ὄλεθρ-ος G3639
Destruction, ruin; utter devastation as divine judgment or catastrophic loss
A weighty noun for ruin and devastation, used in the New Testament exclusively of catastrophic consequences — whether divinely imposed or self-inflicted. Paul hands the Corinthian offender over to Satan 'for the destruction of the flesh' (1 Cor 5:5), while 1 Thessalonians 5:3 warns of sudden destruction overtaking those who say 'peace and safety.' The strongest usage appears in 2 Thessalonians 1:9, where 'eternal destruction' describes separation from God's presence. In 1 Timothy 6:9, foolish desires plunge people into ruin and destruction. Spanish destrucción/ruina and German Verderben consistently convey irreversible devastation.
Senses
1. sense 1 — Utter destruction or ruin, typically as a consequence of divine judgment or moral catastrophe. In 1 Cor 5:5, it refers to the physical ruin of the flesh intended to save the spirit. In 1 Thess 5:3, it is the sudden, inescapable disaster falling on the complacent. The phrase 'eternal destruction' in 2 Thess 1:9 extends it to eschatological separation from God. In 1 Tim 6:9, it pairs with apoleia to describe the total ruin that greed brings. Spanish destrucción/ruina and French ruine confirm the consistently catastrophic, irreversible character of this word. 4×
AR["الهَلاكُ", "الهَلاكِ", "هَلاكاً", "هَلاكِ"]·ben["ধ্বংস", "ধ্বংসে", "ধ্বংসের"]·DE["Verderben"]·EN["destruction", "ruin"]·FR["ruine", "ὄλεθρον", "ὄλεθρος"]·heb["אֲבַדּוֹן", "הֶרֶס", "הַשְׁמָדַת"]·HI["विनअश", "विनाश"]·ID["kebinasaan", "kehancuran"]·IT["distruggere", "olethron", "olethros"]·jav["karsakaning", "karusakan", "karusakan,"]·KO["멸망", "멸망을", "멸망이", "파멸과"]·PT["destruição", "ruína"]·RU["гибель", "пагубу", "погибель"]·ES["destrucción", "ruina"]·SW["maangamizi", "uharibifu"]·TR["yıkım", "yıkıma", "yıkımı"]·urd["ہلاکت"]
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
ὄλεθρ-ος, ὁ, ruin, destruction, death, αἰπὺς ὄ. Refs 8th c.BC+; ὀλέθρου πείρατα, like{τέλος θανάτοιο}, the consummation of death, Refs; ὄ., opposed to γένεσις, Refs 4th c.BC+; οὐκ εἰς ὄλεθρο; as an imprecation, plague take thee! Refs 5th c.BC+; χρημάτων ὀλέθρῳ by destruction of property. Refs 5th c.BC+ __II that which causes destruction, pest, plague, Refs 8th c.BC+; contemptuously of persons,…