Quick Definition
repudiation, divorce
Strong's Definition
properly, something separative, i.e. (specially) divorce
Derivation: neuter of a (presumed) adjective from a derivative of G868 (ἀφίστημι);
KJV Usage: (writing of) divorcement
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
ἀποστάσιον, ἀποστασίου, τό, very seldom in native Greek writings, defection, of a freedman from his patron, Demosthenes 35, 48 (940, 16); in the Bible:
1. divorce, repudiation: Mat_19:7; Mar_10:4 (βιβλίον ἀποστασίου, equivalent to λΐΜψΔιϊΛϊ ρΕτΖψ book or bill of divorce, Deu_24:1; Deu_24:3; (Isa_50:1; Jer_3:8)).
2. a bill of divorce: Mat_5:31. Grotius at the passage and Lightfoot, Horae Hebrew at the passage, We a copy of one.
Mounce Concise Greek Dictionary
ἀποστάσιον apostasion 3x
defection, desertion, as of a freedman from a patron; in NT the act of putting away a wife, repudiation, divorce, Mat_19:7 ; Mar_10:4 ;
meton. a bill of repudiation, deed of divorce, Mat_5:31
Abbott-Smith Greek Lexicon
ἀποστάσιον , -ου , τό
( < ἀφίστημι ),
[in LXX ; Deu_24:1 ; Deu_24:3 , Jer_3:8 , Isa_50:1 ( H3748 ) * ;]
1. in cl ., only in phrase ἀποστασίου δίκη , an action against a freedman for forsaking his προστάτης ( Dem .).
2. In LXX , βιβλίον ἀποστασίου , a bill of divorce: Mat_19:7 , Mar_10:4 ; in same sense ἀ . alone ( MM , s.v. ), Mat_5:31 (for other late exx ., v. MM , l.c .; Kennedy, Sources, 121).†
Moulton & Milligan — Vocabulary of the Greek NT
ἀποστάσιον [page 69]
BGU IV. 1002 .16 (B.C. 55, a copy of a demotic bill of sale μεθηρμηνευμένης κατὰ τὸ δυνατόν ) has ἀποστασίου συνγραφή , bond of relinquishing (the sold property). The phrase is found as early as B.C. 258 in P Hib I. 96 .3 , a contract of renunciation between two military settlers, one of whom at least was a Jew. The editors remark, This expression has hitherto always been found in connexion with the translations of demotic deeds concerning the renunciation of rights of ownership, the (συγγραφὴ ) ἀποστασίου being contrasted with the πρᾶσις , the contract concerning the receipt of the purchase-price; cf. Wilcken, Archiv ii. p. 143 and pp. 388 9 [and now iv. p. 183]. This note does not seem to cover the passage in P Grenf I. 11 ii. 19 (B.C. 157) καὶ ἀποστασίου ἐγράψατο τῶι Πανᾶϊ μὴ ἐπελεύσεσθαι , μήθ᾽ ἄλλον μηθένα τῶν παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ , he had a bill of ejectment drawn against Panas, that neither he nor any person connected with him should trespass on the property. We may add P Ryl II. 160 .9 (A.D. 28 9) πρᾶ [σ ]ις καὶ ἀπωστα [σίου ] μέρη ( l. μερῶν ) κτλ , sale and cession of two parts out of five (Edd.). so other documents in this set : also P Tebt II. 561 (early i/A.D.) πρᾶ ]σις καὶ ἀποστασίου δούλου . ., and Preisigke 995 (B.C. 245 4) συνγραφή , ἣν ἐποιήσατο Κᾶπις Ταστῖτι ἀποστασίου περὶ ὧν ἐν [εκά ]λει αὐτῆι . In P Giss I. 36 .21 (ii/B.C.) we have καὶ ἀνενη ]νόχατε συγγρα (φὰς ) ὠνῆς καὶ ἀποστασίου κατ᾽ αὐτῶν , and in BGU III. 919 .28 (ii/A.D.) we have ἀκολ [ο ]ύθως ᾧ π [α ]ρεθ [έ ]μ (ην ) ῢ̣̣μ̣ι̣̑ [ν ἀ ]ντιγρ (άφῳ ) ἀποστασίου τ [οῦ πα ]τρός μου Ὀνησικράτους κληρον [όμου τ ]ῶν προγεγρα (μμένων ) μου ἀδελφῶν τετ [ελ (ευτηκότων )]. In this last instance ἀποστασίου may be short for συγγραφῆς ἀποστασίου , or it may be the gen. of ἀποστάσιον used as in Mat_5:31 , an abbreviation of the fuller phrase. (It might even be conjectured that in Mt l. c. the original reading was ἀποστασίου and not ον : in its presumed original, Deu_24:1 , βιβλίον was expressed.) A good parallel for this kind of abbreviation is ἡ ἀπερίσπαστος in P Oxy VI. 898 .18 (A.D. 123), for what is called in .15 γράμματα ἀπερ [ισπ ]άστου : it is a deed of indemnification, distinguished by the formula ἀπερίσπαστον παρέξεσθαι or an equivalent phrase (Edd.) just as we talk of nisi prius actions. The specializing of this term for divorce is not paralleled in our documents, but it was clearly the nearest word to use to represent the Hebrew phrase. See also Wilcken Archiv iv. p. 456.
It may be added that in Coptic Ostraca 72 (ed. Crum), as translated on p. 13, we find an abbreviation of ἀποστάσιον used with reference to a deed of divorce in an episcopal circular.
STEPBible — Tyndale Abridged Greek Lexicon
ἀποστάσιον, -ου, τό
(ἀφίστημι), [in LXX; Deu.24:1, 3, Jer.3:8, Isa.50:1 (כְּרִיתוּת) * ;]
__1. in cl., only in phrase ἀποστασίου δίκη, an action against a freedman for forsaking his προστάτης (Dem.).
__2. In LXX, βιβλίον ἀποστασίου, a bill of divorce: Mat.19:7, Mrk.10:4; in same sense ἀ. alone (MM, see word), Mat.5:31 (for other late exx., see MM, l.with; Kennedy, Sources, 121).†
(AS)
