Exploring the Meaning of Aphesis in Greek

ἄφεσις means “forgiveness,” a term used in Gospel preaching, apostolic proclamation, and a solemn warning about what forgiveness does and does not include. In these passages it is tied to sins, repentance, baptism, the name of Jesus Christ, and the saving work announced as good news.

Occurrences

Matthew 26:28: “for this is my blood of the new covenant, which is poured out for many for the remission of sins.”

Here ἄφεσις (“remission of sins”) is attached to Jesus’ “blood of the new covenant,” described as “poured out for many.” In this setting the word names the intended result of that poured-out blood: sins are met with forgiveness, and the phrase places forgiveness within covenant language (“new covenant”) and within a stated purpose (“for… remission of sins”).

Mark 1:4: “John came baptizing in the wilderness and preaching the baptism of repentance for forgiveness of sins.”

ἄφεσις is the stated goal of John’s public message: a “baptism of repentance” is preached “for forgiveness of sins.” The word functions as the end toward which repentance is pointed; it is not presented as a vague feeling but as something that can be preached and sought in response to a call to repent.

Mark 3:29: “but whoever may blaspheme against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is subject to eternal condemnation.”

In this warning ἄφεσις marks a boundary by negation: a certain act (“blaspheme against the Holy Spirit”) is described as one that “never has forgiveness.” The force of the term is sharpened by contrast—lack of forgiveness is paired with being “subject to eternal condemnation,” showing that ἄφεσις is not assumed automatically for every offense in this discourse.

Luke 1:77: “to give knowledge of salvation to his people by the remission of their sins,”

ἄφεσις appears as a means by which “knowledge of salvation” comes “to his people”: it is “by the remission of their sins.” Forgiveness is presented as integral to how salvation is known; the expression anchors salvation-language to the concrete reality of sins being forgiven.

Luke 3:3: “He came into all the region around the Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for remission of sins.”

As in Mark’s description of John, ἄφεσις is linked to a preached message in a specific geographic movement (“all the region around the Jordan”). The word again serves as the stated aim of “the baptism of repentance,” framing forgiveness as something publicly announced and connected with a turning-response.

Luke 4:18: ““The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to heal the broken hearted, to proclaim release to the captives, recovering of sight to the blind, to deliver those who are crushed,”

In this programmatic announcement, ἄφεσις appears in the phrase “to proclaim release to the captives.” Within a list of mission verbs—“preach,” “heal,” “proclaim,” “deliver”—the term contributes the notion of release in a setting of oppression and need (“captives,” “blind,” “crushed”). Even without explicit mention of sins in this verse, ἄφεσις is still portrayed as something proclaimed as good news, part of the Spirit-anointed work described here.

Luke 24:47: “and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name to all the nations, beginning at Jerusalem.”

Here ἄφεσις is paired with “repentance” as the content of a worldwide message: both “repentance and remission of sins” are to be “preached in his name.” The word is not merely individual comfort; it is a central element of proclamation extending “to all the nations,” with a starting point (“beginning at Jerusalem”) that underscores its public, outward-moving character.

Acts 2:38: “Peter said to them, “Repent, and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

ἄφεσις is positioned as the stated result associated with a direct summons: “Repent, and be baptized… in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins.” The verse frames forgiveness as connected to a response (“Repent”) and an act (“be baptized”), and it locates that response “in the name of Jesus Christ.” The promise then extends beyond forgiveness to “the gift of the Holy Spirit,” so ἄφεσις stands at a pivotal point in the sequence of repentance, baptism, and promised divine gift.

Acts 5:31: “God exalted him with his right hand to be a Prince and a Savior, to give repentance to Israel, and remission of sins.”

In this summary of God’s action, ἄφεσις is something the exalted one gives: God exalted him “to be a Prince and a Savior,” with the purpose “to give repentance… and remission of sins.” Forgiveness here is not described as self-produced; it is named as a gift granted in connection with the exaltation and saving role described.

Acts 10:43: “All the prophets testify about him, that through his name everyone who believes in him will receive remission of sins.”

ἄφεσις is promised as something “everyone who believes in him will receive,” and it is explicitly “through his name.” The word is framed within testimony (“All the prophets testify about him”) and universal scope (“everyone”), presenting forgiveness as a promised reception tied to belief and mediated “through his name.”

