What does ἀφανίζω (aphanízō) mean in the Bible?
ἀφανίζω (aphanízō): To destroy by making invisible or hidden; emphasis on removal from sight rather than annihilation.
Greek · G853
ἀφανίζω
To destroy
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ἀφανίζωG853
Pronunciationaphanízō
What does ἀφανίζω (aphanízō) mean in the Bible?
ἀφανίζω (aphanízō): To destroy by making invisible or hidden; emphasis on removal from sight rather than annihilation.
Full entry for ἀφανίζω (G853) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render G853?
The BSB source-word alignment has 5 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include destroy (1), do not destroy (1), perish (1), they disfigure (1), vanishes (1).
Where does ἀφανίζω (aphanízō) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Matthew 6:16. Its strongest book concentrations include Matthew (3), Acts (1), James (1).
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders Itdestroy1×Matthew 6:19
do not destroy1×Matthew 6:20
perish1×Acts 13:41
they disfigure1×Matthew 6:16
vanishes1×James 4:14
Show sample aligned rows
Matthew 6:16ἀφανίζουσινtothey disfigureVerb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person PluralMatthew 6:19ἀφανίζειtodestroyVerb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingularMatthew 6:20ἀφανίζειtodo not destroyVerb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingularActs 13:41ἀφανίσθητεtoperishVerb - Aorist Imperative Passive - 2nd Person PluralJames 4:14ἀφανιζομένηtovanishesVerb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Nominative Feminine Singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned rowMatthew 6:16
Aligned rows5
Books represented3
Matthew3Acts1James1
Source forms
ἀφανίζει2xaphanizeiMatthew 6:19, Matthew 6:20
ἀφανιζομένη1xaphanizomenēJames 4:14
ἀφανίζουσιν1xaphanizousinMatthew 6:16
ἀφανίσθητε1xaphanisthēteActs 13:41
Parsing patterns
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular2xMatthew 6:19, Matthew 6:20
Verb - Aorist Imperative Passive - 2nd Person Plural1xActs 13:41
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural1xMatthew 6:16
Verb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Nominative Feminine Singular1xJames 4:14
Evidence Summary
Greek word. To destroy by making invisible or hidden; emphasis on removal from sight rather than annihilation.
Strong'sG853
Lexical occurrences5 versesGreek text appearances5 timesWord forms3 forms5 referencesVerse guides0 guides
Source Gloss
to destroy
Extended definitionSource: STEPBible TBESG + Abbott-Smith
To destroy by making invisible or hidden; emphasis on removal from sight rather than annihilation.
(ἀφανής), [in LXX for שָׁמֵם ni., שָׁמַד hi., etc. ;]
1to make unseen, hide from sight (Xen., a1.).
2Later (MM, see word)
ato destroy: Mat.6:19-20;
Greek Text Appearances
Textus Receptus witness, full corpusGreek token appearances from Scrivener 1894 Textus Receptus in the full New Testament corpus.
5 Greek text appearances shown. Linked morphology labels have verse guides.
Matthew 6:16Verb Third Person Plural Present Active Indicative
ἀφανίζουσιafanizousin
I cause to disappear, I hide, remove, disfigure
Read verseMatthew 6:19Verb Third Person Singular Present Active Indicative
ἀφανίζει,afanizei
I cause to disappear, I hide, remove, disfigure
Read verseMatthew 6:20Verb Third Person Singular Present Active Indicative
ἀφανίζει,afanizei
I cause to disappear, I hide, remove, disfigure
Read verseActs 13:41Verb Second Person Plural Aorist Passive Imperative
ἀφανίσθητε·afanisqhte
I cause to disappear, I hide, remove, disfigure
Read verseJames 4:14Verb Present Passive Participle Nominative Singular Feminine
ἀφανιζομένη.afanizomenh
I cause to disappear, I hide, remove, disfigure
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 mood, tense, and voice shift the force of this verb in context.
This verb appears through different tense, voice, mood, or stem patterns. Those forms help readers see how the action is presented in context.
Form groups3Aligned forms5TensesPresent, AoristVoicesActive, Passive
Verse guides are not available for this word yet, so verse references remain plain evidence markers.
Tenses
Voices
Indicativestates a fact or reality3×
Present ActiveMatt 6:19 · Matt 6:20 · Matt 6:163×
Imperativecommand or strong request1×
Aorist PassiveActs 13:411×
Participleverbal adjective — the action as a modifying quality1×
Present PassiveJas 4:141×
Discourse Aspect
How this verb appears across 5 occurrences in the NT discourse index (MACULA Greek SBLGNT).
Aspect
Tense
present4aorist1
Voice
active3passive2
Mood
indicative3imperative1participle1
NT Occurrences
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)
Word Origins
ἀφανίζω is built from this root: