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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: 5351. φθείρω (phtheiró) -- To destroy, to corrupt, to spoil</title></title><link rel="canonical" href="http://biblehub.com/greek/5351.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.js'></script></head><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/8-33.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/5351.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> > 5351</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/5350.htm" title="5350">◄</a> 5351. phtheiró <a href="../greek/5352.htm" title="5352">►</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">phtheiró: To destroy, to corrupt, to spoil</span></div><p><span class="tophdg">Original Word: </span><span class="greek">φθείρω</span><br><span class="tophdg">Part of Speech: </span>Verb<br><span class="tophdg">Transliteration: </span>phtheiró<br><span class="tophdg">Pronunciation: </span>fthi-RO<br><span class="tophdg">Phonetic Spelling: </span>(fthi'-ro)<br><span class="tophdg">Definition: </span>To destroy, to corrupt, to spoil<br><span class="tophdg">Meaning: </span>I corrupt, spoil, destroy, ruin.<p><span class="tophdg">Word Origin: </span>Derived from a primary root related to the idea of corruption or destruction.<p><span class="tophdg">Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: </span> - <b>7843 (שָׁחַת, shachath):</b> To destroy, to corrupt<p> - <b>2254 (חָבַל, chabal):</b> To act corruptly, to spoil<p><span class="tophdg">Usage: </span>The Greek verb "phtheiró" primarily conveys the idea of causing ruin or corruption. It is used in the New Testament to describe both physical destruction and moral or spiritual corruption. The term can imply a process of decay or degradation, whether it be of material objects, moral character, or spiritual integrity.<p><span class="tophdg">Cultural and Historical Background: </span>In the Greco-Roman world, the concept of corruption was often associated with moral decay and the degradation of societal values. Philosophers like Plato and Aristotle discussed corruption in terms of ethical and political decline. In the Jewish context, corruption was seen as a deviation from God's laws and commandments, leading to spiritual and communal decay.<div class="vheading2">HELPS Word-studies</div><p class="discovery"><b>5351</b> <i>phtheírō</i> (from <i>phthiō</i>, "perish, waste away") – properly, waste <i>away</i>, corrupt (deteriorate); (figuratively) to cause or experience <i>moral deterioration</i> – i.e. decomposition (break-down), due to the <i>corrupting influence of sin</i>. </p><p class="discovery">[This root (<i>pht</i>-) literally means "waste away" (degenerate), "moving <i>down</i> from a <i>higher</i> level (quality, status) to a <i>lower</i> form.]</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 prim. root phther-<br><span class="hdg">Definition</span><br>to destroy, corrupt, spoil<br><span class="hdg">NASB Translation</span><br>corrupted (2), corrupting (1), corrupts (1), destroy (1), destroyed (2), destroys (1), led astray (1).<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 5351: φθείρω</span><br><br><span class="arttitle"><span class="grktitle">φθείρω</span></span>; future <span class="greek2">φθερῶ</span>; 1 aorist <span class="greek2">ἐφθειρα</span>; passive, present <span class="greek2">φθείρομαι</span>; 2 aorist <span class="greek2">ἐφθάρην</span>; 2 future <span class="greek2">φθαρήσομαι</span>; (akin to German <span class="foreign">verderben</span>); the <span class="manuref">Sept.