας
NAS: law, the [law] of liberty, and abides
KJV: law of liberty, and
INT: that of freedom and having continued in [it]

James 2:12 N-GFS
GRK: διὰ νόμου ἐλευθερίας μέλλοντες κρίνεσθαι
NAS: by [the] law of liberty.
KJV: by the law of liberty.
INT: by [the] law of freedom being about to be judged

1 Peter 2:16 N-AFS
GRK: κακίας τὴν ἐλευθερίαν ἀλλ' ὡς
NAS: and do not use your freedom as a covering
KJV: not using [your] liberty for a cloke
INT: evil the freedom but as

2 Peter 2:19 N-AFS
GRK: ἐλευθερίαν αὐτοῖς ἐπαγγελλόμενοι
NAS: promising them freedom while they themselves
KJV: them liberty, they themselves
INT: freedom them promising

Strong's Greek 1657
11 Occurrences

ἐλευθερία — 4 Occ.
ἐλευθερίαν — 5 Occ.
ἐλευθερίας — 2 Occ.