ἀπόλλυμι (G622) — Greek Lexicon

ἀπόλλυμι

apóllymi

G622 verb

SILEX Entry

Definition

To cause to perish, to ruin, to destroy, to lose; in active usage, to bring to ruin, to kill, or to make an end of something or someone; in middle or passive, to perish, to be lost, to be ruined, to die; contextually, also indicates being rendered useless, forfeited, or rendered ineffective. The verb describes a range of intensities, from complete destruction to loss of purpose or value.

Semantic Range

to destroy, ruin, kill, cause to perish, lose, render useless, forfeit, perish, be ruined, be lost, die; to lose (in the sense of failing to retain or keep)

Root / Etymology

From ἀπό ('from, away') and the root ὄλλυμι ('destroy, lose'); compounded to intensify the action of causing loss or destruction. Cognate with Latin perdere and English 'lose.'

Historical & Contextual Notes

In classical Greek, ἀπόλλυμι frequently conveys the idea of complete destruction or utter ruin, applying to physical objects, persons, or abstractions (such as honor or reputation). In the Septuagint, it is often used to translate Hebrew terms for destruction or loss, conveying both literal and metaphorical senses, including destruction in battle, moral ruin, or being lost to the community. In the New Testament, the active sense ('to destroy') and the intransitive/middle sense ('to perish', 'to be lost') are both common. Notably, terminology in English translation (e.g., 'perish', 'lose', 'destroy') does not always capture the nuance between irrevocable destruction and functional loss. The verb is distinct from φθείρω (to corrupt), as ἀπόλλυμι focuses on the result (loss or ruin), not the process. Its use in theological contexts (such as 'lost sheep' or avoiding 'perishing') should be understood first in its lexical and historical nuance rather than doctrinal implication; the word’s scope is broader than immediate associations with spiritual loss or physical annihilation and includes mundane meanings such as 'to lose a coin' or 'to perish in a shipwreck.'

Translation Consistency

primary "destroy" 27 occurrences

“Destroy” best covers the primary active senses (bring to ruin, kill, cause to perish) and naturally renders middle/passive senses as “be destroyed” or “destroyed” for perish/lose. It is a common, natural English rendering for ἀπόλλυμι and preserves consistency across all forms; rarer nuances like “lose” or “forfeit” can be handled in context while keeping the single core verb.

Alternatives (23 occurrences):

"perishing" (4x) "might perish" (3x) "lost" (3x) "might lose" (3x) "perish" (3x) "lost one" (2x) "lost ones" (1x) "having perished" (1x) "who perished" (1x) "having lost" (1x) "having been lost" (1x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from ἀπό and the base of ὄλεθρος; to destroy fully (reflexively, to perish, or lose), literally or figuratively:--destroy, die, lose, mar, perish.

