Free, Freedom, Freely, Freeman, Freedman, Freewoman

primarily of "freedom to go wherever one likes," is used (a) of "freedom from restraint and obligation" in general, Matthew 17:26; Romans 7:3; 1—Corinthians 7:39 , RV, "free," of the second marriage of a woman; 9:1,19; 1—Peter 2:16 , from the Law, Galatians 4:26; from sin, John 8:36; with regard to righteousness, Romans 6:20 (i.e., righteousness laid no sort of bond upon them, they had no relation to it); (b) in a civil sense, "free" from bondage or slavery, John 8:33; 1—Corinthians 7:21,22,2 nd part (for ver. 22,1st part, see C, No. 2); 1—Corinthians 12:13; Galatians 3:28; Ephesians 6:8; Revelation 13:16; 19:18; as a noun, "freeman," Colossians 3:11 , RV; Revelation 6:15; "freewoman," Galatians 4:22,23,30,31 . RV.

"to make free" (akin to A), is used of deliverance from (a) sin, John 8:32,36; Romans 6:18,22; (b) the Law, Romans 8:2; Galatians 5:1 (see, however, under C); (c) the bondage of corruption, Romans 8:21 . See DELIVER.

"liberty" (akin to A and B), is rendered "freedom" in Galatians 5:1 , "with freedom did Christ set us free." The combination of the noun with the verb stresses the completeness of the act, the aorist (or point) tense indicating both its momentary and comprehensive character; it was done once for all. The RV margin "for freedom" gives perhaps the preferable meaning, i.e., "not to bring us into another form of bondage did Christ liberate us from that in which we were born, but in order to make us free from bondage."

"a freed man" (apo, "from," and A), is used in 1—Corinthians 7:22 , "the Lord's freedman." See the illustration above under No. 1. Here the fuller word brings out the spiritual emancipation in contrast to the natural "freedman."

from dorea, "a gift," is used as an adverb in the sense "freely," in Matthew 10:8; Romans 3:24; 2—Corinthians 11:7 (RV, "for nought"); Revelation 21:6; 22:17 . Here the prominent thought is the grace of the Giver. See CAUSE.