"to turn away; to remove, Acts 3:26; Rom. 11:26; 2 Tim. 4:4; to turn a people from their allegiance, to their sovereign, pervert, incite to revolt, Lk. 23:14; to replace, restore, Mt. 26:52; to turn away from any one, to slight, reject, repulse, Mt. 5:42; Tit. 1:14; Heb. 12:25; to..."
Definition and meaning
to turn away; to remove, Acts 3:26; Rom. 11:26; 2 Tim. 4:4; to turn a people from their allegiance, to their sovereign, pervert, incite to revolt, Lk. 23:14; to replace, restore, Mt. 26:52; to turn away from any one, to slight, reject, repulse, Mt. 5:42; Tit. 1:14; Heb. 12:25; to desert, 2 Tim. 1:15
In the original Greek the word is written: ἀποστρέφω
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 apostrepho (G654) across the King James Bible.
Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.
Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword.
Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders,
Said unto them, Ye have brought this man unto me, as one that perverteth the people: and, behold, I, having examined him before you, have found no fault in this man touching those things whereof ye accuse him:
Unto you first God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities.
And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:
This thou knowest, that all they which are in Asia be turned away from me; of whom are Phygellus and Hermogenes.
Not giving heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men, that turn from the truth.
See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven:
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Common questions
Strong's G654 (apostrepho) is a Greek word that means: to turn away; to remove, Acts 3:26; Rom. 11:26; 2 Tim. 4:4; to turn a people from their allegiance, to their sovereign, pervert, incite to revolt, Lk. 23:14; to replace, restore, Mt. 26:52; to turn aw... It appears 9 times in the King James Bible.
The word apostrepho (G654) appears 9 times in the original Greek text.
Strong's G654 is apostrepho, a Greek word defined as: to turn away; to remove, Acts 3:26; Rom. 11:26; 2 Tim. 4:4; to turn a people from their allegiance, to their sovereign, pervert, incite to revolt, Lk.. James Strong catalogued this in his 1890 concordance to help English readers study the original languages of the Bible.
apostrepho is a Greek word found in the New Testament.