The Greek word [aphesis] is written 17 times in the scriptures.
It is translated:
remission - 9 times
forgiveness - 6 times
deliverance - 1 time
liberty - 1 time.
[Aphesis] is a release from bondage or imprisonment, forgiveness or pardon, remission of the penalty. It is linked with repentance, and with Jesus, and with His blood.
In the synagogue at Nazareth, when Jesus read the prophecy written by Isaiah, it showed remission and forgiveness of sins .... through HIM:
Luke 4:18-19 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor;
he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted,
to preach deliverance [aphesis] to the captives,
and recovering of sight to the blind,
to set at liberty [aphesis] them that are bruised,
19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.
Jesus indicated to the audience that HE was the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy, and that they were eye-witnesses of it:
Luke 4:20-21 And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him.
21 And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.
When Jesus ate the Passover Supper (Luke 22:15) with His disciples, He taught them that HIS blood would be the atonement for their sins .... as the blood of the NEW testament:
Matt 26:26-28 And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body.
27 And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it;
28 For this is my blood of the new testament,
which is shed for many for the remission [aphesis] of sins.
After Jesus’ sacrificial death as the Lamb of God (John 1:29,36), and after He rose again from the dead .... He appeared to His disciples, and encouraged them to start at Jerusalem, as home base, and spread the gospel of His death and resurrection EVERYWHERE. They were eye-witnesses of His death and resurrection, as well as the expansion of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God (Mark 1:1) to the Gentiles:
Luke 24:46-48 And said unto them, Thus it is written,
and thus it behoved Christ to suffer,
and to rise from the dead the third day:
47 And that repentance and remission [aphesis] of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
48 And ye are witnesses of these things.
Peter preached to Jews that had gathered in Jerusalem from every nation under heaven (Acts 2:5). Israel needed to ‘change their mind’ (repent) about Who Jesus truly was, and accept Him as their Christ (John 1:11,12):
Acts 2:38-39 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission [aphesis] of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
39 For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.
Again Peter preached the death and resurrection of Jesus. He also presented the glorification of Christ. Israel could repent and be forgiven of their sins, when they placed their faith in Jesus Christ:
Acts 5:30-32 The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree.
31 Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness [aphesis] of sins.
32 And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.
When Peter offered forgiveness through Jesus Christ, he also included the Gentiles. Peter said that ALL the prophets prophesied of Him:
Acts 10:42-45 And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead.
43 To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission [aphesis] of sins.
44 While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word.
45 And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost.
Paul (Acts 13:16) was talking about how the people that lived at Jerusalem and their rulers fulfilled prophecy by demanding the death of Christ. Paul was a witness of the Lord’s resurrection. He, too, extended the gospel of Jesus Christ, with remission / forgiveness under the NEW testament, to everyone for justification that was not available under Moses’ OLD testament:
Acts 13:37-39 But he, whom God raised again, saw no corruption.
38 Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness [aphesis] of sins:
39 And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.
Paul warned his listeners of prophecies (Isa 29:14, Hab 1:5) that would come upon them, if they didn’t believe on Jesus Christ:
Acts 13:40-41 Beware therefore, lest that come upon you, which is spoken of in the prophets;
41 Behold, ye despisers, and wonder, and perish: for I work a work in your days, a work which ye shall in no wise believe, though a man declare it unto you.
When Jesus commissioned Saul on the Damascus Road, He informed him to preach to the Gentiles, so they also could be forgiven:
Acts 26:15-18 And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest. (the SAME Jesus, not 'another Jesus')
16 But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee;
17 Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee,
18 To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness [aphesis] of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.
Paul’s epistles show forgiveness / remission .... in Christ’s blood, the blood of the NEW testament (2 Cor 3:6) of which we are able ministers:
Eph 1:7 In whom (the Beloved) we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness [aphesis] of sins, according to the riches of his grace;
Col 1:14 In whom (the Father’s Dear Son) we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness [aphesis] of sins:
God the Father accepted the sacrifice of Jesus the Son. Jesus’ blood paid for all the sins that were being ‘held’ for payment under the OLD testament. The animal sacrifices were only temporary, until the Better Sacrifice came:
Rom 3:24-26 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission [paresis] of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;
26 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.
God applied the blood of Jesus back over the OLD testament sin, because the required animal sacrifices, could never cleanse from sin:
Heb 9:15-22 And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.
16 For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator.
17 For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth.
18 Whereupon neither the first testament was dedicated without blood.
19 For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book, and all the people, 20 Saying, This is the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined unto you.
21 Moreover he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle, and all the vessels of the ministry.
22 And almost all things are by the law purged with blood;
and without shedding of blood is no remission [aphesis].
In the OLD testament, God required animal sacrifices. They ‘held back’ God’s judgment against sin, but animal blood could never offer complete release:
Heb 10:2-4 For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins.
3 But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year.
4 For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.
Only One, Jesus’ blood, can bring remission / forgiveness for sins:
Heb 10:14-18 For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.
15 Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before,
16 This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them;
17 And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.
18 Now where remission [aphesis] of these is, there is no more offering for sin.
‘Mid-Acts-ers’ divide between remission and forgiveness .... even though one Greek word [aphesis] is translated both ways.
This is David Dowell, saying, "Think about it!"
