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Are you absolved from your sins or absolved of your sins?

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up vote 6 down vote accepted

The preposition to use together absolved is of, or from.

The pardon absolved them of any crimes.
She has been absolved from her promise to serve on the committee.

Similarly to the second sentence, I would write from your sins.

I absolve you from your sins.

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Thanks, that's what I thought, but <a href="dictionary.reference.com/browse/…; uses from... –  The English Chicken Feb 8 '11 at 15:10
I gave a partial answer; I need to expand it. –  kiamlaluno Feb 8 '11 at 15:25
I don't recognise the use of 'absolve' in your second sentence. –  Colin Fine Feb 8 '11 at 16:52
I believe I've also heard it used without any preposition at all, putting the person as an indirect object: I absolve you your sins. This is commoner with forgive, though. –  JSBձոգչ Feb 8 '11 at 17:39
@Colin Fine: It means "release (from obligations / guilt)", so the "absolved from her promise" is fine (if rather unusual!). –  psmears Feb 8 '11 at 18:30
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The word is very unusual outside a theological context, where the usual construction is 'absolve from', following the Latin.

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The Latin in question being, e.g. Ego te absolvo a peccatis tuis -- "I you (direct object) absolve from sins your." –  Josh Caswell May 16 '11 at 20:46
I am pleased to hear that exist a preposition which follow the Latin! +1 –  user19148 Jun 24 '12 at 23:31
Well you could also be "absolved of" liability. So it is not necessarily true that it is unusual outside of religion. –  franklin May 18 at 15:17
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