φθείρω G5351
To corrupt, ruin, or destroy; of moral deterioration, defilement of mind or character, or physical ruin as divine judgment.
A powerful verb spanning moral corruption and outright destruction. Paul warns that 'bad company corrupts good morals' (1 Cor 15:33), and that the old self is 'being corrupted' by deceitful desires (Eph 4:22)—both uses reflecting progressive moral decay. But the same word also denotes catastrophic ruin: God will 'destroy' whoever defiles his temple (1 Cor 3:17), and false teachers are 'destroyed' like irrational animals (2 Pet 2:12). Spanish distinguishes the two poles with 'corromper' for moral corruption and 'destruir' for annihilation, while German 'verderben' serves double duty for both.
2. destroy, bring to ruin — To destroy, bring to ruin as an act of judgment or consequence. In 1 Cor 3:17 the warning is stark: God will 'destroy' the one who defiles his temple. In 2 Pet 2:12 and Jude 10, false teachers are 'destroyed' in their own corruption like irrational animals. Spanish 'destruir' and the phrase 'se corrompen' capture the finality. This sense emphasizes irreversible ruin rather than gradual decay. 4×
amh["ይጠፋሉ"]·AR["سَيُفْسِدُ","يهلكون","يَفسُدونَ","يُفْسِدُ"]·ben["ধ্বংস-করবেন","ধ্বংস-করে,","ধ্বংস-হবে","ধ্বংস-হয়"]·ces["hynou"]·dan["fordærves."]·DE["verderben","verderben-sie"]·ell["φθείρονται."]·EN["destroys","they-are-destroyed","will-be-destroyed","will-destroy"]·FR["corrompre","se-corrompent.","verderben"]·guj["નાશ-પામે-છે."]·hat["detwi"]·hau["suna-lalacewa"]·heb["יַשְׁחִית","יֻשְׁחָתוּ","מַשְׁחִית","נשחתים"]·HI["नष्ट-करता-है","नष्ट-करेगा","नाश-होंगे","नाश-होते-हैं।"]·hun["elvesznek"]·ID["akan-binasa,","akan-merusak","mereka-dibinasakan","merusak"]·IT["corrompere","phtharēsontai","si-corrompono"]·jav["badhé-ngrisak","badhé-rusak,","dipunrusak","ngrisak,"]·JA["彼らは滅びている"]·KO["멸망당하느니라","썼어지리라,","파괴하리라","파괴한다"]·mar["नाश-पावतात।"]·mya["ပျက်စီးကြ"]·nld["worden-vernietigd"]·nor["ødelegges"]·pnb["تباہ-ہوندے"]·pol["niszczą-się"]·PT["corrompem-se","destruir","destruirá","serão-corrompidos"]·ron["se-strică."]·RU["будут-уничтожены","растлеваются","растлит"]·ES["destruirá","destruye","se-corrompen.","serán-destruidos"]·SW["Mungu-atamharibu","analiharibu,","wanaangamia","wataangamizwa"]·swe["fördärvas"]·tam["கெட்டுப்போகிறார்கள்"]·tel["నశించుచున్నారు"]·tgl["nasisira"]·TH["ถูกทําลาย"]·TR["bunu-","mahvoluyorlar.","tahrip edecek","yok-edilecekler"]·ukr["гинуть"]·urd["تباہ-کرے-گا","تباہ-ہوتے-ہیں","تباہ-ہوں-گے،","خراب-کرے"]·VI["họ-bị-hư-hoại"]·yor["wọ́n-ń-pa-run."]·yue["敗壞"]·ZH["被败坏"]
▼ 1 more sense below
Senses
1. corrupt, ruin morally — To corrupt morally, to defile or cause deterioration of character, mind, or conduct. Paul uses it for moral seduction (2 Cor 11:3, where Eve's mind was corrupted by the serpent's cunning), the corrosive effect of bad associations (1 Cor 15:33), and the progressive decay of the old self (Eph 4:22). In Rev 19:2 Babylon 'corrupted' the earth with her immorality. French 'corrompre' and Spanish 'corromper' carry the same moral weight. 5×
AR["أَفسَدْنا","أَفْسَدَتِ","الفاسِدَ","تُفسِدُ","تُفْسَدَ"]·ben["আমরা-ক্ষতি-করিনি,","কলুষিত-হয়","ধ্বংস-করেছিল","নষ্ট-করে","যা-ক্ষয়-হচ্ছে"]·DE["verderben"]·EN["being-corrupted","corrupt","corrupted","might-be-corrupted","we-corrupted"]·FR["corrompre","verderben"]·heb["הִשְׁחִיתָה","הִשְׁחַתְנוּ","הַנִּשְׁחָת","מַשְׁחִיתוֹת","תִּשְׁחַת"]·HI["बिगधते-हुए","बिगाड़-देती-हैं","भ्रष्ट-किया","भ्रष्ट-किया-हमने","भ्रष्ट-हो"]·ID["dirusakkan","kami-rusakkan","merusak","merusak,"]·IT["corrompere","ephtheiren","phtheiromenon"]·jav["dipun-risak,","karisak","kawula-rusak","ngrisak"]·KO["더럽혀지게","더럽히는니라","부패시켰던","쓸어지는,","파괴하지-않았다"]·PT["corrompem","corrompemos","corrompeu","se-corrompe,","sejam-corrompidos"]·RU["истлевающего,","не-повредили","повредились","развращают","растлевала"]·ES["corrompen","corrompimos","corrompiéndose","corrompió","sean-corrompidos"]·SW["aliiharibu","anayeharibika","tuliharibu,","ziharibiwe","zinaharibu"]·TR["ahlakları","bozdu","bozmadık","bozulan","bozulsun"]·urd["برباد-کیا","بگاڑتی-ہیں","بگاڑی","بگڑ-جائیں","بگڑتا-ہوا"]
BDB / Lexicon Reference
φθείρω, Aeolic dialect φθέρρω Hdn.Gr. 2.303, +others; Refs 4th c.AD+ φθήρω Refs 4th c.BC+imperfect φθείρεσκε Refs 5th c.BC+: future φθερῶ Refs 5th c.BC+; Ionic dialect φθερέω (δια-) Refs 5th c.BC+; Epic dialect φθέρσω (δια-) Refs 8th c.BC+: aorist 1 ἔφθειρα Refs 5th c.BC+: perfect ἔφθαρκα Refs 5th c.BC+ participle ἐφθορκώς Refs 4th c.BC+ —middle, future φθεροῦμαι (in passive sense) Refs 5th…