ἀπό, [from Homer down], preposition with the genitive (Latin a, ab, abs, German von, ab, weg, [cf. English of, off]), from, signifying now separation, now origin. On its use in the N. T., in which the influence of the Hebrew מִן is traceable, cf. Winers Grammar, 864f (342), 369 (346) ff.; Buttmann, 321 (276) ff. [On the neglect of elision before words beginning with a vowel see Tdf. Proleg., p. 94; cf. Winers Grammar, § 5, 1 a.; Buttmann, p. 10f; WH's Appendix, p. 146.] In order to avoid repetition we forbear to cite all the examples, but refer the reader to the several verbs followed by this preposition.
ἀπό, then, is used:
I. of separation; and
1. of local separation, after verbs of motion from a place (of departing, fleeing, removing, expelling, throwing, etc., see αἴρω, ἀπέρχομαι, ἀποτινάσσω, ἀποχωρέω, ἀφίστημι, φεύγω, etc.): ἀπεσπάσθη ἀπ’ αὐτῶν, Luke 22:41; βάλε ἀπὸ σοῦ, Matthew 5:29f; ἐκβάλω τὸ κάρθος ἀπὸ [L T Tr WH ἐκ] τοῦ ὀφθαλμοῦ, Matthew 7:4; ἀφ’ [L WH Tr text παῥ (which see I. a.)] ἧς ἐκβεβλήκει δαιμόνια, Mark 16:9; καθεῖλε ἀπό θρόνων, Luke 1:52.
2. of the separation of a part from the whole; where of a whole some part is taken: ἀπὸ τοῦ ἱματίου, Matthew 9:16; ἀπὸ μελισσίου κηρίου, Luke 24:42 [R G, but Tr brackets the clause]; ἀπὸ τῶν ὀψαρίων, John 21:10; τὰ ἀπὸ τοῦ πλοίου fragments of the ship, Acts 27:44; ἐνοσφίσατο ἀπὸ τῆς τιμῆς, Acts 5:2; ἐκχεῶ ἀπὸ τοῦ πνεύματος, Acts 2:17; ἐκλεξάμενος ἀπ’ αὐτῶν, Luke 6:13; τίνα ἀπὸ τῷν δύο, Matthew 27:21; ὅν ἐτιμήσαντο ἀπὸ υἱῶν Ἰσραήλ, namely, τινές [R. V. whom certain of the children of Israel did price (cf. τὶς, 2 c.); but others refer this to II. 2 d. aa. at the end, which see], Matthew 27:9 (ἐξῆλθον ἀπὸ τῶν ἱερέων, namely, τινές, 1 Macc. 7:33); after verbs of eating and drinking (usually joined in Greek to the simple genitive of the thing [cf. Buttmann, 159 (139); Winer's Grammar, 198f (186f)]): Matthew 15:27; Mark 7:28; πίνειν ἀπό, Luke 22:18 (elsewhere in the N. T. ἐκ).
3. of any kind of separation of one thing from another by which the union or fellowship of the two is destroyed;
a. after verbs of averting, loosening, liberating, ransoming, preserving: see ἀγοράζω, ἀπαλλάσσω, ἀποστρέφω, ἐλευθερόω, θεραπεύω, καθαρίζω, λούω, λυτρόω, λύω, ῤύομαι, σώζω, φυλάσσω, etc.
b. after verbs of desisting, abstaining, avoiding, etc.: see ἀπέχω, παύω, καταπαύω, βλέπω, προσέχω, φυλάσσομαι, etc.
c. after verbs of concealing and hindering: see κρύπτω, κωλύω, παρακαλύπτω.
d. Concise constructions, [cf. especially Buttmann, 322 (277)]: ἀνάθεμα ἀπὸ τοῦ Χριστοῦ, Romans 9:3 (see ἀνάθεμα under the end); λούειν ἀπὸ τῶν πληγῶν to wash away the blood from the stripes, Acts 16:33; μετανοεῖν ἀπὸ τῆς κακίας by repentance to turn away from wickedness, Acts 8:22; ἀποθνήσκειν ἀπό τινος by death to be freed from a thing, Colossians 2:20; φθείρεσθαι ἀπὸ τῆς ἁπλότητος to be corrupted and thus led away from singleness of heart, 2 Corinthians 11:3; εἰσακουσθεὶς ἀπὸ τ. εὐλαβείας heard and accordingly delivered from his fear, Hebrews 5:7 (others, heard for, i. e. on account of his godly fear (cf. II. 2 b. below)).