Root Family

ὀλ- (olothreúō) — to destroy, to bring to ruin, to put to death

Root ὀλ- to destroy, to lose, to cause to perish

Strong's	Lemma	SIBI-P1
G3645	ὀλοθρεύω	the one destroying utterly

Word Forms

32 distinct forms

SIDANCE	Surface	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	SIBI-P2	Occurrences
`G622-07`	ἀπολέσει	apolesei	`V FUT ACT IND 3P SG`	will lose	he/she/it will destroy	he/she/it will destroy	10
`G622-04`	ἀπολέσαι	apolesai	`V AOR ACT INF`	to destroy	to cause to perish	to destroy	7
`G622-06`	ἀπολέσῃ	apolese	`V AOR ACT SUBJ 3P SG`	loses	he/she/it might destroy	he/she/it might destroy	7
`G622-13`	ἀπόληται	apoletai	`V AOR MID SUBJ 3P SG`	perish	might perish	might perish	7
`G622-27`	ἀπολωλός	apololos	`V PRF ACT PTCP ACC N SG`	lost	having perished	lost	6
`G622-14`	ἀπώλετο	apoleto	`V AOR MID IND 3P SG`	perished	perished	perished	5
`G622-08`	ἀπώλεσεν	apolesen	`V AOR ACT IND 3P SG`	destroyed	he destroyed	he destroyed	4
`G622-11`	ἀπολέσωσιν	apolesosin	`V AOR ACT SUBJ 3P PL`	they might destroy	they might destroy	they might destroy	4
`G622-20`	ἀπολλυμένοις	apollumenois	`V PRS MID PTCP DAT M PL`	who are perishing	to those perishing	perishing	4
`G622-32`	ἀπολοῦνται	apolountai	`V FUT MID IND 3P PL`	will perish	they will perish	they will destroy themselves	4
`G622-05`	ἀπολέσας	apolesas	`V AOR ACT PTCP NOM M SG`	has lost	having destroyed	having destroyed	3
`G622-22`	ἀπολλύμεθα	apollumetha	`V PRS MID IND 1P PL`	we perish	we are perishing	we are perishing	3
`G622-31`	ἀπώλοντο	apolonto	`V AOR MID IND 3P PL`	have perished	they perished	they destroyed themselves	3
`G622-01`	ἀπολεῖσθε	apoleisthe	`V FUT MID IND 2P PL`	you will perish	you will perish	you will perish	2
`G622-03`	ἀπώλεσα	apolesa	`V AOR ACT IND 1P SG`	I had lost	I destroyed	I lost	2
`G622-12`	ἀπολέσθαι	apolesthai	`V AOR MID INF`	to perish	to perish	to perish	2
`G622-25`	ἀπόλλυται	apollutai	`V PRS PASS IND 3P SG`	is destroyed	is perishing	is being destroyed	2
`G622-28`	ἀπολωλότα	apololota	`V PRF ACT PTCP ACC N PL`	lost	having destroyed	lost	2
`G622-02`	ἀπολεῖται	apoleitai	`V FUT MID IND 3P SG`	will perish	he/she/it will perish	will perish	1
`G622-09`	ἀπολέσητε	apolesete	`V AOR ACT SUBJ 2P PL`	you may lose	you might destroy	you may lose	1
`G622-10`	ἀπολέσω	apoleso	`V AOR ACT SUBJ 1P SG`	I-should-lose	I might destroy	I might destroy	1
`G622-15`	ἀπόλλυε	apollue	`V PRS ACT IMP 2P SG`	destroy	be destroying	destroy	1
`G622-16`	ἀπολλύει	apolluei	`V PRS ACT IND 3P SG`	loses	destroys	destroys	1
`G622-17`	ἀπόλλυμαι	apollumai	`V PRS MID IND 1P SG`	am perishing	I am perishing	I am perishing	1
`G622-18`	ἀπολλυμένην	apollumenen	`V PRS MID PTCP ACC F SG`	that perishes	perishing	perishing	1
`G622-19`	ἀπολλύμενοι	apollumenoi	`V PRS MID PTCP NOM M PL`	destroyed	those who are perishing	being destroyed	1
`G622-21`	ἀπολλυμένου	apollumenou	`V PRS MID PTCP GEN N SG`	that perishes	of the one perishing	one perishing	1
`G622-23`	ἀπόλλυνται	apolluntai	`V PRS PASS IND 3P PL`	are ruined	they are perishing	are being destroyed	1
`G622-24`	ἀπώλλυντο	apollunto	`V IMPF PASS IND 3P PL`	were destroyed	they were perishing	they were perishing	1
`G622-26`	ἀπολῶ	apolo	`V FUT ACT IND 1P SG`	I will destroy	I will cause to perish	I will cause to perish	1
`G622-29`	ἀπολομένου	apolomenou	`V AOR MID PTCP GEN M SG`	who perished	of the one who perished	of the one who perished	1
`G622-30`	ἀπόλωνται	apolontai	`V AOR MID SUBJ 3P PL`	they shall perish	they might perish	they might perish	1

Occurrences in Scripture

91 occurrences

Filter by SIDANCE:

