558. apeleutheros

Lexicon

apeleutheros: Freedman

Original Word: ἀπελεύθερος
Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine
Transliteration: apeleutheros
Pronunciation: ap-el-yoo'-ther-os
Phonetic Spelling: (ap-el-yoo'-ther-os)
Definition: Freedman
Meaning: a freedman, one who has been a slave but has been manumitted by his master.

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

freeman.

From apo and eleutheros; one freed away, i.e. A freedman -- freeman.

see GREEK apo

see GREEK eleutheros

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
from apo and eleutheros
Definition
one freed away, i.e. a freedman
NASB Translation
freedman (1).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon

STRONGS NT 558: ἀπελεύθερος

ἀπελεύθερος, ἀπελευθερου, ὁ, ἡ, a manumitted slave, a freedman (ἀπό, cf. German los (set free from bondage)): τοῦ κυρίου, presented with (spiritual) freedom by the Lord, 1 Corinthians 7:22. (In Greek writings from Xenophon, and Plato down.)

Topical Lexicon

Word Origin: Derived from ἀπό (apo, meaning "from") and ἐλεύθερος (eleutheros, meaning "free").

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: While there is no direct Hebrew equivalent for ἀπελεύθερος, the concept of freedom from slavery is echoed in the Hebrew Scriptures, particularly in terms like חָפְשִׁי (chofshi, Strong's Hebrew 2670), meaning "free" or "liberated," and שִׁלּוּחַ (shilluach, Strong's Hebrew 7964), meaning "release" or "sending away," which are used in contexts of liberation and freedom.

Usage: The term ἀπελεύθερος is used in the New Testament to describe a person who has been set free from slavery, indicating a change in social status from a slave to a free individual.

Context: The term ἀπελεύθερος appears in the New Testament context to describe individuals who have transitioned from a state of bondage to freedom. This concept is significant in the early Christian community, where social distinctions were often transcended by spiritual equality in Christ. The notion of being a freedman carries both a literal and metaphorical significance, as it reflects the transformative power of the Gospel to liberate individuals from the bondage of sin and societal constraints.

In the Roman world, a freedman was someone who had been granted freedom by their master, often retaining certain obligations to their former owner but enjoying a new status and rights. This imagery is used in the New Testament to illustrate the believer's liberation from the bondage of sin and the law, entering into the freedom offered through Christ.

The Apostle Paul, in his epistles, often uses the language of slavery and freedom to convey the spiritual realities of redemption and the believer's new identity in Christ. The concept of being a freedman in Christ underscores the radical nature of the Gospel, which breaks down barriers and unites all believers as equal members of the body of Christ, regardless of their earthly status.

Forms and Transliterations

απελευθερος απελεύθερος ἀπελεύθερος apeleutheros apeleútheros

Englishman's Concordance

1 Corinthians 7:22 N-NMS
GRK: κληθεὶς δοῦλος ἀπελεύθερος κυρίου ἐστίν
NAS: is the Lord's freedman; likewise
KJV: is the Lord's freeman: likewise also
INT: having been called [being] a slave a freedman of [the] Lord is

Strong's Greek 558
1 Occurrence

ἀπελεύθερος — 1 Occ.