4. of a state of separation, i. e. of distance; and
a. of distance of place, — of the local terminus from which: Matthew 23:34; Matthew 24:31, etc.; after μακράν, Matthew 8:30; Mark 12:34; John 21:8; after ἀπέχειν, see ἀπέχω 2; ἀπὸ ἄνωθεν ἕως κάτω, Mark 15:38; ἀπὸ μακρόθεν, Matthew 27:55, etc. [cf. Buttmann, 70 (62); Winer's Grammar, § 65, 2]. According to later Greek usage it is put before nouns indicating local distance: John 11:18 (ἦν ἐγγὺς ὡς ἀπὸ σταδίων δεκαπέντε about fifteen furlongs off); John 21:8; Revelation 14:20 (Diodorus 1:51 ἐπάνω τῆς πόλεως ἀπὸ δέκα σχοίνων λίμνην ὤρυξε [also 1, 97; 4, 56; 16, 46; 17, 112; 18, 40; 19, 25, etc.; cf. Sophocles Lexicon, under the word, 5]: Josephus, b. j. 1, 3, 5 τοῦτο ἀφ’ ἑξακοσίων σταδίων ἐντεῦθέν ἐστιν, Plutarch, Aem. Paul c. 18, 5 ὥστε τοὺς πρώτους νεκροὺς ἀπὸ δυοῖν σταδίων καταπεσεῖν, vit. Oth c. 11, 1 κατεστρατοπέδευσεν ἀπὸ πεντήκοντα σταδίων, vit. Philop c. 4, 3 ἦν γὰρ ἀγρὸς αὐτῷ ἀπὸ σταδίων εἴκοσι τῆς πόλεως); cf. Winers Grammar, 557f (518f); [Buttmann, 153 (133)].
b. of distance of Time — of the temporal terminus from which (Latin inde a): ἀπὸ τῆς ὥρας ἐκείνης, Matthew 9:22; Matthew 17:18; John 19:27; ἀπ’ ἐκ τῆς ἡμέρας, Matthew 22:46; John 11:53; [ἀπὸ πρώτης ἡμέρας] Acts 20:18; Philippians 1:5 [L T Tr WH τῆς πρ. ἡμ.]; ἀφ’ ἡμερῶν ἀρχαίων, Acts 15:7; ἀπ’ ἐτῶν, Luke 8:43; Romans 15:23; ἀπ’ αἰῶνος and ἀπὸ τ. αἰώνων, Luke 1:70, etc.; ἀπ’ ἀρχῆς, Matthew 19:4, 8, etc.; ἀπὸ καταβολῆς κόσμου, Matthew 13:35 [L T Tr WH omit κοσμ.], etc.; ἀπὸ κτίσεως κόσμου, Romans 1:20; ἀπὸ βρέφους from a child, 2 Timothy 3:15; ἀπὸ τῆς παρθενίας, Luke 2:36; ἀφ’ ἧς (namely, ἡμέρας) since, Luke 7:45; Acts 24:11; 2 Peter 3:4; ἀφ’ ἧς ἡμέρας, Colossians 1:6, 9; ἀφ’ οὗ equivalent to ἀπὸ τούτου ὅτε [cf. Buttmann, 82 (71); 105 (92)], Luke 13:25; Luke 24:21; Revelation 16:18 (Herodotus 2, 44; and in Attic); ἀφ’ οὗ after τρία ἔτη, Luke 13:7 T Tr WH; ἀπὸ τοῦ νῦν from the present, henceforth, Luke 1:48; Luke 5:10; Luke 12:52; Luke 22:69; Acts 18:6; 2 Corinthians 5:16; ἀπὸ τότε, Matthew 4:17; Matthew 16:21; Matthew 26:16; Luke 16:16; ἀπὸ πέρυσι since last year, a year ago, 2 Corinthians 8:10; 2 Corinthians 9:2; ἀπὸ πρωῒ, Acts 28:23; cf. Winers Grammar, 422 (393); [Buttmann, 320 (275)]; Lob. ad Phryn., pp. 47, 461.
c. of distance of Order or Rank — of the terminus from which in any succession of things or persons: ἀπὸ διετοῦς (namely, παιδός) καὶ κατωτέρω, Matthew 2:16 (τοὺς Λευῒτας ἀπὸ εἰκοσαετοῦς καὶ ἐπάνω, Numbers 1:20; 2 Esdr. 3:8); ἀπὸ Ἀβραὰμ ἕως Δαυείδ Matthew 1:17; ἕβδομος ἀπὸ Ἀδάμ, Jude 1:14; ἀπὸ μικροῦ ἕως μεγάλου, Acts 8:10; Hebrews 8:11; ἄρχεσθαι ἀπό τινος, Matthew 20:8; Luke 23:5; Luke 24:27; John 8:9; Acts 8:35; Acts 10:37.
