Cleansed (2511) (katharizo from katharos = pure, clean, without stain or spot; English words - catharsis = emotional or physical purging, cathartic = substance used to induce a purging, Cathar = member of a medieval sect which sought the purging of evil from its members) means to make clean by taking away an undesirable part. To cleanse from filth or impurity. Click here (and here) for more background on the important Biblical concept of clean and cleansing. Figuratively katharizo referred to cleansing from ritual contamination or impurity as in (Acts 10:15). In a similar sense katharizo is used of cleansing lepers from ceremonial uncleanness (Mt 8:2-3, et al) Another figurative use in 1John 1:9 (cf James 4:8, Hebrews 10:2) describes the purifying or cleansing from sin and a guilty conscience thus making one acceptable to God and reestablishing fellowship. To cause to become clean as from physical stains and dirt (Mt 23:25). This word group conveys the idea of physical, religious, and moral cleanness or purity in such senses as clean, free from stains or shame, and free from adulteration. In secular Greek katharizo occurs in inscriptions for ceremonial cleansing. There are 31 uses of katharizo in the NT... Matthew 8:2 And behold, a leper (see Lev 13) came to Him, and bowed down to Him, saying, "Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean." 3 And He stretched out His hand and touched him, saying, "I am willing; be cleansed." And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. (Comment: cleansing leprosy had religious, physical, and cultural implications because it was regarded as a defilement and hence made the leper ritually unclean and entailed in the lepers segregation from everyday society. The cleansing of leprosy had religious implications and thus the healing had to be verified by priests before the person was sanctioned as ritually cleansed). Matthew 10:8 "Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons; freely you received, freely give. Matthew 11:5 the blind receive sight and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them. Matthew 23:25 "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the dish (Mark 7:4), but inside they are full of robbery (Luke 16:14, 20:47) and self-indulgence. 26 "You blind Pharisee, first clean the inside of the cup and of the dish, so that the outside of it may become clean also. (see parallel verse Luke 11:39) Mark 1:40 And a leper came to Him, beseeching Him and falling on his knees before Him, and saying to Him, "If You are willing, You can make me clean." 41 And moved with compassion, He stretched out His hand, and touched him, and said to him, "I am willing; be cleansed." 42 And immediately the leprosy left him and he was cleansed. Mark 7:19 because it does not go into his heart, but into his stomach, and is eliminated?" (Thus He declared all foods clean.) Luke 4:27 "And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet (2Ki 7:3); and none of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian (2Ki 5:1-14)." Luke 5:12 And it came about that while He was in one of the cities, behold, there was a man full of leprosy; and when he saw Jesus, he fell on his face and implored Him, saying, "Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean." 13 And He stretched out His hand, and touched him, saying, "I am willing; be cleansed." And immediately the leprosy left him. Luke 7:22 And He answered and said to them, "Go and report to John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the poor have the gospel preached to them. Luke 11:39 But the Lord said to him, "Now you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and of the platter; but inside of you, you are full of robbery and wickedness. Luke 17:14 And when He saw them, He said to them, "Go and show yourselves to the priests." And it came about that as they were going, they were cleansed...17 And Jesus answered and said, "Were there not ten cleansed? But the nine-- where are they? Acts 10:15 And again a voice came to him a second time, "What God has cleansed, no longer consider unholy." (see cross references - 14.2" class="scriptRef">Romans 14:2, 14, 20; 1 Tim. 4:4; Titus 1:15; Matthew 15:11; Mark 7:15) Acts 11:9 "But a voice from heaven answered a second time, 'What God has cleansed, no longer consider unholy.' Acts 15:9 and He made no distinction between us and them, cleansing their hearts by faith. 2 Corinthians 7:1 Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. Ephesians 5:26 (note) that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, Titus 2:14 (note) who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds. Hebrews 9:14 (note) how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? Hebrews 9:22 (note) And according to the Law, one may almost say, all things are cleansed with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. 23 Therefore it was necessary for the copies of the things in the heavens to be cleansed with these, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. (Comment: consecrate by cleansing or purifying) Hebrews 10:2 (note) Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be offered, because the worshipers, having once been cleansed, would no longer have had consciousness of sins? James 4:8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 1 John 1:7 but if we walk in the light as He Himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. 1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Katharizo is used 93 times in the Septuagint (LXX) (Note the predominance of uses in Leviticus) (5.2" class="scriptRef">Gen. 35:2; 7" class="scriptRef">Exod. 20:7; 14.14" class="scriptRef">14.4" class="scriptRef">46" class="scriptRef">29:36f; 16.30" class="scriptRef">30.10" class="scriptRef">30:10; 34:7; 8" class="scriptRef">8.15" class="scriptRef">Lev. 8:15; 12.7-Lev.12.8" class="scriptRef">12:57" class="scriptRef">7f; 13.6-Lev.13.59" class="scriptRef">13:6f, 13, 17, 23" class="scriptRef">23, 28" class="scriptRef">28, 34f, 37, 59; 14:2, 4, 7f, 11, 14, 17ff, 23, 25, 28f, 31, 48, 57; 15:13, 28; 16:19f, 30; 22.4" class="scriptRef">22:4; Num. 6:9; 8:15; 12:15; 14:18; 30:5, 8, 12; 31:23f; Deut. 5:11; 19:13; Jos. 22:17; 1 Sam. 20:26; 2 Ki. 5:10, 12ff; 2 Chr. 29:15; 34:3, 5, 8; Ezra 6:20; Neh. 12:30; 13:9, 22, 30; Job 1:5; Ps. 12:6; 19:12f; 51:2, 7; Prov. 25:4; Isa. 53:10; 57:14; 66:17; Jer. 13:27; 25:29; 33.8" class="scriptRef">33:8; Ezek. 24:13; 36:25, 33; 37:23; 39:12, 14, 16; 43:26; 44:26; Dan. 8:14; 11:35; Hos. 8:5; Mal. 3:3). Here are a few representative uses... Genesis 35:2 So Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, "Put away the foreign gods which are among you, and purify (Lxx = katharizo) yourselves, and change your garments Psalm 12:6 The words of the LORD are pure words; As silver tried in a furnace on the earth, refined (Lxx = katharizo = purified with the perfect tense = describing the persistent state of purification of God's Word) seven times. Psalm 19:13 Also keep back Thy servant from presumptuous sins; Let them not rule over me; Then I shall be blameless, And I shall be acquitted (Lxx = katharizo = cleansed of) of great transgression. Psalm 51:2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, And cleanse (Lxx = katharizo) me from my sin. Psalm 51:7 Purify me with hyssop, and I shall be clean (Lxx = katharizo); Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Malachi 3:3 "And He (Messiah) will sit as a smelter and purifier (Lxx = katharizo) of silver, and He will purify (Lxx = katharizo) the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, so that they may present to the LORD offerings in righteousness. John Donne spoke of spiritual cleansing... Sleep with clean hands, either kept clean all day by integrity or washed clean at night by repentance. Roy Hession (The Calvary Road) noted that one of the dominant themes of the great awakening in East Africa was a constant cleansing from sin which prompted him to write We do not lose peace with God over another person's sin, but only over our own. Only when we are willing to be cleansed, will we have His peace. No (3367) (medeis from medé = and not, also not + heís = one) means not even one. Longer (2089) (eti) refers to extension of time up to and beyond an expected point.