What does ἀπώλεια (apṓleia) mean in the Bible?
Apōleia names destruction, ruin, loss, or waste. Jesus contrasts the broad road leading to destruction with the narrow way leading to life.
Greek · G684
ἀπώλεια
Ruin or loss (physical, spiritual or eternal)
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ἀπώλεια G684
Pronunciation apṓleia
What does ἀπώλεια (apṓleia) mean in the Bible?
Apōleia names destruction, ruin, loss, or waste. Jesus contrasts the broad road leading to destruction with the narrow way leading to life.
Reader summary
Full entry for ἀπώλεια (G684) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render G684?
The BSB source-word alignment has 18 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include destruction (11), of destruction (2), waste (2), . . . (1), are destroyed (1).
Where does ἀπώλεια (apṓleia) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Matthew 7:13. Its strongest book concentrations include 2 Peter (5), Matthew (2), Philippians (2), Revelation (2).
What This Word Actually Means
Apōleia names destruction, ruin, loss, or waste. Jesus contrasts the broad road leading to destruction with the narrow way leading to life. At Bethany, critics call costly perfume a waste, while Jesus interprets the act in relation to His burial. John calls Judas the son of destruction within Jesus' prayer for His disciples. Peter confronts Simon's attempt to buy God's gift by declaring that his silver perish with him, and Paul speaks soberly of vessels of wrath prepared for destruction.
The noun does not always denote the same event or degree of loss. Context decides whether it concerns waste, temporal ruin, moral perdition, or final judgment. Its severity should neither be softened nor imported indiscriminately into every occurrence.
How the Bible Uses It
Apōleia ranges from alleged waste to ultimate ruin. The perfume is wrongly labeled waste; the broad road ends in destruction; Judas embodies tragic perdition; corrupt money and its possessor face ruin; and Romans speaks of destruction under divine wrath.
- Matt.7.13
Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.
Matthew 7:13 places destruction at the end of the broad gate and spacious road. Jesus' warning calls for actual entry by the narrow gate, not speculation about the relative population of heaven and hell.
- Mark.14.4
Some of those present, however, expressed their indignation to one another: “Why this waste of perfume?
Mark 14:4 records indignant observers calling the woman's costly act a waste. Jesus overturns their accounting because her devotion prepares His body for burial and will be remembered with the gospel.
- John.17.12
While I was with them, I protected and preserved them by Your name, the name You gave Me. Not one of them has been lost, except the son of destruction, so that the Scripture would be fulfilled.
John 17:12 calls Judas the son of destruction and says Scripture was fulfilled. Jesus' preservation of the others and Judas's culpable betrayal stand together without making Judas a passive victim.
- Acts.8.20
But Peter replied, “May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money!
Acts 8:20 literally consigns Simon's silver with him to destruction because he thought God's gift could be purchased. Peter summons him to repent and pray, so the rebuke is severe and pastorally directed.
- Rom.9.22
What if God, intending to show His wrath and make His power known, bore with great patience the vessels of His wrath, prepared for destruction?
Romans 9:22 speaks of vessels of wrath prepared for destruction while emphasizing God's patience and the riches of glory shown to vessels of mercy. The text requires humility before divine judgment, not delight in others' ruin.
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders It destruction 11× Matthew 7:13, Romans 9:22, Philippians 1:28, Philippians 3:19
of destruction 2× John 17:12, 2 Thessalonians 2:3
waste 2× Matthew 26:8, Mark 14:4
. . . 1× Acts 8:20
are destroyed 1× Hebrews 10:39
destructive 1× 2 Peter 2:1
Show sample aligned rows
Matthew 7:13 ἀπώλειαν to destruction Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular Matthew 26:8 ἀπώλεια to waste Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular Mark 14:4 ἀπώλεια to waste Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular John 17:12 ἀπωλείας to of destruction Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular Acts 8:20 ἀπώλειαν to . . . Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular Romans 9:22 ἀπώλειαν to destruction Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular Philippians 1:28 ἀπωλείας to destruction Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular Philippians 3:19 ἀπώλεια to destruction Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular 2 Thessalonians 2:3 ἀπωλείας to of destruction Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular 1 Timothy 6:9 ἀπώλειαν to destruction Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Matthew 7:13
Aligned rows 18
Books represented 11
Matthew 2 Mark 1 John 1 Acts 1 Romans 1 Philippians 2 2 Thessalonians 1 1 Timothy 1 Hebrews 1 2 Peter 5 Revelation 2
Source forms
ἀπώλειαν 9x apōleian Matthew 7:13, Acts 8:20, Romans 9:22, 1 Timothy 6:9
ἀπωλείας 5x apōleias John 17:12, Philippians 1:28, 2 Thessalonians 2:3, 2 Peter 2:1
ἀπώλεια 4x apōleia Matthew 26:8, Mark 14:4, Philippians 3:19, 2 Peter 2:3
Parsing patterns
Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular 9x Matthew 7:13, Acts 8:20, Romans 9:22, 1 Timothy 6:9
Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular 5x John 17:12, Philippians 1:28, 2 Thessalonians 2:3, 2 Peter 2:1
Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular 4x Matthew 26:8, Mark 14:4, Philippians 3:19, 2 Peter 2:3
Using This Word Well
Be careful not to...
- Do not use destruction language to express personal contempt or certainty beyond the passage.
- Do not call sacrificial generosity waste merely because it lacks visible efficiency or return.
Avoid claiming...
- Do not use destruction language to express personal contempt or certainty beyond the passage.
- Do not call sacrificial generosity waste merely because it lacks visible efficiency or return.
