ἀφᾰν-ίζω G0853
To make invisible, disfigure, destroy; to cause something to vanish, deteriorate, or be rendered unrecognizable.
Carries the root idea of making something unseen or unrecognizable. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus warns that hypocrites 'disfigure' their faces when fasting (Matt 6:16), and that moth and rust 'destroy' earthly treasures (Matt 6:19–20)—two vivid applications of the same verb. In Acts 13:41, Paul quotes Habakkuk's warning that scoffers will 'perish' in astonishment. James 4:14 uses it of life itself: a mist that 'vanishes.' French 'rendre-invisible' captures the etymological core beautifully, while Spanish 'desfiguran' and 'destruye' reflect the word's range from disfigurement to annihilation.
Senses
1. sense 1 — To make unseen, render unrecognizable, destroy, or cause to vanish—covering a spectrum from disfigurement to complete disappearance. The hypocrites 'disfigure' their faces to advertise their fasting (Matt 6:16), while moth and rust 'destroy' stored treasures (Matt 6:19–20). In prophetic quotation, scoffers are told they will 'perish' (Acts 13:41), and James compares human life to a vapor that 'disappears' (Jas 4:14). French 'rendre-invisible' and 'rendre-obscur' trace the etymological thread of making something aphanes (unseen), while Spanish 'desfiguran' and 'destruye' show how the same root stretches from cosmetic alteration to utter ruin. 5×
AR["المُختَفي", "اِفنَوا", "يُشَوِّهونَ", "يُفسِدُ"]·ben["অদৃশ্য", "নষ্ট-করে,", "বিকৃত-করে", "বিলীন-হও"]·DE["ἀφανίζει", "ἀφανίζουσιν", "ἀφανίσθητε", "ἀφανιζομένη"]·EN["destroys", "disappearing", "perish", "they-disfigure"]·FR["rendre-invisible", "rendre-obscur"]·heb["הֵעָלְמוּ", "מְהַרְסִים", "מְעַוְתִים", "נֶעֱלֶמֶת"]·HI["नष्ट-करता-है", "नष्ट-करते-हैं", "नाश-हो-जाओ", "बिगाड़ते-हैं", "लोप-हो-जाती-है"]·ID["lenyaplah", "menghilang,", "merusak"]·IT["aphanizei", "aphanizomenē", "aphanizousin", "distruggere"]·jav["kang-sirna,", "ngilangi", "ngrisak", "sirna-a;"]·KO["망가뜨린다", "사라지는,", "사라지라", "흥하게-한다"]·PT["desaparecei;", "desfiguram", "destroem", "que-desaparece"]·RU["искажают", "исчезающий,", "исчезните", "не-уничтожает", "уничтожает"]·ES["desapareced", "desfiguran", "destruye", "que-desaparece"]·SW["inaharibuAi", "towekeni;", "unatoweka", "wanabadilisha"]·TR["bozarlar", "kaybolan", "yok-eder", "yok-olun"]·urd["برباد-کرتی-ہے", "بگاڑتے-ہیں", "غائب-ہو-جاتی٬", "فنا-ہو-جاؤ"]
Related Senses
H4421 1. war, battle, armed conflict (319×)H0341 1. enemy, adversary, foe (284×)H3898a 1. Nifal: to fight, wage war (167×)H2026 1. kill, slay (active) (146×)H2451 1. wisdom, discernment (146×)H5483b 1. horse (the animal) (138×)H0006 1. to perish, be destroyed (105×)H7843 1. Hifil: destroy, annihilate (83×)H2491a 1. slain, fatally pierced (74×)H6862c 1. adversary, enemy, foe (69×)H8045 1. destroy, exterminate (69×)G0615 1. kill, put to death (60×)H6571b 1. horseman, cavalryman (52×)H8077a 1. desolation, waste (abstract state) (52×)G4678 1. of wisdom (51×)G4717 1. crucify, fasten to a cross (46×)H2763a 1. utterly destroy (Hifil active) (44×)G0622 1. perish, be destroyed (intransitive) (41×)H0006 2. to destroy, annihilate (Piel) (38×)H8074 1. be desolate, lie waste (36×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
ἀφᾰν-ίζω, Attic dialect future -ῐῶRefs 5th c.BC+: perfect ἠφάνικαRefs 4th c.BC+:—make unseen, hide, νεφέλη.. ἠφάνισεν ἥλιονRefs 5th c.BC+; hush up, ἔργονRefs 5th c.BC+: hence, lose sight of, Refs 4th c.BC+do away with, reject, Refs 5th c.BC+; make away with a person, Refs 5th c.BC+ —passive, τὴν γνώμην μηδὲν.. ἀφανισθεῖσαν in no part concealed or suppressed, Refs 5th c.BC+ __2 do away with,…