# "redeemed" in ancient and/or modern Greek



## cheer89

I'm wanting a tattoo of the word "redeemed" in Greek (from 1 Peter 1:18 in the Bible) and just want to check on the spelling.  I think the root word is "lutroo" and it is used in this passage as "elutrothete" meaning "you were redeemed."  Can someone help me out with the actual Greek letters and true meaning of the word I'm researching?


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## spyroware

The term you're looking for is λυτρωθείς (female λυτρωθεῖσα), passive past participle of λυτρῶ/λυτρόω/λυτρώνω. The noun, redemption, is λύτρωσις.

Personal comment: Truth be told the participle doesn't sound that good in Greek. The noun is fine and nice, but I'd say the 'opposite' of it sounds much better: ἐξιλέωσις (exileosis) = expiation. Both mean salvation-atonement in Christian context, the former by means of a saviour ransoming us, the latter through some self-suffering. But obviously it's your tattoo and your views and reasons for having it, just saying my opinion


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## cheer89

λυτρωθείς (female λυτρωθεῖσα)

Can you explain the male and female - is that of the person doing the redeeming or suffering?


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## PopiGr

The gender has to do with the person that has been saved.


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## polytropos

Ο λυτρωθείς/η λυτρωθείσα is saved from the sin (male/female  past participle of the passive v. λυτρώνομαι). The one who saved someone from the sin is ο λυτρώσας/η λυτρώσασα (the past participle of the active verb λυτρώνω. Λυτρώνω and λυτρώνομαι are in modern greek, though participles are not in use in modern grammar and syntaxis. Except exceptions, of course.)


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## artion

Good word for an original tatoo. Enough with those chinese letters. The word λυτρωθείς/λυτρωθείσα doesn't have only religious meaning but physical, too. You may be λυτρωθείς from an illness, an anxiety or a bad habit. You may also consider the noun λύτρωσις, the vernacular and poetical λυτρωμός (modern Gr.) etc. Instead of typographic letters you may use  byzantine and palaiographic or hagiographic ones. But don't replace final ς with capital C coz will look like serbian name . Find photos by googling.


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## cheer89

Thank you all for your replies.  I'm going to continue researching and using some of what you've given me.  I greatly appreciate the "native-Greek-speaking" feedback - I trust that more than some other resources.  Have a great weekend!


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## polytropos

Καλό Σαββατοκύριακο.


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## cheer89

Oh, one more quick question.  How do the accents change the word?  Or do they?  Can I get a word tattooed without accents & does it mean the same thing?


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## cheer89

And from your perspective, how would you define the word "λυτρωθείσα" to someone if they had no idea what it meant?


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## PopiGr

The accents in Greek are indispensable... There will be no other meaning if you quit them, but the word will have been written wrong... If you' re going to make a tattoo that will last for ever, why write it badly? The absence of accent will be noticed easily by someone who knows a bit of Greek. (In my opinion, the accent makes it much more interesting, even more if you're about to write the feminine form "λυτρωθεῖσα").


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## cheer89

Okay thanks, so there's only one accent then (above the ῖ) and if you were describing the word to someone who didn't speak Greek, what would you say?


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## polytropos

#9. You can use majuscules: ΛΥΤΡΩΘΕΙΣΑ (without accent). Or minuscules with perispomeni: Λυτρωθεῖσα (perispomeni and participle are like peas and carrots, since they are features of koine (greek of the Evangile). 
#10. see #2 (redeemed).


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## cheer89

Thanks so much for answering all my questions (obviously I'm nervous about tattooing something spelled wrong).  I feel good about λυτρωθεῖσα and am going with that.


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## polytropos

Take your time. Reconsider. Postpone. Visit Uncial script page in Wikipedia.  Print it in a T-shirt, and see how you feel wearing it. Nobody obliges you to do it, after all.


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## Greek Texan

How about using a form of "agorazo" from Galatians 3:13??
χριστος ημας *εξηγορασεν* εκ της καταρας του νομου.
Translated as "Christ *redeemed* us from the curse of the law."


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## artion

Oops, we have some hellenists in USA!
1) I believe that accent is not  that important on a tattoo word but adds to the greekness. The first gospels were written in capital letters with no accents. 

2) Actually λυτρώ means "I liberate someone by paying ransom" and is similar to εξαγοράζω. The equivalent of λυτρωθείσα is εξαγορασθείσα but its religious meaning is not obvious to a Greek speaker, who may think something about slavery, corruption or  prostitution.


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## polytropos

artion said:


> Oops, we have some hellenists in USA!
> 1) I believe that accent is not  that important on a tattoo word but adds to the greekness. The first gospels were written in capital letters with no accents.



I think that the perispomeni looks more like katharevoussa, connoting old school discipline etc. On the other hand, the uncial (byzantine) alphabet -without accents-is the top of greekness, full of spirituality and esoteric grandeur.  In addition, you lost the final c argument, since the word is "λυτρωθείσα",  not "λυτρωθείς".



> 2) Actually λυτρώ means "I liberate someone by paying ransom" and is similar to εξαγοράζω. The equivalent of λυτρωθείσα is εξαγορασθείσα but its religious meaning is not obvious to a Greek speaker, who may think something about slavery, corruption or  prostitution.


 
I fully agree with you.


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## Greek Texan

So is this the best tatoo option for "Redeemed"??
ΛΥΤΡΩΘΕΙΣΑ


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## polytropos

The best will be Cheer 89 option. What we can do is to offer different perspectives on the matter. In my opinion, byzantine uncial would be better than capitals.  For a sample, browse: Codex_Sinaiticus‑small.jpg.


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## blackpuma

Greek Texan said:


> So is this the best tatoo option for "Redeemed"??
> ΛΥΤΡΩΘΕΙΣΑ



Your profile says that  you're male, so this would be a *bad* option because it's the feminine form.


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## blackpuma

As a calligrapher who has spent a lot of time in Mediæval Roman ("Byzantine") texts, uncial is classy, but I like the cursive better personally. :3 Of course, it boils down to taste. 

If you use uncial, remember that they used C instead of Σ.


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## blackpuma

I have given this some thought, and personally I would use the Δημοτική (modern Greek) word λυτρωμένος. 

In Δημοτική, «λυτρωθείς» is the 2nd person singular passive *future* form of λυτρώνομαι. In other words, «θα λυτρωθείς» means, "you will be redeemed" which is definitely not what is intended. 

Λυτρωμένος has only one meaning across the ages, but unfortunately λυτρωθείς has two conflicting meanings across time.


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## polytropos

Keep in mind that cheer 89 -who started this thread (#1)- is rather interested about the female form of the participle (post #10): λυτρωμένη ή λυτρωθείσα.


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## blackpuma

My mistake. Thank you.


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