SIDANCE	Reference	Word	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	SIBI-P2
`G622-04`	Matthew 2:13	ἀπολέσαι	apolesai	`V AOR ACT INF`	to destroy	to cause to perish	to destroy
`G622-13`	Matthew 5:29	ἀπόληται	apoletai	`V AOR MID SUBJ 3P SG`	should perish	might perish	one might perish
`G622-13`	Matthew 5:30	ἀπόληται	apoletai	`V AOR MID SUBJ 3P SG`	should-perish	might perish	might perish
`G622-22`	Matthew 8:25	ἀπολλύμεθα	apollumetha	`V PRS MID IND 1P PL`	we perish	we are perishing	we are perishing
`G622-23`	Matthew 9:17	ἀπόλλυνται	apolluntai	`V PRS PASS IND 3P PL`	are ruined	they are perishing	are being destroyed
`G622-28`	Matthew 10:6	ἀπολωλότα	apololota	`V PRF ACT PTCP ACC N PL`	lost	having destroyed	the lost ones
`G622-04`	Matthew 10:28	ἀπολέσαι	apolesai	`V AOR ACT INF`	to destroy	to cause to perish	to destroy
`G622-07`	Matthew 10:39	ἀπολέσει	apolesei	`V FUT ACT IND 3P SG`	will lose	he/she/it will destroy	he/she/it will destroy
`G622-05`	Matthew 10:39	ἀπολέσας	apolesas	`V AOR ACT PTCP NOM M SG`	has lost	having destroyed	having destroyed
`G622-06`	Matthew 10:42	ἀπολέσῃ	apolese	`V AOR ACT SUBJ 3P SG`	shall lose	he/she/it might destroy	he/she/it might destroy
`G622-11`	Matthew 12:14	ἀπολέσωσιν	apolesosin	`V AOR ACT SUBJ 3P PL`	they might destroy	they might destroy	they might destroy
`G622-28`	Matthew 15:24	ἀπολωλότα	apololota	`V PRF ACT PTCP ACC N PL`	lost	having destroyed	lost
`G622-07`	Matthew 16:25	ἀπολέσει	apolesei	`V FUT ACT IND 3P SG`	will lose	he/she/it will destroy	he/she/it will destroy
`G622-06`	Matthew 16:25	ἀπολέσῃ	apolese	`V AOR ACT SUBJ 3P SG`	loses	he/she/it might destroy	he/she/it might destroy
`G622-27`	Matthew 18:11	ἀπολωλός	apololos	`V PRF ACT PTCP ACC N SG`	which was lost	having perished	one having perished
`G622-13`	Matthew 18:14	ἀπόληται	apoletai	`V AOR MID SUBJ 3P SG`	perish	might perish	might perish
`G622-07`	Matthew 21:41	ἀπολέσει	apolesei	`V FUT ACT IND 3P SG`	He will destroy	he/she/it will destroy	he/she/it will destroy
`G622-08`	Matthew 22:7	ἀπώλεσεν	apolesen	`V AOR ACT IND 3P SG`	destroyed	he destroyed	he destroyed
`G622-32`	Matthew 26:52	ἀπολοῦνται	apolountai	`V FUT MID IND 3P PL`	will perish	they will perish	they will destroy themselves
`G622-11`	Matthew 27:20	ἀπολέσωσιν	apolesosin	`V AOR ACT SUBJ 3P PL`	they should destroy	they might destroy	they might destroy
`G622-04`	Mark 1:24	ἀπολέσαι	apolesai	`V AOR ACT INF`	to destroy	to cause to perish	to destroy
`G622-25`	Mark 2:22	ἀπόλλυται	apollutai	`V PRS PASS IND 3P SG`	is lost	is perishing	is being destroyed
`G622-11`	Mark 3:6	ἀπολέσωσιν	apolesosin	`V AOR ACT SUBJ 3P PL`	they might destroy	they might destroy	they might destroy
`G622-22`	Mark 4:38	ἀπολλύμεθα	apollumetha	`V PRS MID IND 1P PL`	we perish	we are perishing	we are perishing