II. of origin; whether of local origin, the place whence; or of causal origin, the cause from which.
1. of the place whence anything is, comes, befalls, is taken;
a. after verbs of coming; see ἔρχομαι, ἥκω, etc.: ἀπὸ [L Tr WH ἀπ’] ἀγορᾶς namely, ἐλθόντες, Mark 7:4; ἄγγελος ἀπ’ (τοῦ) οὐρανοῦ, Luke 22:43 [L brackets WH reject the passage]; τόν ἀπ’ οὐρανῶν namely, λαλοῦντα, Hebrews 12:25, etc.; of the country, province, town, village, from which anyone has originated or proceeded [cf. Winers Grammar, 364 (342); Buttmann, 324 (279)]: Matthew 2:1; Matthew 4:25; John 1:44 (John 1:45); John 11:1; μία ἀπὸ ὄρους Σινᾶ, Galatians 4:24. Hence, ὁ or οἱ ἀπό τινος a native of, a man of, some place: ὁ ἀπὸ Ναζαρέθ the Nazarene, Matthew 21:11; ὁ ἀπὸ Ἁριμαθαίας, Mark 15:43; John 19:38 [here G L Tr WH omit ὁ]; οἱ ἀπὸ Ἰόππης, Acts 10:23; οἱ ἀπὸ Ἰταλίας the Italians, Hebrews 13:24 [cf. Winers Grammar, § 66, 6]. A great number of examples from secular writings are given by Wieseler, Untersuch. üb. d. Hebräerbr. 2te Hälfte, p. 14f.
b. of the party or society from which one has proceeded, i. e. a member of the sect or society, a disciple or votary of it: οἱ ἀπὸ τῆς ἐκκλησίας, Acts 12:1; οἱ ἀπὸ τῆς αἱρέσεως τῶν Φαρισαίων, Acts 15:5 (as in Greek writings: οἱ ἀπὸ τῆς Στοᾶς, οἱ ἀπὸ τῆς Ἀκαδημίας, etc.).
c. of the material from which a thing is made: ἀπὸ τριχῶν καμήλου, Matthew 3:4 [Winers Grammar, 370 (347); Buttmann, 324 (279)].
d. tropically, of that from or by which a thing is known: ἀπὸ τῶν καρπῶν ἐπιγινώσκειν, Matthew 7:16, 20 [here Lachmann ἐκ τ. κ. etc.] (Lysias in Andocides § 6; Aeschines adverb Tim., p. 69, Reiske edition); μανθάνειν ἀπὸ τινος to learn from the example of anyone, Matthew 11:29; Matthew 24:32; Mark 13:28; but in Galatians 3:2; Colossians 1:7; Hebrews 5:8, μανθ. ἀπό τινος means to learn from one's teaching or training [cf. Buttmann, 324 (279) c.; Winers Grammar, 372 (348)].
e. after verbs of seeking, inquiring, demanding: ἀπαιτεῖν, Luke 12:20 [Tr WH αἰτ.]; ζητεῖν, 1 Thessalonians 2:6 (alternating there with ἐκ [cf. Winer's Grammar, § 50, 2]); ἐκζητεῖν, Luke 11:50f; see αἰτέω.
2. of causal origin, or the cause; and
a. of the material cause, so called, or of that which supplies the material for the maintenance of the action expressed by the verb: so γεμίζεσθαι, χορτάζεσθαι, πλουτεῖν, διακονεῖν ἀπό τινος, — see those verbs.
b. of the cause on account of which anything is or is done, where commonly it ran be rendered for (Latin prae, German vor): οὐκ ἠδύνατο ἀπὸ τοῦ ὄχλου, Luke 19:3; οὐκέτι ἴσχυσαν ἀπὸ τοῦ πλήθους, John 21:6 (Judith 2:20); ἀπὸ τ. δόξης τοῦ φωτός, Acts 22:11; [here many would bring in Hebrews 5:7 (Winers Grammar, 371 (348); Buttmann, 322 (276)), see I. 3 d. above].
