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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width; initial-scale=1"/><title>Strong's Greek: 5356. φθορά (phthora) -- Corruption, decay, destruction</title></title><link rel="canonical" href="http://biblehub.com/greek/5356.htm" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/strongsnew2.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/print.css" type="text/css" media="Print" /><script type="application/javascript" src="https://scripts.webcontentassessor.com/scripts/8a2459b64f9cac8122fc7f2eac4409c8555fac9383016db59c4c26e3d5b8b157"></script><script src='https://qd.admetricspro.com/js/biblehub/biblehub-layout-loader-revcatch.js'></script><script id='HyDgbd_1s' src='https://prebidads.revcatch.com/ads.js' type='text/javascript' async></script><script>(function(w,d,b,s,i){var cts=d.createElement(s);cts.async=true;cts.id='catchscript'; cts.dataset.appid=i;cts.src='https://app.protectsubrev.com/catch_rp.js?cb='+Math.random(); document.head.appendChild(cts); }) (window,document,'head','script','rc-anksrH');</script></head> <script async src="https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtag/js?id=G-LR4HSKRP2H"></script> <script> window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; function gtag(){dataLayer.push(arguments);} gtag('js', new Date()); gtag('config', 'G-LR4HSKRP2H'); </script><body><div id="fx"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx2"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="30" scrolling="no" src="/interlinear/vmenus/acts/22-3.htm" align="left" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div><div id="blnk"></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable"><tr><td><div id="fx5"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx6"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="245" scrolling="no" src="//biblehu.com/bmstrongs/greek/5356.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable3"><tr><td><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center" id="announce"><tr><td><div id="l1"><div id="breadcrumbs"><a href="/">Bible</a> > <a href="/strongs.htm">Strong's</a> > <a href="/englishmans_greek.htm">Greek</a> > 5356</div><div id="anc"><iframe src="/anc.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></div><div id="anc2"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><iframe src="/anc2.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></div></td></tr></table><div id="movebox2"><table border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td><div id="topheading"><a href="../greek/5355.htm" title="5355">◄</a> 5356. phthora <a href="../greek/5357.htm" title="5357">►</a></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center" class="maintable2"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><div id="leftbox"><div class="padleft"><div class="vheading">Strong's Lexicon</div><div align="left"><span class="toptitle2">phthora: Corruption, decay, destruction</span></div><p><span class="tophdg">Original Word: </span><span class="greek">φθορά</span><br><span class="tophdg">Part of Speech: </span>Noun, Feminine<br><span class="tophdg">Transliteration: </span>phthora<br><span class="tophdg">Pronunciation: </span>fthor-ah'<br><span class="tophdg">Phonetic Spelling: </span>(fthor-ah')<br><span class="tophdg">Definition: </span>Corruption, decay, destruction<br><span class="tophdg">Meaning: </span>corruption, destruction, decay, rottenness, decomposition.<p><span class="tophdg">Word Origin: </span>Derived from the Greek verb φθείρω (phtheirō), meaning "to destroy" or "to corrupt."<p><span class="tophdg">Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: </span>The Hebrew equivalent often associated with the concept of corruption is שָׁחַת (shachath), Strong's Hebrew 7845, which means "to destroy" or "to ruin."