617. apokulió

Lexical Summary

apokulió: To roll away

Original Word: ἀποκυλίω
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: apokulió
Pronunciation: ah-po-koo-LEE-oh
Phonetic Spelling: (ap-ok-oo-lee'-o)
KJV: roll away (back)
NASB: rolled away, roll away
Word Origin: [from G575 (ἀπό - since) and G2947 (κυλιόω - rolling around)]

1. to roll away

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

roll away, roll back.

From apo and kulioo; to roll away -- roll away (back).

see GREEK apo

see GREEK kulioo

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
from apo and kulió
Definition
to roll away
NASB Translation
roll away (1), rolled away (2).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon

STRONGS NT 617: ἀποκυλίω

ἀποκυλίω: future ἀποκυλίσω; 1 aorist ἀπεκυλισα; perfect passive (3 person singular ἀποκεκύλισται Mark 16:4 R G L but T Tr WH, ἀνακεκυλισται), participle ἀποκεκυλισμενος; to roll off or away: Matthew 28:2; Mark 16:3; Luke 24:2. (Genesis 29:3, 8, 10; Judith 13:9; Josephus, Antiquities 4, 8, 37; 5, 11, 3; Lucian, rhet. praec. 3.) But see ἀνακυλίω.

Topical Lexicon

Apokylio – Rolling Away the Stone (Strong’s Greek 617)

Occurrences in Scripture

Matthew 28:2; Mark 16:3; Mark 16:4; Luke 24:2. In each instance the verb describes the stone at the entrance of Jesus Christ’s tomb being moved from its place.

Narrative Background

First–century Jewish rock-hewn tombs were sealed by large circular stones that rested in a sloped groove. Once lowered into position, a single stone could weigh one to two tons and required several men—often aided by levers—to move it uphill and away from the entrance. The evangelists present the rolling away of this stone as a miraculous act that no human group present was prepared to perform. Matthew records an angelic intervention accompanied by an earthquake (Matthew 28:2). Mark highlights the women’s practical concern, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?” (Mark 16:3). Luke notes the completed act discovered by the women, “They found the stone rolled away from the tomb” (Luke 24:2).

Theological Significance

1. Divine authentication of the Resurrection

– The immovable stone symbolized the finality of death; its removal authenticated the empty tomb and made visible the evidence proclaimed by the angels and later by the apostles.
2. Sovereign initiative of God

– Human inability is underscored (Mark 16:3). The passive forms in Mark 16:4 and Luke 24:2 emphasize that the stone “had been rolled away,” directing attention to God’s action rather than human effort.
3. Reversal of the curse

– Genesis opens with a blocked entrance to Eden; the Gospels climax with an opened tomb. In rolling back the stone, God visually proclaims the victory over sin and death promised since the Fall.

Christological Implications

• The act is inseparable from Christ’s bodily resurrection. The stone is not moved to let Jesus out but to let witnesses in, underscoring His authority over death (John 10:18).
• The rolled-away stone fulfills Jesus’ own predictions (Matthew 16:21; Mark 9:31) and validates every claim He made regarding His messianic identity.

Ministry and Pastoral Application

1. Assurance of hope: Every believer can face death and suffering with confidence that the God who removed the stone has removed the sting of death (1 Corinthians 15:55).
2. Evangelistic proclamation: The empty tomb is a tangible historical anchor for preaching “Jesus and the resurrection” (Acts 17:18).
3. Spiritual obstacles: Pastors often draw on the imagery of God rolling away stones that hinder faith, repentance, or service, encouraging congregations to trust His power where human strength fails.

Typology and Eschatology

The stone foreshadows the final removal of every barrier between God and His people. Just as the angel opened the tomb, Revelation 21:25 speaks of gates that “will never be shut by day,” portraying an eternal state secured by the same victorious power that raised Christ.

Related Imagery Throughout Scripture

• Joshua 5:9—“Today I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you,” connecting covenant renewal with the removal of disgrace.
• Isaiah 25:7–8—The Lord will “swallow up death forever,” linking the future banquet on Zion with the resurrection motif of the Gospels.

Conclusion

Every New Testament use of Apokylio concentrates on a single historical event: the removal of the stone from Jesus’ tomb. That act stands as a watershed moment that confirms the bodily resurrection, inaugurates new-creation life, and guarantees the ultimate triumph of God’s kingdom.

Forms and Transliterations

ανακεκυλισται ἀνακεκύλισται απεκύλιον απεκυλισε απεκύλισε ἀπεκύλισε ἀπεκύλισεν απεκώλυσα απεκωλύσαμεν απεκώλυσαν απεκώλυσέ απελάκτισεν αποκεκυλισμενον αποκεκυλισμένον ἀποκεκυλισμένον αποκεκύλισται ἀποκεκύλισται αποκυλισει αποκυλίσει ἀποκυλίσει αποκυλίσωσι αποκωλύσασά αποκωφωθής αποκωφωθήση αποκωφωθήσονται apekulisen apekylisen apekýlisen apokekulismenon apokekulistai apokekylismenon apokekylisménon apokekylistai apokekýlistai apokulisei apokylisei apokylísei

Englishman's Concordance

Matthew 28:2 V-AIA-3S
GRK: καὶ προσελθὼν ἀπεκύλισεν τὸν λίθον
NAS: and came and rolled away the stone
KJV: and came and rolled back the stone
INT: and having come rolled away the stone

Mark 16:3 V-FIA-3S
GRK: ἑαυτάς Τίς ἀποκυλίσει ἡμῖν τὸν
NAS: Who will roll away the stone
KJV: shall roll us away the stone from
INT: themselves Who will roll away for us the

Mark 16:4 V-RIM/P-3S
GRK: θεωροῦσιν ὅτι ἀποκεκύλισται ὁ λίθος
KJV: the stone was rolled away: for
INT: they see that has been rolled away the stone

Luke 24:2 V-RPM/P-AMS
GRK: τὸν λίθον ἀποκεκυλισμένον ἀπὸ τοῦ
NAS: the stone rolled away from the tomb,
KJV: the stone rolled away from
INT: the stone rolled away from the

Strong's Greek 617
4 Occurrences

ἀπεκύλισεν — 1 Occ.
ἀποκεκυλισμένον — 1 Occ.
ἀποκεκύλισται — 1 Occ.
ἀποκυλίσει — 1 Occ.