c. of the moving or impelling cause (Latin ex, prae; German aus, vor), for, out of: ἀπὸ τῆς χαρᾶς αὐτοῦ ὑπάγει, Matthew 13:44; ἀπὸ τοῦ φόβοῦ for fear, Matthew 14:26; Matthew 28:4; Luke 21:26. Hebraistically: φοβεῖσθαι ἀπό τινος (מִן יָרֵא), Matthew 10:28; Luke 12:4; φεύγειν ἀπό τινος (מִן נוּס), to flee for fear of one, John 10:5; Mark 14:52 (R G, but L Tr marginal reading brackets ἀπ’ αὐτῶν); Revelation 9:6; cf. φεύγω and Winers Grammar, 223 (209f).
d. of the efficient cause, viz. of things from the force of which anything proceeds, and of persons from whose will, power, authority, command, favor, order, influence, direction, anything is to be sought;
aa. in general: ἀπὸ τοῦ ὕπνου by force of the sleep, Acts 20:9; ἀπὸ σου σημεῖον, Matthew 12:38; ἀπό δόξης εἰς δόξαν, 2 Corinthians 3:18 (from the glory which we behold for ourselves [cf. Winer's Grammar, 254 (238)] in a mirror, goes out a glory in which we share, cf. Meyer at the passage); ἀπὸ κυρίου πνεύματος by the Spirit of the Lord [yet cf. Buttmann, 343 (295)], ibid.; ὄλεθρον ἀπὸ προσώπου τοῦ κυρίου destruction proceeding from the (incensed, wrathful) countenance of the Lord, 2 Thessalonians 1:9 (on this passage, to be explained after Jeremiah 4:26 Sept., cf. Ewald); on the other hand, ἀνάψυξις ἀπὸ προσώπου τ. κ. Acts 3:20 (Acts 3:19); ἀπεκτάνθησαν ἀπὸ (Rec. ὑπό) τῶν πληγῶν, Revelation 9:18. ἀφ’ ἑαυτοῦ, ἀφ’ ἑαυτῶν, ἀπ’ ἐμαυτοῦ, an expression especially common in John, of himself (myself, etc.), from his own disposition or judgment, as distinguished from another's instruction [cf. Winer's Grammar, 372 (348)]: Luke 12:57; Luke 21:30; John 5:19, 30; John 11:51; John 14:10; John 16:13; John 18:34 [L Tr WH ἀπὸ σεαυτ.]; 2 Corinthians 3:5; 2 Corinthians 10:7 [T Tr WH ἐφ’ ἑ. (see ἐπί A. I. 1 c.)]; of one's own will and motion, as opposed to the command and authority of another: John 7:17f, 28; John 8:42; John 10:18 (Numbers 16:28); by one's own power: John 15:4; by one's power and on one's own judgment: John 8:28; examples from secular authors are given in Kypke, Observ. i., p. 391. [Cf. εὐχὴν ἔχοντες ἀφ’ (others, ἐφ’ see ἐπί A. I. 1 f.) ἑαυτῶν, Acts 21:23 WH text] after verbs of learning, knowing, receiving, ἀπό is used of him to whom we are indebted for what we know, receive, possess [cf. Winers Grammar, 370 (347) n., also De verb. comp. etc. Part ii., p. 7f; Buttmann, 324 (279); Meyer on 1 Corinthians 11:23; per contra Bp. Lightfoot on Galatians 1:12]: ἀκούειν, Acts 9:13; 1 John 1:5; γινώσκειν, Mark 15:45; λαμβάνειν, Matthew 17:25; 1 John 2:27; 1 John 3:22 L T Tr WH; ἔχειν, 1 John 4:21; 2 Corinthians 2:3, etc.; παραλαμβάνειν, 1 Corinthians 11:23; δέχεσθαι, Acts 28:21; respecting μανθάνειν see above, II. 1 d.; λατρεύω τῷ θεῷ ἀπὸ προγόνων after the manner of the λατρεία received from my forefathers [cf. Winers Grammar, 372 (349); Buttmann, 322 (277)], 2 Timothy 1:3. γίνεται μοι, 1 Corinthians 1:30; 1 Corinthians 4:5; χάρις ἀπὸ θεοῦ or τοῦ θεοῦ, from God, the author, bestower, Romans 1:7; 1 Corinthians 1:3; Galatians 1:3, and often; καὶ τοῦτο ἀπὸ θεοῦ, Philippians 1:28. ἀπόστολος ἀπό etc., constituted an apostle by authority and commission, etc. [cf. Winer's Grammar, 418 (390)], Galatians 1:1. after πάσχειν, Matthew 16:21; [akin to this, according to many, is Matthew 27:9 ὅν ἐτιμήσαντο ἀπὸ τῶν υἱῶν Ἰσραήλ, R. V. marginal reading whom they priced on the part of the sons of Israel; but see in I. 2 above).