Acts 13:38: “Be it known to you therefore, brothers, that through this man is proclaimed to you remission of sins,”

Here ἄφεσις is the substance of a direct announcement: “through this man is proclaimed to you remission of sins.” The term belongs to the public act of proclamation (“is proclaimed”), and its phrasing emphasizes the channel (“through this man”) by which forgiveness is being declared to the hearers (“to you”).

Acts 26:18: “to open their eyes, that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive remission of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’”

ἄφεσις stands among the intended outcomes of a dramatic turning: eyes are opened, people “turn from darkness to light” and “from the power of Satan to God,” so that they “may receive remission of sins.” Forgiveness is presented alongside “an inheritance,” and it is placed in a chain of movement and deliverance described in directional terms (darkness/light; Satan/God), making ἄφεσις part of the described transition into a new condition “among those who are sanctified by faith in me.”

Sense and Usage

Across these passages, ἄφεσις consistently functions as an objective outcome linked to sins: “forgiveness of sins,” “remission of sins,” and “remission of their sins.” The word is treated as something that can be preached, proclaimed, received, and given. That outward, communicable quality is prominent: John is “preaching the baptism of repentance for forgiveness of sins” (Mark 1:4; Luke 3:3), the risen Jesus’ commission includes that “remission of sins should be preached in his name” (Luke 24:47), and apostolic preaching presents it as a message that “is proclaimed to you” (Acts 13:38).

The term is also repeatedly anchored to named agents and mediators. In Matthew 26:28 forgiveness is tied to Jesus’ “blood of the new covenant… poured out for many,” giving ἄφεσις a covenantal and sacrificial setting within that statement. In Acts it is frequently connected to the name and person of Jesus: baptism is “in the name of Jesus Christ” for forgiveness (Acts 2:38), forgiveness is received “through his name” by believers (Acts 10:43), and it is proclaimed “through this man” (Acts 13:38). Forgiveness is thus not left as an abstract ideal; it is attached to concrete proclamation and to the identity of the one through whom it comes.

Several texts place ἄφεσις alongside repentance in a way that shapes how it is sought and announced. The pairing appears in John’s preaching (Mark 1:4; Luke 3:3), in the worldwide mission statement (Luke 24:47), and in Peter’s call to respond (Acts 2:38). In Acts 5:31 forgiveness is even spoken of as something granted together with repentance: the exalted Savior gives both. Taken together, these uses portray ἄφεσις as inseparable from the preached call to turn and the promise that follows that turning.

At the same time, Mark 3:29 gives the strongest limiting statement: there is a kind of blasphemy described as one that “never has forgiveness.” This occurrence keeps the lexeme from being heard as a blanket term automatically applied in every case; in that warning, to lack ἄφεσις is to remain “subject to eternal condemnation.” In contrast, Acts 10:43 sets forgiveness in universal terms for believers—“everyone who believes in him will receive remission of sins”—showing the word’s role in proclaiming wide availability while still allowing for a serious warning about a specific, named offense.

Finally, Luke 4:18 uses ἄφεσις in a mission statement where the word is heard as “release” in a context of captives and crushing burdens. In that list, forgiveness-language is placed within the broader announcement of good news and deliverance. Acts 26:18 similarly frames ἄφεσις within a turning from darkness to light and from satanic power to God, locating forgiveness within an encompassing picture of liberation and transfer into a sanctified community.

Imagery

The passages give ἄφεσις a distinctive set of images: poured-out covenant blood “for many” (Matthew 26:28), a preached baptism of repentance (Mark 1:4; Luke 3:3), a proclamation of release to captives (Luke 4:18), and an opening of eyes that accompanies a turning from darkness to light (Acts 26:18). Alongside these images stands the public voice of proclamation—what is “preached” and “proclaimed”—and the repeated emphasis that forgiveness is received “in his name” and “through his name” (Luke 24:47; Acts 2:38; Acts 10:43).

Sources: Lexical data from Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance and the Translators Brief Lexicon of Extended Strongs for Greek (STEPBible, CC BY). Occurrence data from the Translators Amalgamated Greek New Testament (STEPBible, CC BY). Scripture quotations from the World English Bible (public domain).