Draw away (645)(apospao from apó = from + spáo = to draw or pull) literally means to draw, pull or drag away from. Apospao is used literally to draw out a sword in Mt 26:51. Apospao is used figuratively here in Acts 20:30 to describe drawing someone away from ("attracting" them from) a point of view (resulting in alienation). A secular use means "alienate pupils from someone." Another classic writing is translated "so that they might be wrested from their sins." Other figurative uses mean to draw away from a place (Lk 22:41) or from people (Acts 21:1).
Here are some other non-Biblical uses of apospao from Moulton and Milligan -
"you wrote me not to withdraw the gang (of workmen engaged in the copper mines) from Philoteris before they had finished the work." “Withdraw,” with no suggestion of violence, though with breach of contract, is the sense in numerous formal documents - "in a case of adoption...in the indenture of a slave...where in a contract of apprenticeship a father is not to have the power of removing his son from his master until the completion of the period.... where a widow threatens to take away her son from a man in whose charge he had been left....In the marriage contract, P Oxy III. 496(9 )(A.D. 127), provision is made that in the event of a separation taking place, the bride shall have the power to “withdraw” a certain female slave, who forms part of her dowry."
Apospao - 4x in the NT and 6x in the Septuagint (Lev 22:24; Josh 8:6 ["drawn them away"]; Jdg 16:9; Job 41:17 ["cannot be separated."]; Isa 28:9; Jer 12:14 ["I am about to uproot them"]). Here are the other 3 uses in the New Testament...
Mt 26:51 And behold, one of those who were with Jesus reached and drew out his sword, and struck the slave of the high priest and cut off his ear.
Lk 22:41 And He withdrew from them about a stone's throw, and He knelt down and began to pray,
Acts 21:1 When we had parted from (apospao - drew ourselves away from) them and had set sail, we ran a straight course to Cos and the next day to Rhodes and from there to Patara
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Greek Word Studies ( - )
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