bb. When ἀπό is used after passives (which is rare in the better Greek authors, cf. Bernhardy, p. 222ff; [Buttmann, 325 (280); Winer's Grammar, 371 (347f)]), the connection between the cause and the effect is conceived of as looser and more remote than that indicated by ὑπό, and may often be expressed by on the part of (German von Seiten) [A. V. generally of]: ἀπὸ τοῦ θεοῦ ἀποδεδειγμένον approved (by miracles) according to God's will and appointment, Acts 2:22; ἀπὸ θεοῦ πειράζομαι the cause of my temptation is to be sought in God, James 1:13; ἀπεστερημένος [T Tr WH ἀφυστερ.] ἀφ’ ὑμῶν by your fraud, James 5:4; ἀποδοκιμάζεσθαι, Luke 17:25; [ἐδικαιώθη ἡ σοφία ἀπὸ τῶν τέκνων, Luke 7:35 according to some; see δικαιόω, 2]; τόπον ἡτοιμασμένον ἀπὸ τοῦ θεοῦ by the will and direction of God, Revelation 12:6; ὀχλούμενοι ἀπὸ (Rec. ὑπό, [see ὀχλέω]) πνευμάτων ἀκαθάρτ. Luke 6:18 (whose annoyance by diseases [(?) cf. Luke 6:17] proceeded from unclean spirits [A. V. vexed (troubled) with, etc.]); ἀπὸ τ. σαρκὸς ἐσπιλωμένον, by touching the flesh, Jude 1:23; [add Luke 1:26 T Tr WH, ἀπεστάλη ὁ ἄγγελος ἀπὸ (R G L ὑπὸ) τοῦ θεοῦ.] As in secular authors, so also in the N. T. the manuscripts sometimes vary between ἀπό and ὑπό: e. g. in Mark 8:31; [Luke 8:43]; Acts 4:36; [Acts 10:17,33; 15:4]; Romans 13:1; [Romans 15:24]; Revelation 9:18; see Winers Grammar, 370f (347f); Buttmann, 325f (280f); [cf. Vincent and Dickson, Modern Greek, 2nd edition, Appendix, § 41].
III. Phrases having a quasi-adverbial force, and indicating the manner or degree in which anything is done or occurs, are the following: ἀπὸ τ. καρδιῶν ὑμῶν, from your hearts, i. e. willingly and sincerely, Matthew 18:35; ἀπὸ μέρους in part, 2 Corinthians 1:14; 2 Corinthians 2:5; Romans 11:25; Romans 15:24; ἀπὸ μιᾶς namely, either φωνῆς with one voice, or γνώμης or ψυχῆς with one consent, one mind, Luke 14:18 (cf. Kuinoel at the passage; [Winer's Grammar, 423 (394); 591 (549f); yet see Lob. Paralip., p. 363]).
IV. The extraordinary construction ἀπὸ ὁ ὤν (for Rec. ἀπὸ τοῦ ὁ) καὶ ὁ ἦν καί ὁ ἐρχόμενος, Revelation 1:4, finds its explanation in the fact that the writer seems to have used the words ὁ ὤν κτλ. as an indeclinable noun, for the purpose of indicating the meaning of the proper name יהוה; cf. Winers Grammar, § 10, 2 at the end; [Buttmann, 50 (43)].
V. In composition ἀπό indicates separation, liberation, cessation, departure, as in ἀποβάλλω, ἀποκόπτω, ἀποκυλίω, ἀπολύω, ἀπολύτρωσις, ἀπαλγέω, ἀπέρχομαι; finishing and completion, as in ἀπαρτίζω, ἀποτελέω; refers to the pattern from which a copy is taken, as in ἀπογράφειν, ἀφομοιοῦν, etc.; or to him from whom the action proceeds, as in ἀποδείκνυμι, ἀποτολμάω, etc.

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