The Greek noun apothesis (G595) means the putting off, removal, or laying aside of something — used figuratively for the discarding of sinful behaviors or, literally, the laying aside of the body at death. It is derived from apotithemi (G659, to put off/lay aside). The word appears twice in the New Testament: in 1 Peter 3:21 and 2 Peter 1:14.
In 2 Peter 1:14, Peter uses apothesis for death itself — 'the putting off of my body' (ESV) — following Jesus' revelation about his coming martyrdom (John 21:18-19). This metaphor for death reveals a profound Christian perspective: death is not extinction but the putting off of a temporary garment. The body is not the person's essence but a 'tent' (2 Corinthians 5:1-4) that will be exchanged for a resurrection body. In 1 Peter 3:21, apothesis describes the removal of 'the filth of the flesh' — the old life discarded in baptism. Both uses share a theme: the Christian life involves radical putting-off, whether of sin now or of mortality at death.