Untitled Sermon (5)

Revelation 2:4 NKJV

Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love.

863. ἀφίημι aphíēmi; fut . aphḗsō, fut. pass. aphethḗsomai; aor. pass. aphéthēn, perf. apheíka; irregular forms: pres. 2d person apheís, imperf. ḗphion, perf. pass. 3d person pl. aphéōntai; from apó (575), from, and hiēmi (n.f., see iós [2447]), to send. To send forth or away, let go from oneself. Used trans .:

(I) To dismiss, e.g., the multitudes (Matt. 13:36); of a wife, to put her away (1 Cor. 7:11–13). In Matt. 27:50, “he gave up the spirit” (a.t.), expired. See also Gen. 35:18. In Mark 15:37, “when Jesus let forth a loud cry” (a.t. [Sept .: Gen. 45:2]).

(II) To let go from one’s power, possession, to let go free, let escape (Matt. 24:40, 41; Luke 17:34–36; Sept .: Prov. 4:13). Metaphorically, to let go from obligation toward oneself, to remit, e.g., a debt, offense, with the dat . of person (Matt. 18:27, 32, 35; Mark 11:25; Sept .: Deut. 15:2). Of sins, to remit the penalty of sins, i.e., to pardon, forgive, with the dat . of person, e.g., opheilḗmata (3783), debts, faults (Matt. 6:12); hamartías (266), sins (Matt. 9:2, 5, 6; 12:31; Mark 2:5, 7, 9, 10); blasphēmían (988), blasphemy, evil speaking (Matt. 12:31, 32); paraptṓmata (3900), trespasses, offenses (Matt. 6:14, 15; Mark 11:25); hamartḗmata (265), individual sins (Mark 3:28; 4:12); anomías (458), iniquities, acts of lawlessness (Rom. 4:7). Also Sept .: Gen. 50:17; Ex. 32:32; Lev. 4:20; 5:10, 13; Ps. 25:18; 32:5; Is. 22:14; 55:7. The expression “to forgive sins” or to remit sins means to remove the sins from someone. Only God is said to be able to do this (Mark 2:10). To forgive sins is not to disregard them and do nothing about them, but to liberate a person from them, their guilt, and their power. We are to ask God to forgive our sins, remove them away from us so that we do not stand guilty of them or under their power. We are never expected to forgive the sins of others toward God because we have no power to do so, but we are expected to forgive others for the sins done to us (“Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors” or those who are our debtors [Matt. 6:12]). To forgive others does not mean to separate them from us, but to allow them through our contact to know God who can free them from their sins. Thus we should do everything in our power to see that the sins of others are removed from them through the grace and power of Jesus Christ which we make known to them.

(III) To let go from one’s further notice, care, attendance, occupancy, i.e., to leave or let alone.

(A) Spoken of persons, to quit, forsake or abandon (Matt. 4:11; 8:15; 15:14; 26:44, 56; Mark 4:36; John 10:12). Of things, the nets (Matt. 4:20); the house (Mark 13:34); Judea (John 4:3); all things (Matt. 19:27, 29). See also Sept .: 1 Sam. 17:20, 28; Jer. 12:7. To leave in any place or state, let remain (Matt. 5:24; 18:12; Mark 1:20; Luke 10:30; John 4:28; 8:29, “hath not left me”; John 14:18, 27; 16:32; Acts 14:17; Sept .: Gen. 42:33; Ex. 9:21; 2 Sam. 15:16; 1 Kgs. 19:3; 1 Chr. 16:21). To leave to anyone, i.e., to let him have or take (Matt. 5:40, “let him have thy cloak”). To leave behind as at death (Matt. 22:25; Mark 12:19–22; Sept .: Ps. 17:14; Eccl. 2:18). To leave remaining, and in the pass., to be left, remain (Matt. 23:38; 24:2, “There shall not be left here one stone upon another”; Mark 13:2; Luke 13:35; 19:44; 21:6; Heb. 2:8; Sept .: Judg. 2:23; 3:1).

(B) Metaphorically, in various senses, to leave, desert, quit (Rom. 1:27, “the natural use”; Rev. 2:4). To omit, pass by (Heb. 6:1, leaving the word of the beginning). To neglect, to omit (Matt. 23:23, “the weightier matters of the law”; Mark 7:8; Luke 11:42; Sept .: Eccl. 11:6).

(IV) To let go, i.e., to let pass, permit, suffer, with the acc . followed by the inf . expressed or implied (Matt. 8:22; 13:30; 19:14; Mark 1:34; 5:37). See also Matt. 3:15; Mark 5:19; 11:6; Luke 13:8; John 11:48; 12:7; Rev. 2:20 (apheís or eás) “your [wife] Jezebel to teach” (a.t.); Sept.: Ex. 12:23; Num. 22:13; Judg. 16:26; 2 Sam. 16:11. Followed by hína (2443), so that, with the subjunctive after verbs of command (Mark 11:16). The imper. áphes (sing.) and áphete (pl.) are followed by the subjunctive without hína, e.g., áphes ídōmen (first person pl. 2d aor . subjunctive of horáō [3708], to see, let us see, suffer us to see [Matt. 27:49; Mark 15:36]); Matt. 7:4, “Let me pull out”; Luke 6:42.

Deriv.: áphesis (859), remission, forgiveness.

Syn.: paúō (3973), to stop, quit; katapaúō (2664), to cease; katargéō (2673), to render inactive; charízomai (5483), to bestow a favor, to forgive; apolúō (630), to release, dismiss; kataleípō (2641), to leave behind; egkataleípō (1459), to forsake, abandon; apotássō (657), to place in order away from oneself; apotíthēmi (659), to put off from oneself; apoleípō (620), to remain; perileípō (4035), to leave around; eáō (1439), to let, permit; hupolimpánō (5277), a late form of leípō (3007), to leave; epitrépō (2010), to permit; apotíthēmi (659), to put away; chōrízō (5563), to separate; apostréphō (654), to turn away; apōthéomai (683), to thrust away; lúō (3089), to loose; pémpō (3992), to send.

Ant.: kratéō (2902), to retain; lambánō (2983), to take; ekdikéō (1556), to bring justice out, vindicate; déō (1210), to bind.

1

fut fut (future)

trans trans (transitive, transitively)

Sept Sept (Septuagint)

Sept Sept (Septuagint)

dat dat (dative)

Sept Sept (Septuagint)

dat dat (dative)

Sept Sept (Septuagint)

Sept Sept (Septuagint)

Sept Sept (Septuagint)

Sept Sept (Septuagint)

Sept Sept (Septuagint)

Sept Sept (Septuagint)

acc acc (accusative)

inf inf (infinitive)

aor aor (aorist [2 aor. for second aorist])

1 Zodhiates, S. (2000) The complete word study dictionary: New Testament. electronic ed. Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers.