ἀπολούω

ἀπολούω — apoloúō

ἀπολούω: to wash off or away; in the N. T. twice in 1 aorist middle figuratively (cf. Philo de mut. nom. § 6, i., p. 585, Mang. edition): ἀπελούσασθε, 1Co 6:11; βάπτισαι καί ἀπόλουσαι τάς ἁμαρτίας σου, Act 22:16. For the sinner is unclean, polluted as it were by the filth of his sins. Whoever obtains remission of sins has his sins put, so to speak, out of God's sight — is cleansed from them in the sight of God. Remission is (represented as) obtained by undergoing baptism; hence, those who have gone down into the baptismal bath (lavacrum, cf. Tit 3:5; Eph 5:26) are said ἀπολούσασθαι to have washed themselves, or τάς ἁμαρτίας ἀπολούσασθαι to have washed away their sins, i. e. to have been cleansed from their sins.