<p><span class="tophdg">Usage: </span>In the New Testament, "phthora" primarily refers to the concept of corruption or decay, both in a physical and moral sense. It is used to describe the perishable nature of the world and the moral decay that results from sin. The term often contrasts the imperishable nature of the divine and the eternal life promised to believers.<p><span class="tophdg">Cultural and Historical Background: </span>In the Greco-Roman world, the idea of corruption was not only a physical phenomenon but also a moral and philosophical concept. The physical world was seen as subject to decay and change, while the spiritual realm was considered eternal and unchanging. This duality is reflected in the New Testament's use of "phthora" to highlight the transient nature of earthly life and the enduring nature of spiritual truths.<div class="vheading2">HELPS Word-studies</div><p class="discovery"><b>Cognate: 5356</b> <i>phthorá</i> (from <a href="/greek/5351.htm">5351</a> <i>/phtheírō</i>) – destruction from internal <i>corruption</i> (deterioration, decay); "rottenness, perishableness, corruption, decay, decomposition" (Souter). <a href="/greek/5351.htm">See 5351</a> (<i>phteírō</i>).</p><iframe width="100%" height="85" scrolling=no src="/discovery.htm" frameborder=0 cellpadding=0></iframe><div class="vheading2">NAS Exhaustive Concordance</div><span class="hdg">Word Origin</span><br>from <a href="/greek/5351.htm">phtheiró</a><br><span class="hdg">Definition</span><br>destruction, corruption<br><span class="hdg">NASB Translation</span><br>corruption (4), destruction (1), killed (1), perish (1), perishable (2).<p><div align="center"><span class="smalltext"><iframe width="100%" height="85" scrolling=no src="/nasec.htm" frameborder=0 cellpadding=0></iframe></span></div><div class="vheading2">Thayer's Greek Lexicon</div><span class="maintitle">STRONGS NT 5356: φθορά</span><br><br><span class="arttitle"><span class="grktitle">φθορά</span></span>, <span class="greek2">φθορᾶς</span>, <span class="greek2">ἡ</span> (<span class="greek2">φθείρω</span>), from <span class="abbreviation">Aeschylus</span> and <span class="abbreviation">Herodotus</span> down: <p><span class="textheading">1.</span> <span class="accented">corruption, destruction, perishing</span> (opposed to <span class="greek2">γένεσις</span>, origin, often in <span class="abbreviation">Plato</span>, <span class="abbreviation">Aristotle</span>, <span class="abbreviation">Plutarch</span>; opposed to <span class="greek2">σωτηρία</span>, <span class="abbreviation">Plato</span>, Phileb., p. 35 e.; for <span class="hebrew">שַׁחַת</span>, <a href="/interlinear/psalms/102-4.htm">Psalm 102:4</a><FOOTNOTE:10> (<BIBLE/CHAPTER_VERSE:Ps. 103:4>); <a href="/interlinear/jonah/2-7.htm">Jonah 2:7</a>): <a href="/interlinear/romans/8-21.htm">Romans 8:21</a> (on which see <span class="greek2"><span class="lexref">δουλεία</span></span>); <a href="/interlinear/2_peter/2-12.htm">2 Peter 2:12</a>a (some (cf. <span class="abbreviation">R. V.</span> marginal reading) take <span class="greek2">φθορά</span> here actively: <span class="greek2">εἰς</span> <span class="greek2">φθοράν</span>, <span class="accented">to destroy</span>); <span class="greek2">ἐν</span> <span class="greek2">φθορά</span>, in a state of corruption or decomposition (of the body at burial), <a href="/interlinear/1_corinthians/15-42.htm">1 Corinthians 15:42</a>; by metonymy, <span class="accented">that which is subject to corruption, what is perishable,</span> opposed to <span class="greek2">ἀφθαρσία</span>, <a href="/interlinear/1_corinthians/15-50.htm">1 Corinthians 15:50</a>; in the Christian sense, <span class="accented">the loss of