</span> for <span class="hebrew">שִׁחֵת</span>; (from <span class="abbreviation">Homer</span> down); <span class="accented">to corrupt, to destroy</span>: properly, <span class="greek2">τόν</span> <span class="greek2">ναόν</span> <span class="greek2">τοῦ</span> <span class="greek2">Θεοῦ</span> (in the opinion of the Jews the temple was corrupted, or 'destroyed', when anyone defiled or in the slightest degree damaged anything in it, or if its guardians neglected their duties; cf. Deyling, Observations, sacrae, vol. ii, p. 505ff), dropping the figure, to lead away a Christian church from that state of knowledge and holiness in which it ought to abide, <a href="/interlinear/1_corinthians/3-17.htm">1 Corinthians 3:17</a>a; <span class="greek2">τινα</span>, to punish with death, <a href="/interlinear/1_corinthians/3-17.htm">1 Corinthians 3:17</a>{b}; equivalent to to bring to want or beggary (cf. our <span class="accented">ruin</span> (<span class="abbreviation">A. V.</span> <span class="accented">corrupt</span>)), <a href="/interlinear/2_corinthians/7-2.htm">2 Corinthians 7:2</a>; passive, <span class="accented">to be destroyed, to perish</span>: <span class="greek2">ἐν</span> <span class="greek2">τίνι</span>, by a thing, <a href="/interlinear/jude/1-10.htm">Jude 1:10</a>; <span class="greek2">ἐν</span> with a dative denoting the condition, <span class="greek2">ἐν</span> <span class="greek2">τῇ</span> <span class="greek2">φθορά</span> <span class="greek2">αὐτῶν</span>, <a href="/interlinear/2_peter/2-12.htm">2 Peter 2:12</a> <span class="manuref">L</span> <span class="manuref">T</span> <span class="manuref">Tr</span> <span class="manuref">WH</span>. in an ethical sense, <span class="accented">to corrupt, deprave</span>: <span class="greek2">φθείρουσιν</span> <span class="greek2">ἔθη</span> <span class="greek2">χρηστά</span> <span class="greek2">ὁμιλίαι</span> <span class="greek2">κακαί</span> (a saying of <span class="abbreviation">Menander</span> (see <span class="greek2"><span class="lexref">ἦθος</span></span>, 2), which seems to have passed into a proverb (see <span class="abbreviation">Wetstein</span> at the passage; Gataker, Advers. misc. l. i. c. 1, p. 174f)), <a href="/interlinear/1_corinthians/15-33.htm">1 Corinthians 15:33</a>; the character of the inhabitants of the earth, <a href="/interlinear/revelation/19-2.htm">Revelation 19:2</a>; passive, <span class="greek2">φθείρομαι</span> <span class="greek2">ἀπό</span> <span class="greek2">τίνος</span>, to be so corrupted as to fall away from a thing (see <span class="greek2"><span class="lexref">ἀπό</span></span>, I. 3 d.), <a href="/interlinear/2_corinthians/11-3.htm">2 Corinthians 11:3</a>; <span class="greek2">φθειρόμενον</span> <span class="greek2">κατά</span> <span class="greek2">τάς</span> <span class="greek2">ἐπιθυμίας</span> (<span class="abbreviation">R. V.</span> <span class="accented">waxeth corrupt</span> etc.), <a href="/interlinear/ephesians/4-22.htm">Ephesians 4:22</a>. (Compare: <span class="greek2">διαφθείρω</span>, <span class="greek2">καταφθείρω</span>.)<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>corrupt, defile, destroy. <p>Probably strengthened from phthio (to pine or waste); properly, to shrivel or wither, i.e. To spoil (by any process) or (generally) to ruin (especially figuratively, by moral influences, to deprave) -- corrupt (self), defile, destroy. <div class="vheading2">Forms and Transliterations</div>εφθάρη εφθάρησαν εφθειραμεν εφθείραμεν ἐφθείραμεν έφθειρας έφθειρε εφθειρεν ἔφθειρεν φθαρη φθαρή φθαρῇ φθαρήσεται φθαρησονται φθαρήσονται φθείραι φθειρει φθείρει φθειρομενον φθειρόμενον φθειρονται φθείρονται φθειρουσιν φθείρουσιν φθερει φθερεί φθερεῖ φθερείτε φθερώ ephtheiramen ephtheíramen ephtheiren éphtheiren phthare phtharē phtharêi phtharē̂i phtharesontai phtharēsontai phtharḗsontai phtheirei phtheírei phtheiromenon phtheirómenon phtheirontai phtheírontai phtheirousin phtheírousin phtherei phthereî<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/1_corinthians/3-17.htm" title="Biblos Lexicon">1 Corinthians 3:17</a> <a href="/abbrev.htm" title="Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular">V-PIA-3S</a></b><br><a