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Greek · G5351 · unreviewed

φθείρω

To destroy

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φθείρω G5351
Pronunciation phtheírō

What does φθείρω (phtheírō) mean in the Bible?

φθείρω (phtheírō) is a Greek word meaning "to destroy". φθείρω [in LXX chiefly for שָׁחַת hi.

Full entry for φθείρω (G5351) · Browse the biblical lexicon

Meaning

to destroy
Extended definition

Destroy through moral corruption or decay, not mere external damage or annihilation

to destroy, corrupt, spoil (on the varied usage and distinctive meaning of the word, see Mayor on 2Pe, App., 175 ff.): with accusative, 1Co.3:17 15:23, 2Co.7:2; before ἀπό, 2Co.11:3; ἐν, 2Pe.2:12, Ju 10, Rev.19:2; κατά, Eph.4:22 (cf. δια-, κατα-φθείρω).

Source: STEPBible TBESG + Abbott-Smith
Grammatical Forms

How mood, tense, and voice shift the force of this verb in context.

Tenses
Present Future Aorist Imperfect
Voices
Active Passive
Indicative states a fact or reality 7×
Present Active 1 Cor 3:17 · 1 Cor 15:33 2×
Future Active 1 Cor 3:17 1×
Aorist Active 2 Cor 7:2 1×
Future Passive 2 Pet 2:12 1×
Present Passive Jude 1:10 1×
Imperfect Active Rev 19:2 1×
Subjunctive possibility, probability, or purpose 1×
Aorist Passive 2 Cor 11:3 1×
Participle verbal adjective — the action as a modifying quality 1×
Present Passive Eph 4:22 1×
9 total occurrences across all forms in the biblical text Morphology: MorphGNT SBLGNT — CC BY-SA 3.0
Discourse Aspect

How this verb appears across 9 occurrences in the NT discourse index (MACULA Greek SBLGNT).

Aspect
completed 1 ongoing 3 prospective 2 background 1 subjunctive 1 participle 1
Tense
present 4 future 2 aorist 2 imperfect 1
Voice
active 5 passive 4
Mood
indicative 7 subjunctive 1 participle 1
NT Occurrences
1 Corinthians 3:17 φθείρει present active indicative ongoing 1 Corinthians 3:17 φθερεῖ future active indicative prospective 1 Corinthians 15:33 φθείρουσιν present active indicative ongoing 2 Corinthians 7:2 ἐφθείραμεν aorist active indicative completed 2 Corinthians 11:3 φθαρῇ aorist passive subjunctive subjunctive Ephesians 4:22 φθειρόμενον present passive participle participle 2 Peter 2:12 φθαρήσονται future passive indicative prospective Jude 1:10 φθείρονται present passive indicative ongoing Revelation 19:2 ἔφθειρεν imperfect active indicative background

Aspect reflects grammatical form — not authorial emphasis. Participles and infinitives are verbal adjectives and nouns respectively.

Clause data: MACULA Greek (Clear Bible, CC BY 4.0) · SBLGNT (Logos/SBL, CC BY 4.0)

Biblical Occurrences

Each occurrence shows the passage reference, the original language term as it appears in that context, its transliteration, and the contextual sense.

Biblical Witnesses
1 Corinthians 15:23 corrupted phtheírō
Moral or spiritual decay of the flesh subject to death and dissolution
2 Corinthians 7:2 wronged phtheírō Indicative · Aorist Active
Harm or injury done to persons through injustice or mistreatment
Ephesians 4:22 corrupted phtheírō Participle · Present Passive
Moral and spiritual deterioration of human nature through sinful desires
2 Peter 2:12 destroyed phtheírō Indicative · Future Passive
Complete ruin or annihilation of ungodly persons and their judgment
Word Pictures (Robertson)

A.T. Robertson's Word Pictures in the New Testament (1930–31) discusses this term in the following chapters. Open any chapter and go to the Word Pictures tab to read his verse-by-verse commentary.

1 Corinthians 3 — God’s Field, God’s Building, God’s Temple

A.T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament (1930–31) — public domain

Sources

MorphGNT Strong's Dictionary XML — CC0 1.0 Public Domain

Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (morphhb/OSHB) — CC BY 4.0

Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon — CC BY 4.0

STEPBible Data — CC BY 4.0

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