`G622-07`	Mark 8:35	ἀπολέσει	apolesei	`V FUT ACT IND 3P SG`	will lose	he/she/it will destroy	he/she/it will destroy
`G622-07`	Mark 8:35	ἀπολέσει	apolesei-2	`V FUT ACT IND 3P SG`	loses	he/she/it will destroy	he/she/it will destroy
`G622-06`	Mark 9:22	ἀπολέσῃ	apolese	`V AOR ACT SUBJ 3P SG`	destroy	he/she/it might destroy	he/she/it might destroy
`G622-06`	Mark 9:41	ἀπολέσῃ	apolese	`V AOR ACT SUBJ 3P SG`	lose	he/she/it might destroy	he might lose
`G622-11`	Mark 11:18	ἀπολέσωσιν	apolesosin	`V AOR ACT SUBJ 3P PL`	they might destroy	they might destroy	they might destroy
`G622-07`	Mark 12:9	ἀπολέσει	apolesei	`V FUT ACT IND 3P SG`	will destroy	he/she/it will destroy	he/she/it will destroy
`G622-04`	Luke 4:34	ἀπολέσαι	apolesai	`V AOR ACT INF`	to destroy	to cause to perish	to destroy
`G622-32`	Luke 5:37	ἀπολοῦνται	apolountai	`V FUT MID IND 3P PL`	will be ruined	they will perish	they will destroy themselves
`G622-04`	Luke 6:9	ἀπολέσαι	apolesai	`V AOR ACT INF`	to destroy	to cause to perish	to destroy
`G622-22`	Luke 8:24	ἀπολλύμεθα	apollumetha	`V PRS MID IND 1P PL`	we perish	we are perishing	we are perishing
`G622-07`	Luke 9:24	ἀπολέσει	apolesei	`V FUT ACT IND 3P SG`	will lose	he/she/it will destroy	he/she/it will destroy
`G622-06`	Luke 9:24	ἀπολέσῃ	apolese	`V AOR ACT SUBJ 3P SG`	loses	he/she/it might destroy	he might lose
`G622-05`	Luke 9:25	ἀπολέσας	apolesas	`V AOR ACT PTCP NOM M SG`	having lost	having destroyed	having destroyed
`G622-29`	Luke 11:51	ἀπολομένου	apolomenou	`V AOR MID PTCP GEN M SG`	who perished	of the one who perished	of the one who perished
`G622-01`	Luke 13:3	ἀπολεῖσθε	apoleisthe	`V FUT MID IND 2P PL`	you will perish	you will perish	you will perish
`G622-01`	Luke 13:5	ἀπολεῖσθε	apoleisthe	`V FUT MID IND 2P PL`	you will perish	you will perish	you will perish
`G622-12`	Luke 13:33	ἀπολέσθαι	apolesthai	`V AOR MID INF`	to perish	to perish	to perish
`G622-05`	Luke 15:4	ἀπολέσας	apolesas	`V AOR ACT PTCP NOM M SG`	losing	having destroyed	having lost
`G622-27`	Luke 15:4	ἀπολωλὸς	apololos	`V PRF ACT PTCP ACC N SG`	lost	having perished	lost one
`G622-27`	Luke 15:6	ἀπολωλός	apololos	`V PRF ACT PTCP ACC N SG`	lost	having perished	the lost one
`G622-06`	Luke 15:8	ἀπολέσῃ	apolese	`V AOR ACT SUBJ 3P SG`	she lose	he/she/it might destroy	she might lose
`G622-03`	Luke 15:9	ἀπώλεσα	apolesa	`V AOR ACT IND 1P SG`	I had lost	I destroyed	I lost
`G622-17`	Luke 15:17	ἀπόλλυμαι	apollumai	`V PRS MID IND 1P SG`	am perishing	I am perishing	I am perishing
`G622-27`	Luke 15:24	ἀπολωλὼς	apololos	`V PRF ACT PTCP NOM M SG`	lost	having perished	lost
`G622-27`	Luke 15:32	ἀπολωλὼς	apololos	`V PRF ACT PTCP NOM M SG`	lost	having perished	having been lost
`G622-08`	Luke 17:27	ἀπώλεσεν	apolesen	`V AOR ACT IND 3P SG`	destroyed	he destroyed	he destroyed

← G621 Greek Lexicon G623 →