φθείρω (G5351) — Greek Lexicon

φθείρω

phtheírō

G5351 verb

SILEX Entry

Definition

To cause to decay, ruin, or become morally or physically corrupted; at its core, to cause something to lose its original or intended state through decomposition, damage, or moral influence. In physical contexts: to destroy, ruin, corrupt, spoil, or decay (e.g., crops, bodies). In moral or abstract contexts: to corrupt morally, lead astray, deprave, or bring to moral ruin.

Semantic Range

to destroy, to bring to ruin, to cause to decay, to spoil, to morally corrupt, to deprave, to defile, to physically spoil or rot

Root / Etymology

Derived from the root φθαρ- (as in φθορά, 'corruption, decay'); possibly related to φθίνω ('to waste away, dwindle'), though the exact morphological strengthening is debated. The verb is used transitively and intransitively in Koine and earlier Greek, mostly with active sense of causing ruin or corruption.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In Classical Greek, φθείρω primarily denoted physical destruction or ruin—of cities, crops, or people. By the Hellenistic and Koine period, the term expanded to include moral and spiritual corruption in both Jewish-Greek and general Greek literature. In the Septuagint, φθείρω often translates Hebrew terms relating to destruction or moral depravity, and this duality of physical and moral senses continues in the New Testament, where it can refer to both actual destruction and figurative ruin (as of moral character, purity, or religious fidelity). English Bible translations usually render the term as 'destroy,' 'corrupt,' or 'defile,' but this can obscure the distinction between physical and moral corruption present in Greek usage. The word appears in contexts ranging from decay of material objects to ethical corruption of individuals or communities (e.g., 1 Corinthians 3:17, 'If anyone destroys [φθείρει] the temple of God, God will destroy [φθερεῖ] him'). The nuance often depends on the nature of the object or entity being acted upon.

Translation Consistency

primary "ruin" 3 occurrences

“Ruin” naturally covers both the physical and moral senses in the SILEX range — to spoil or cause to decay and to bring to moral ruin or corruption. It is simple, common English and can be used transitively for crops, bodies, reputations, or character, matching the typical Biblical usage of φθείρω.

Alternatives (6 occurrences):

"corrupted" (4x) "might be corrupted" (1x) "destroyed" (1x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

probably strengthened from (to pine or waste); properly, to shrivel or wither, i.e. to spoil (by any process) or (generally) to ruin (especially figuratively, by moral influences, to deprave):--corrupt (self), defile, destroy.

Root Family

φθείρω (phtheirō) — to ruin, to corrupt, to destroy

Root φθαρ- to ruin, to corrupt, to destroy

Word Forms

9 distinct forms

SIDANCE	Surface	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	SIBI-P2	Occurrences
`G5351-06`	φθειρόμενον	phtheiromenon	`V PRS PASS PTCP ACC M SG`	being corrupted	being corrupted	being corrupted	1
`G5351-04`	φθαρήσονται	phtharesontai	`V FUT PASS IND 3P PL`	perish	they will be ruined	they will be destroyed	1
`G5351-03`	φθαρῇ	phthare	`V AOR PASS SUBJ 3P SG`	be corrupted	may be corrupted	might be corrupted	1
`G5351-07`	φθείρονται	phtheirontai	`V PRS PASS IND 3P PL`	are destroyed	they are being corrupted	they are being corrupted	1
`G5351-08`	φθείρουσιν	phtheirousin	`V PRS ACT IND 3P PL`	corrupt	they are ruining	ruin	1
`G5351-02`	ἔφθειρεν	ephtheiren	`V IMPF ACT IND 3P SG`	corrupted	he/she/it was corrupting	she corrupted	1
`G5351-09`	φθερεῖ	phtherei	`V FUT ACT IND 3P SG`	will destroy	he/she/it will ruin	he/she/it will ruin	1
`G5351-05`	φθείρει	phtheirei	`V PRS ACT IND 3P SG`	destroys	he/she/it ruins	he/she/it ruins	1
`G5351-01`	ἐφθείραμεν	ephtheiramen	`V AOR ACT IND 1P PL`	we have corrupted	we ruined	we corrupted	1

Occurrences in Scripture

9 occurrences

Filter by SIDANCE:

SIDANCE	Reference	Word	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	SIBI-P2
`G5351-05`	1 Corinthians 3:17	φθείρει	phtheirei	`V PRS ACT IND 3P SG`	destroys	he/she/it ruins	he/she/it ruins
`G5351-09`	1 Corinthians 3:17	φθερεῖ	phtherei	`V FUT ACT IND 3P SG`	will destroy	he/she/it will ruin	he/she/it will ruin
`G5351-08`	1 Corinthians 15:33	φθείρουσιν	phtheirousin	`V PRS ACT IND 3P PL`	corrupt	they are ruining	ruin
`G5351-01`	2 Corinthians 7:2	ἐφθείραμεν	ephtheiramen	`V AOR ACT IND 1P PL`	we have corrupted	we ruined	we corrupted
`G5351-03`	2 Corinthians 11:3	φθαρῇ	phthare	`V AOR PASS SUBJ 3P SG`	be corrupted	may be corrupted	might be corrupted
`G5351-06`	Ephesians 4:22	φθειρόμενον	phtheiromenon	`V PRS PASS PTCP ACC M SG`	being corrupted	being corrupted	being corrupted
`G5351-04`	2 Peter 2:12	φθαρήσονται	phtharesontai	`V FUT PASS IND 3P PL`	perish	they will be ruined	they will be destroyed
`G5351-07`	Jude 1:10	φθείρονται	phtheirontai	`V PRS PASS IND 3P PL`	are destroyed	they are being corrupted	they are being corrupted
`G5351-02`	Revelation 19:2	ἔφθειρεν	ephtheiren	`V IMPF ACT IND 3P SG`	corrupted	he/she/it was corrupting	she corrupted

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