Greek word study: Set free

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In Romans 8:2, ἠλευθέρωσέν carries significant meaning. This word is an inflection of the root ἐλεύτερὀω. According to Danker’s Concise Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament, έλεὐτερὀω and its group of words probably relate to the Latin word liber, meaning “free.” One can see this association throughout the Septuagint (LXX), New Testament, and classical Greek literature. In general, this word can mean “to make free” or “set at liberty,” according to Thayer’s entry.

Within classical Greek literature, έλεὐτερὀω can take on many forms. The most popular connotations of the verb are to liberate or deliver and to set free. In each case, ἐλεύτερὀω and its many inflections connotate the freedom and liberation of a person(s), city, or country from slavery or tyrants. Throughout Greek literature, this word can describe freedom in a political and religious sense.

In the Septuagint, έλεὐτερὀω appears three times (Prov. 25:10a; 2 Macc. 1:27, 2:22). In the first instance in Proverbs 25:10a, the word refers to “favor and affection” enjoying freedom from restriction (free things). In the context of 2 Maccabees 1:27 and 2:22, this word signifies someone or something being set free from slavery or bondage, such as the Israelite slaves (set free those who are slaves) or a city (and they freed the city). Within the LXX, this verb is connected chiefly with freedom from slavery.

έλεὐτερὀω occurs seven times in the New Testament, with the Epistle of Romans containing four of those occurrences (6:18, 22; 8:2, 21). The Gospel of John (8:32, 36) and the Epistle to the Galatians (5:1) contain the other three occurrences. According to the NIDNTTE, the verb is used in the New Testament exclusively for salvation from sin. One can see that this word can take on meanings of deliverance, liberation, and a sense of freeing someone from the bondage of sin and corruption. However, the New Testament puts a paradoxical undertone to έλεὐτερὀω by stating that those who are set free do not belong to themselves but to the one who set them free (Rom. 6:18, 22; Gal. 5:1).

In the context of Romans 8:1-8, “set free” is the most appropriate translation of ἠλευθέρωσέν, as shown by the numerous translation committees that chose this meaning of the word, such as the NASB, ESV, and NRSV. Romans 8 starts by stating that “there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (v. 1). The reason believers have no condemnation is because they have been set free “from the law of sin and death” (v. 2). Sin is what ultimately separates humanity from God. To give humanity freedom from sin, God sent Jesus “in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin” (v. 3). An individual must accept the gift of salvation to be set free from sin and its dominion. In this way, one can have life and peace by the Spirit (v. 6).