salvation, eternal misery</span> (which elsewhere is called <span class="greek2">ἀπώλεια</span>), <a href="/interlinear/colossians/2-22.htm">Colossians 2:22</a> (see <span class="greek2"><span class="lexref">ἀπόχρησις</span></span>); opposed to <span class="greek2">ζωή</span> <span class="greek2">αἰώνιος</span>, <a href="/interlinear/galatians/6-8.htm">Galatians 6:8</a>, cf. Schott ad loc. 2. in the N. T. in an ethical sense, <span class="accented">corruption i. e. moral decay</span>: <a href="/interlinear/2_peter/1-4.htm">2 Peter 1:4</a>; <a href="/interlinear/2_peter/2-12.htm">2 Peter 2:12</a>{b} (some take the word here actively (<span class="abbreviation">R. V.</span> text <span class="accented">in their destroying</span>), others refer it to 1 above), <a href="/interlinear/2_peter/2-19.htm">2 Peter 2:19</a>; with <span class="greek2">τῆς</span> <span class="greek2">ζωῆς</span> added, Wis. 14:12.<FOOTNOTE:1> <br><br><iframe width="100%" height="85" scrolling=no src="/bsoft.htm" frameborder=0 cellpadding=0></iframe><div class="vheading2">Strong's Exhaustive Concordance</div>corruption, destroy, perish. <p>From <a href="/greek/5351.htm">phtheiro</a>; decay, i.e. Ruin (spontaneous or inflicted, literally or figuratively) -- corruption, destroy, perish. <p>see GREEK <a href="/greek/5351.htm">phtheiro</a> <div class="vheading2">Forms and Transliterations</div>φθορα φθορά φθορὰ φθορᾷ φθοραν φθοράν φθορὰν φθορας φθοράς φθορᾶς phthora phthorà phthorā̂i phthoran phthorán phthoràn phthoras phthorâs<div class="vheading2">Links</div><a href="/interlinear/matthew/1-1.htm">Interlinear Greek</a> • <a href="/interlinear/genesis/1-1.htm">Interlinear Hebrew</a> • <a href="/strongs.htm">Strong's Numbers</a> • <a href="/englishmans_greek.htm">Englishman's Greek Concordance</a> • <a href="/englishmans_hebrew.htm">Englishman's Hebrew Concordance</a> • <a href="/texts/matthew/1-1.htm">Parallel Texts</a></div></div><div id="centbox"><div class="padcent"><div class="vheading">Englishman's Concordance</div><b><a href="/text/romans/8-21.htm" title="Biblos Lexicon">Romans 8:21</a> <a href="/abbrev.htm" title="Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular">N-GFS</a></b><br><a href="/interlinear/romans/8.htm" title="Greek">GRK:</a> <span class="greek3">δουλείας τῆς <b>φθορᾶς</b> εἰς τὴν</span><br><a href="http://biblehub.com/nas/romans/8.htm" title="New American Standard Bible">NAS:</a> from its slavery <span class="itali">to corruption</span> into the freedom<br><a href="/kjvs/romans/8.htm" title="King James Bible with Strong's">KJV:</a> the bondage <span class="itali">of corruption</span> into<br><a href="/interlinear/romans/8-21.htm" title="Biblos Interlinear Bible">INT:</a> bondage <span class="itali">of decay</span> into the<p><b><a href="/text/1_corinthians/15-42.htm" title="Biblos Lexicon">1 Corinthians 15:42</a> <a href="/abbrev.htm" title="Noun - Dative Feminine Singular">N-DFS</a></b><br><a href="/interlinear/1_corinthians/15.htm" title="Greek">GRK:</a> <span class="greek3">σπείρεται ἐν <b>φθορᾷ</b> ἐγείρεται ἐν</span><br><a href="http://biblehub.com/nas/1_corinthians/15.htm" title="New American Standard Bible">NAS:</a> It is sown <span class="itali">a perishable</span> [body], it is raised<br><a href="/kjvs/1_corinthians/15.htm" title="King James Bible with Strong's">KJV:</a> in <span class="itali">corruption;</span> it is raised<br><a href="/interlinear/1_corinthians/15-42.htm" title="Biblos Interlinear Bible">INT:</a> It is sown in <span class="itali">decay</span> it is raised in<p><b><a href="/text/1_corinthians/15-50.htm" title="Biblos Lexicon">1 Corinthians 15:50</a> <a href="/abbrev.htm" title="Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular">N-NFS</a></b><br><a href="/interlinear/1_corinthians/15.htm" title="Greek">GRK:</a> <span