ἀποπλύνω
I wash, rinse
Definition
The verb ἀποπλύνω means 'to wash off' or 'to rinse away,' specifically referring to the act of cleaning an object by washing something from it. In its single New Testament occurrence in Luke 5:2, it describes fishermen washing their nets, likely to remove debris, salt, or sand after use. This action implies a thorough cleaning to prepare the nets for future use. The prefix ἀπο- often indicates a sense of 'away' or 'off,' intensifying the basic washing action to mean a cleansing that removes impurities.
Biblical Usage
ἀποπλύνω is used only once in the New Testament, in Luke 5:2, where it describes the practical work of fishermen washing their nets by the Lake of Gennesaret. This context is purely narrative and descriptive, detailing the ordinary labor that preceded Jesus' miraculous call of the first disciples. There are no other occurrences, so no broader patterns of usage exist within the biblical text.
Etymology
Derived from the preposition ἀπό (apo), meaning 'away from' or 'off,' combined with the verb πλύνω (plynō), meaning 'to wash' or 'to cleanse.' Thus, ἀποπλύνω literally means 'to wash off.' It is a compound verb that emphasizes the result of the washing action—the removal of material. The root πλύνω is related to other Greek words for washing, such as λούω (louō, to bathe) and νίπτω (niptō, to wash a part of the body).
Semantic Range
In the fishing culture of first-century Galilee, washing nets was a routine, essential task. Nets, typically made of linen or flax, would become dirty, tangled, and encrusted with debris from the lake. Proper washing preserved the nets, maintained their effectiveness, and was part of responsible stewardship of one's tools. This mundane chore sets the stage for Jesus' call, contrasting ordinary human labor with the divine invitation to 'catch people' (Luke 5:10).
πλύνω (plynō, G4150) — the simpler base verb meaning 'to wash,' without the intensive 'off' prefix; νίπτω (niptō, G3538) — typically to wash a part of the body, like hands or feet; λούω (louō, G3068) — to bathe the entire body.
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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