"defection, desertion, as of a freedman from a patron; in NT the act of putting away a wife, repudiation, divorce, Mt. 19:7; Mk. 10:4; meton. a bill of repudiation, deed of divorce, Mt. 5:31*"
Definition and meaning
defection, desertion, as of a freedman from a patron; in NT the act of putting away a wife, repudiation, divorce, Mt. 19:7; Mk. 10:4; meton. a bill of repudiation, deed of divorce, Mt. 5:31*
In the original Greek the word is written: ἀποστάσιον
Historical context
Rome had controlled Judea since 63 BC. Herod the Great rebuilt the Temple into one of the most magnificent structures in the ancient world — and simultaneously murdered members of his own family. The common people paid multiple layers of taxation and were politically powerless. Into that world a carpenter from Galilee began teaching that the kingdom of God had arrived.
The people who first heard this word were not reading a book — they were living through empires, oppression, exile, and covenant. Every word carried the weight of that reality. Understanding it changes how you read Scripture.
Scripture references
These are the most notable occurrences of apostasion (G647) across the King James Bible.
It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement:
They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away?
And they said, Moses suffered to write a bill of divorcement, and to put her away.
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Common questions
Strong's G647 (apostasion) is a Greek word that means: defection, desertion, as of a freedman from a patron; in NT the act of putting away a wife, repudiation, divorce, Mt. 19:7; Mk. 10:4; meton. a bill of repudiation, deed of divorce, Mt. 5:31* It appears 3 times in the King James Bible.
The word apostasion (G647) appears 3 times in the original Greek text.
Strong's G647 is apostasion, a Greek word defined as: defection, desertion, as of a freedman from a patron; in NT the act of putting away a wife, repudiation, divorce, Mt. 19:7; Mk. 10:4; meton. a bill of. James Strong catalogued this in his 1890 concordance to help English readers study the original languages of the Bible.
apostasion is a Greek word found in the New Testament.