class="greek3">οὐδὲ ἡ <b>φθορὰ</b> τὴν ἀφθαρσίαν</span><br><a href="http://biblehub.com/nas/1_corinthians/15.htm" title="New American Standard Bible">NAS:</a> nor <span class="itali">does the perishable</span> inherit<br><a href="/kjvs/1_corinthians/15.htm" title="King James Bible with Strong's">KJV:</a> doth <span class="itali">corruption</span> inherit<br><a href="/interlinear/1_corinthians/15-50.htm" title="Biblos Interlinear Bible">INT:</a> nor the <span class="itali">decay</span> the immortality<p><b><a href="/text/galatians/6-8.htm" title="Biblos Lexicon">Galatians 6:8</a> <a href="/abbrev.htm" title="Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular">N-AFS</a></b><br><a href="/interlinear/galatians/6.htm" title="Greek">GRK:</a> <span class="greek3">σαρκὸς θερίσει <b>φθοράν</b> ὁ δὲ</span><br><a href="http://biblehub.com/nas/galatians/6.htm" title="New American Standard Bible">NAS:</a> reap <span class="itali">corruption,</span> but the one who sows<br><a href="/kjvs/galatians/6.htm" title="King James Bible with Strong's">KJV:</a> reap <span class="itali">corruption;</span> but<br><a href="/interlinear/galatians/6-8.htm" title="Biblos Interlinear Bible">INT:</a> flesh will reap <span class="itali">decay</span> the [one who] however<p><b><a href="/text/colossians/2-22.htm" title="Biblos Lexicon">Colossians 2:22</a> <a href="/abbrev.htm" title="Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular">N-AFS</a></b><br><a href="/interlinear/colossians/2.htm" title="Greek">GRK:</a> <span class="greek3">πάντα εἰς <b>φθορὰν</b> τῇ ἀποχρήσει</span><br><a href="http://biblehub.com/nas/colossians/2.htm" title="New American Standard Bible">NAS:</a> all <span class="itali">[refer] [to] things destined to perish</span> with use)--<br><a href="/kjvs/colossians/2.htm" title="King James Bible with Strong's">KJV:</a> are to <span class="itali">perish</span> with the using;) after<br><a href="/interlinear/colossians/2-22.htm" title="Biblos Interlinear Bible">INT:</a> all unto <span class="itali">decay</span> in the using<p><b><a href="/text/2_peter/1-4.htm" title="Biblos Lexicon">2 Peter 1:4</a> <a href="/abbrev.htm" title="Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular">N-GFS</a></b><br><a href="/interlinear/2_peter/1.htm" title="Greek">GRK:</a> <span class="greek3">ἐν ἐπιθυμίᾳ <b>φθορᾶς</b> </span><br><a href="http://biblehub.com/nas/2_peter/1.htm" title="New American Standard Bible">NAS:</a> having escaped <span class="itali">the corruption</span> that is in the world<br><a href="/kjvs/2_peter/1.htm" title="King James Bible with Strong's">KJV:</a> having escaped <span class="itali">the corruption</span> that is in<br><a href="/interlinear/2_peter/1-4.htm" title="Biblos Interlinear Bible">INT:</a> through lust <span class="itali">decay</span><p><b><a href="/text/2_peter/2-12.htm" title="Biblos Lexicon">2 Peter 2:12</a> <a href="/abbrev.htm" title="Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular">N-AFS</a></b><br><a href="/interlinear/2_peter/2.htm" title="Greek">GRK:</a> <span class="greek3">ἅλωσιν καὶ <b>φθοράν</b> ἐν οἷς</span><br><a href="http://biblehub.com/nas/2_peter/2.htm" title="New American Standard Bible">NAS:</a> to be captured <span class="itali">and killed,</span> reviling<br><a href="/kjvs/2_peter/2.htm" title="King James Bible with Strong's">KJV:</a> be taken and <span class="itali">destroyed,</span> speak evil of<br><a href="/interlinear/2_peter/2-12.htm" title="Biblos Interlinear Bible">INT:</a> capture and <span class="itali">destruction</span> in what<p><b><a href="/text/2_peter/2-12.htm" title="Biblos Lexicon">2 Peter 2:12</a> <a href="/abbrev.htm" title="Noun - Dative Feminine Singular">N-DFS</a></b><br><a href="/interlinear/2_peter/2.htm" title="Greek">GRK:</a> <span