Greek · Strong's G575
ἀπό
apó (ap-O)
preposition
Ἀπό (apó) is a common Greek preposition signifying separation, origin, or cause, often translated as 'from' or 'away from.'
The Greek preposition Ἀπό (apó) is a versatile word with a broad semantic range, primarily indicating separation or derivation. It can denote movement away from a place (e.g., coming from a city), separation of an object from a whole, or the source or origin of something (e.g., something sent from God). Beyond physical separation, Ἀπό also expresses temporal distance, indicating a point in time from which something originates or has been true.
Figuratively, Ἀπό can convey cause or reason, meaning "because of" or "on account of." It is frequently used in expressions of deliverance or protection from something undesirable, such as sin, wrath, or destruction. The preposition is also employed to indicate the agent or instrument of an action, particularly when referring to actions initiated by God or divine entities.
Apo is a fundamental preposition, and its meaning is often dependent on the context in which it appears. It highlights the dynamic aspect of relationships and events, emphasizing the starting point or point of departure.
Apo in greek — the preposition of separation
Apo (ἀπό) in greek is the New Testament's basic word for “from” — specifically, “from the outside of,” “away from.” It pictures separation. When Jesus is “tempted of (apo) Satan” (Mark 1:13) the apostle uses apo to mark the source from which the temptation came. When Paul writes “Grace be unto you, and peace, from (apo) God our Father” (Romans 1:7), apo names God as the origin from which the grace flows out.
Apo in greek is one of the most common prepositions in the New Testament — roughly 645 occurrences. Its small size hides theological weight. The cleansing the gospel offers is regularly framed with apo: “save his people from (apo) their sins” (Matthew 1:21), “the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from (apo) all sin” (1 John 1:7). Salvation, biblically, is movement away — separation from guilt, idolatry, judgment.
Beginners sometimes confuse apo with ek (ἐκ, G1537). Both can be translated “from,” but they picture different relationships. Ek pictures coming out from inside something — “out of the boat,” “out of the city.” Apo pictures coming away from the outside of something — “away from the shore,” “away from the door.” That nuance helps explain why scripture chooses one over the other: when Paul says we wait for Jesus “from (apo) heaven” (1 Thessalonians 1:10), the picture is of him moving outward from the heavenly throne toward us.
Common English renderings
- from
- of
- away from
- since
- by
Key verses
"So all the generations from Abraham unto David are fourteen generations; and from David unto the carrying away to Babylon fourteen generations; and from the carrying away to Babylon unto the Christ fourteen generations."
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"And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the holy city Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God,"
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"And behold, the veil of the temple was rent in two from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake; and the rocks were rent;"
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"for then shall be great tribulation, such as hath not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, nor ever shall be."
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"who shall suffer punishment, even eternal destruction from the face of the Lord and from the glory of his might,"
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"and he shall wipe away every tear from their eyes; and death shall be no more; neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain, any more: the first things are passed away."
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Related words
Common questions
- Apo (ἀπό) is a Greek preposition meaning 'from,' 'away from,' or 'since.' It always takes the genitive case. It pictures separation from the outer boundary of something — moving away from a place, person, source, or condition. It appears around 645 times in the New Testament.