Evidence Summary
Messiah
Greek word. ruin or loss (physical, spiritual or eternal)
Strong's G684
Lexical occurrences 18 verses Greek text appearances 20 times 16 shown below Word forms 3 forms 18 references Verse guides 0 guides
Study link Matthew 7:13–14 Source Gloss
ruin or loss (physical, spiritual or eternal)
Greek Text Appearances
Textus Receptus witness, full corpus Greek token appearances from Scrivener 1894 Textus Receptus in the full New Testament corpus.
16 of 20 Greek text appearances shown. Linked morphology labels have verse guides.
Matthew 7:13 Noun Accusative Singular Feminine
ἀπώλειαν, apwleian
destruction, ruin, loss
Read verse Matthew 26:8 Noun Nominative Singular Feminine
ἀπώλεια apwleia
destruction, ruin, loss
Read verse Mark 14:4 Noun Nominative Singular Feminine
ἀπώλεια apwleia
destruction, ruin, loss
Read verse John 17:12 Noun Genitive Singular Feminine
ἀπωλείας, apwleiav
destruction, ruin, loss
Read verse Acts 8:20 Noun Accusative Singular Feminine
ἀπώλειαν, apwleian
destruction, ruin, loss
Read verse Acts 25:16 Noun Accusative Singular Feminine
ἀπώλειαν, apwleian
destruction, ruin, loss
Read verse Romans 9:22 Noun Accusative Singular Feminine
ἀπώλειαν· apwleian
destruction, ruin, loss
Read verse Philippians 1:28 Noun Genitive Singular Feminine
ἀπωλείας, apwleiav
destruction, ruin, loss
Read verse Philippians 3:19 Noun Nominative Singular Feminine
ἀπώλεια, apwleia
destruction, ruin, loss
Read verse 2 Thessalonians 2:3 Noun Genitive Singular Feminine
ἀπωλείας, apwleiav
destruction, ruin, loss
Read verse 1 Timothy 6:9 Noun Accusative Singular Feminine
ἀπώλειαν. apwleian
destruction, ruin, loss
Read verse Hebrews 10:39 Noun Accusative Singular Feminine
ἀπώλειαν, apwleian
destruction, ruin, loss
Read verse 2 Peter 2:1 Noun Genitive Singular Feminine
ἀπωλείας, apwleiav
destruction, ruin, loss
Read verse 2 Peter 2:1 Noun Accusative Singular Feminine
ἀπώλειαν. apwleian
destruction, ruin, loss
Read verse 2 Peter 2:2 Noun Dative Plural Feminine
ἀπωλείαις, apwleiaiv
destruction, ruin, loss
Read verse 2 Peter 2:3 Noun Nominative Singular Feminine
ἀπώλεια apwleia
destruction, ruin, loss
Read verseFull New Testament corpus: 260 chapters, 7,957 verses, 140,628 tokens. Data source: honza/textus-receptus (data only), with authority check against byztxt/greektext-textus-receptus.
Grammatical Forms
How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
This word appears as a noun across 3 case and number patterns. The form changes show how the word functions in a sentence; they do not change the basic lexical meaning by themselves.
Form patterns 3 Aligned forms 18 Case pattern Accusative (9) Number pattern Singular (18)
Verse guides are not available for this word yet, so verse references remain plain evidence markers.
Nominative · Singular · Feminine Matt 26:8 · Mark 14:4 · Phil 3:19 · 2 Pet 2:3 4×
Genitive · Singular · Feminine John 17:12 · Phil 1:28 · 2 Thess 2:3 · 2 Pet 2:1 · 2 Pet 3:7 5×
Accusative · Singular · Feminine Matt 7:13 · Acts 8:20 · Rom 9:22 · 1 Tim 6:9 · Heb 10:39 · 2 Pet 2:1 · 2 Pet 3:16 · Rev 17:8 · Rev 17:11 9×
Selected Scripture Witness
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
New Testament Witnesses
destruction or ruin
Showing 1 selected witness from 18 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
ἀπώλεια is built from this root:
Why This Word Matters
Highlights the eternal seriousness of rejecting Christ. Matthew 7:13–14
Canonical Themes
Messiah
Part of These Phrases
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.
For the Preacher and Teacher
Apōleia is severe language, but it is not a blunt instrument. Jesus warns that an easy, crowded path can end in destruction, calling hearers to enter the way of life. At Bethany, however, "destruction" is the critics' mistaken label for costly devotion; what appears wasted is honored by Jesus because it attends His burial. Judas, Simon, and Romans 9 then bring the darker sense into view: betrayal, attempted purchase of God's gift, and life under wrath move toward ruin.
Pastoral teaching should retain the warning without cultivating fascination with condemnation. It should expose destructive paths, invite repentance where the text does, honor costly love that Christ approves, and speak of judgment with tears and humility. The word's force belongs to God's verdict, not to a preacher's anger.
Anchor passage
Matt.7.13
Doctrinal connections
- Judgment: Jesus teaches that paths have final destinations and warns of real destruction.
- Discipleship: the narrow way is defined by response to Jesus' teaching, not mere religious difficulty.
- Christ's death: the Bethany anointing receives meaning from Jesus' approaching burial.
- Apostasy and betrayal: Judas's perdition fulfills Scripture without erasing his culpability.
- Grace and ministry: God's Spirit and gifts cannot be bought, owned, or controlled.
- Wrath and mercy: Romans holds divine patience, judgment, and revealed mercy within God's redemptive purpose.
Apōleia is related to apollymi and can mean destruction, ruin, perdition, loss, or waste. The semantic scale ranges from squandered resources to eschatological destruction; context must determine the referent.
From Old to New Testament
Wisdom contrasts the way of life with paths ending in death, prophets warn of covenant ruin, and sacrificial devotion may look wasteful to worldly accounting. The New Testament concentrates final life and judgment around response to Christ.
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
Berean Standard Bible (BSB) source-word alignment - CC0 Public Domain