class="greek3">ἐν τῇ <b>φθορᾷ</b> αὐτῶν καὶ</span><br><a href="http://biblehub.com/nas/2_peter/2.htm" title="New American Standard Bible">NAS:</a> they have no knowledge, <span class="itali">will in the destruction</span> of those<br><a href="/kjvs/2_peter/2.htm" title="King James Bible with Strong's">KJV:</a> in their own <span class="itali">corruption;</span><br><a href="/interlinear/2_peter/2-12.htm" title="Biblos Interlinear Bible">INT:</a> in the <span class="itali">destruction</span> of them also<p><b><a href="/text/2_peter/2-19.htm" title="Biblos Lexicon">2 Peter 2:19</a> <a href="/abbrev.htm" title="Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular">N-GFS</a></b><br><a href="/interlinear/2_peter/2.htm" title="Greek">GRK:</a> <span class="greek3">ὑπάρχοντες τῆς <b>φθορᾶς</b> ᾧ γάρ</span><br><a href="http://biblehub.com/nas/2_peter/2.htm" title="New American Standard Bible">NAS:</a> are slaves <span class="itali">of corruption;</span> for by what<br><a href="/kjvs/2_peter/2.htm" title="King James Bible with Strong's">KJV:</a> the servants <span class="itali">of corruption:</span> for<br><a href="/interlinear/2_peter/2-19.htm" title="Biblos Interlinear Bible">INT:</a> being <span class="itali">of corruption</span> by what indeed<p><b><a href="/greek/5356.htm">Strong's Greek 5356</a><br><a href="/greek/strongs_5356.htm">9 Occurrences</a></b><br><br><a href="/greek/phthora_5356.htm">φθορᾷ — 3 Occ.</a><br><a href="/greek/phthoran_5356.htm">φθοράν — 3 Occ.</a><br><a href="/greek/phthoras_5356.htm">φθορᾶς — 3 Occ.</a><br><br></div></div></td></tr></table></div><div id="mdd"><div align="center"><div class="bot2"><table align="center" width="100%"><tr><td><div align="center"> <script id="3d27ed63fc4348d5b062c4527ae09445"> (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=51ce25d5-1a8c-424a-8695-4bd48c750f35&cid=3a9f82d0-4344-4f8d-ac0c-e1a0eb43a405'; </script> <script id="b817b7107f1d4a7997da1b3c33457e03"> (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=cb0edd8b-b416-47eb-8c6d-3cc96561f7e8&cid=3a9f82d0-4344-4f8d-ac0c-e1a0eb43a405'; </script><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-2'> </div><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-0' style='max-width: 300px;'> </div><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-3'> </div><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-1' style='max-width: 300px;'> </div><br /><br />  <div align="center" id='div-gpt-ad-1531425649696-0'> </div><br /><br /> <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:inline-block;width:200px;height:200px" data-ad-client="ca-pub-3753401421161123" data-ad-slot="3592799687"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script><br /><br /> </div> <div id="left"><a href="/greek/5355.htm" onmouseover='lft.src="/leftgif.png"' onmouseout='lft.src="/left.png"' title="5355"><img src="/left.png" name="lft" border="0" alt="5355" /></a></div><div id="right"><a href="/greek/5357.htm" onmouseover='rght.src="/rightgif.png"' onmouseout='rght.src="/right.png"' title="5357"><img src="/right.png" name="rght" border="0" alt="5357" /></a></div><div id="botleft"><a href="#" onmouseover='botleft.src="/botleftgif.png"' onmouseout='botleft.src="/botleft.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botleft.png" name="botleft" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="botright"><a href="#" onmouseover='botright.src="/botrightgif.png"' onmouseout='botright.src="/botright.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botright.png" name="botright" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="bot"><iframe width="100%" height="1500" scrolling="no" src="/botmenubhchap.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></div></td></tr></table></div></body></html>