ἀποφεύγω
I flee from, escape
Definition
The verb ἀποφεύγω means to flee away from something, escape, or avoid. It carries the sense of actively removing oneself from a dangerous or corrupting situation. In 2 Peter 1:4, it describes escaping the moral corruption that is in the world through sinful desire. In 2 Peter 2:18 and 2:20, the focus shifts to escaping or being freed from the defilements of the world, only to potentially become entangled again, highlighting a perilous spiritual state.
Biblical Usage
This word is used exclusively in 2 Peter, all three times within the context of escaping moral and spiritual corruption. It appears in discussions about the promises of God enabling believers to escape worldly corruption (2 Peter 1:4) and in warnings about false teachers and those who, having escaped defilement, are again overcome by it (2 Peter 2:18, 2:20). The usage consistently relates to deliverance from sinful influences.
Etymology
Derived from the preposition ἀπό (apo, meaning 'away from') and the verb φεύγω (pheugō, G5343, meaning 'to flee'). It literally means 'to flee away from.' The compound intensifies the idea of a decisive departure or escape from a specific source.
Semantic Range
This word is theologically significant as it frames salvation and sanctification as an active escape from the corruption of sin. It underscores the believer's participation in God's promises to be liberated from the world's defiling influence (2 Peter 1:4). The warnings in 2 Peter 2 also use this term to present a sobering picture of the possibility of abandoning that hard-won freedom, emphasizing the seriousness of perseverance.
In the Greco-Roman world, the concept of 'fleeing' from vice or corruption was a common philosophical theme, advocating for the wise person to escape moral decay. Peter uses this culturally resonant idea but grounds it distinctly in the redemptive work of Christ and the promises of God, transforming it from a merely ethical pursuit into a work of divine grace.
φεύγω (pheugō, G5343) — the simpler root verb meaning 'to flee' or 'run away,' without the compounded sense of 'away from' a specific source. ἐκφεύγω (ekpheugō, G1628) — means 'to flee out of' or 'escape from,' often used for escaping danger or judgment, with a slightly different prepositional emphasis (Hebrews 2:3, 12:25).
Word Details
How this works
Definitions are from the Dodson Greek-English Lexicon, a concise public-domain resource suitable for introductory word study. Brief glosses are supplemented by STEPBible TBESG data (CC BY 4.0). For advanced research, standard scholarly references include BDAG (Danker, 3rd ed.) and LSJ.
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