The Beauty of Two NT Greek Words for Forgiveness

When I talk to Western Seminary students about the value of studying Greek and Hebrew, I share with them a discovery I made when I got to my first full-time pastorate.  

There are two Greek words that are used in the New Testament for forgiveness. One is the word charidzomai and the other is aphiemi. I think that God’s use of these words is perfectly crafted to apply to the human challenge of forgiveness.

The word charidzomai comes from the Greek word, charis, which means grace. It is used in Ephesians 4:31-32:

31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.  32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving (charidzomai from charis) each other, just as in Christ God forgave (echarisato from charis) you.

The idea of forgiveness here is cancelling a debt. It is also illustrated in Luke 7 when a woman wiped Jesus’ feet with her tears. It happens because of grace.

We pick up the story after the woman has wiped Jesus’ feet in Luke 7:40-50 (ESV):

40 And Jesus answering said to him, "Simon, I have something to say to you." And he answered, "Say it, Teacher."

41 "A certain moneylender had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 42 When they could not pay, he cancelled (from charis, in some translations it is translated “forgave”) the debt of both. Now which of them will love him more?" 43 Simon answered, "The one, I suppose, for whom he cancelled (from charis, in some translations it is translated “forgave”) the larger debt." And he said to him, "You have judged rightly." 44 Then turning toward the woman he said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet. 46 You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. 47 Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven (from aphiemi) -- for she loved much. But he who is forgiven (from aphiemi)  little, loves little." 48 And he said to her, "Your sins are forgiven (from aphiemi).” 49 Then those who were at table with him began to say among themselves, "Who is this, who even forgives sins?" 50 And he said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you; go in peace."

So the word translated forgiveness (charidzomai) can also be translated as cancelled because that is what happened with the debt. 

Charidzomai is also used in Colossians 2:13-14 to speak of the debt paid by Christ when he died on the cross:

13 When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave (from charis) us all our sins,  14 having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross.

So, because of God’s grace (charis) we are forgiven when we come to Christ and the debt has been cancelled.

“When we forgive someone with the idea of aphiemi, we let something go.  We don’t bring it up again. We don’t let it take over our hearts.”

What is interesting in Luke’s story is that Luke switches to a different Greek word when Jesus says in vs. 47 that the woman’s sins have been forgiven. The word used here is aphiemi, which has the sense of “loose” or “let go.”

When Luke uses the word aphiemi, we are reminded that when we forgive someone we let it go. We aren’t going to bring it up again.

The use of aphiemi is also found in 1 John 1:9 (NIV):

9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive (from aphiemi) us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

This is what God does for us when we confess our sins. It is let go. He will not bring it up again. We confess, agree with God about our sin, and He forgives us. He lets it go because Jesus died on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins.

What I love about God’s use of these two words is that they describe magnificently the nature of the human transaction of forgiveness. When we forgive, we have to cancel the debt that we believe someone owes us. We are saying, “That person owes me an apology.” In our hearts we can conclude that we deserve better treatment. According to Eph. 4:32 we are to forgive others as God has forgiven us. That means concluding that they don’t owe us anything. 

When we forgive someone with the idea of aphiemi, we let something go. We don’t bring it up again. We don’t let it take over our hearts.

This short explanation of forgiveness is not intended to say everything possible about the subject. Forgiving others can take time when something extremely hurtful has been experienced because of the sins of others. But understanding God’s plan for forgiveness helps a believer in the process of forgiveness. Cancel the debt. Let it go.