href="/interlinear/1_corinthians/3.htm" title="Greek">GRK:</a> <span class="greek3">τοῦ θεοῦ <b>φθείρει</b> φθερεῖ τοῦτον</span><br><a href="http://biblehub.com/nas/1_corinthians/3.htm" title="New American Standard Bible">NAS:</a> If any man <span class="itali">destroys</span> the temple of God,<br><a href="/kjvs/1_corinthians/3.htm" title="King James Bible with Strong's">KJV:</a> If any man <span class="itali">defile</span> the temple of God,<br><a href="/interlinear/1_corinthians/3-17.htm" title="Biblos Interlinear Bible">INT:</a> of God <span class="itali">destroys</span> will destroy him<p><b><a href="/text/1_corinthians/3-17.htm" title="Biblos Lexicon">1 Corinthians 3:17</a> <a href="/abbrev.htm" title="Verb - Future Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular">V-FIA-3S</a></b><br><a href="/interlinear/1_corinthians/3.htm" title="Greek">GRK:</a> <span class="greek3">θεοῦ φθείρει <b>φθερεῖ</b> τοῦτον ὁ</span><br><a href="http://biblehub.com/nas/1_corinthians/3.htm" title="New American Standard Bible">NAS:</a> God <span class="itali">will destroy</span> him, for the temple<br><a href="/kjvs/1_corinthians/3.htm" title="King James Bible with Strong's">KJV:</a> shall God <span class="itali">destroy;</span> for the temple<br><a href="/interlinear/1_corinthians/3-17.htm" title="Biblos Interlinear Bible">INT:</a> of God destroys <span class="itali">will destroy</span> him<p><b><a href="/text/1_corinthians/15-33.htm" title="Biblos Lexicon">1 Corinthians 15:33</a> <a href="/abbrev.htm" title="Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural">V-PIA-3P</a></b><br><a href="/interlinear/1_corinthians/15.htm" title="Greek">GRK:</a> <span class="greek3">μὴ πλανᾶσθε <b>φθείρουσιν</b> ἤθη χρηστὰ</span><br><a href="http://biblehub.com/nas/1_corinthians/15.htm" title="New American Standard Bible">NAS:</a> Bad company <span class="itali">corrupts</span> good morals.<br><a href="/kjvs/1_corinthians/15.htm" title="King James Bible with Strong's">KJV:</a> communications <span class="itali">corrupt</span> good<br><a href="/interlinear/1_corinthians/15-33.htm" title="Biblos Interlinear Bible">INT:</a> not Be misled <span class="itali">corrupts</span> character good<p><b><a href="/text/2_corinthians/7-2.htm" title="Biblos Lexicon">2 Corinthians 7:2</a> <a href="/abbrev.htm" title="Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 1st Person Plural">V-AIA-1P</a></b><br><a href="/interlinear/2_corinthians/7.htm" title="Greek">GRK:</a> <span class="greek3">ἠδικήσαμεν οὐδένα <b>ἐφθείραμεν</b> οὐδένα ἐπλεονεκτήσαμεν</span><br><a href="http://biblehub.com/nas/2_corinthians/7.htm" title="New American Standard Bible">NAS:</a> one, <span class="itali">we corrupted</span> no one,<br><a href="/kjvs/2_corinthians/7.htm" title="King James Bible with Strong's">KJV:</a> no man, <span class="itali">we have corrupted</span> no man,<br><a href="/interlinear/2_corinthians/7-2.htm" title="Biblos Interlinear Bible">INT:</a> did we wrong no one <span class="itali">did we corrupt</span> no one did we exploit<p><b><a href="/text/2_corinthians/11-3.htm" title="Biblos Lexicon">2 Corinthians 11:3</a> <a href="/abbrev.htm" title="Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Passive - 3rd Person Singular">V-ASP-3S</a></b><br><a href="/interlinear/2_corinthians/11.htm" title="Greek">GRK:</a> <span class="greek3">πανουργίᾳ αὐτοῦ <b>φθαρῇ</b> τὰ νοήματα</span><br><a href="http://biblehub.com/nas/2_corinthians/11.htm" title="New American Standard Bible">NAS:</a> your minds <span class="itali">will be led astray</span> from the simplicity<br><a href="/kjvs/2_corinthians/11.htm" title="King James Bible with Strong's">KJV:</a> minds <span class="itali">should be corrupted</span> from<br><a href="/interlinear/2_corinthians/11-3.htm" title="Biblos Interlinear Bible">INT:</a> craftiness of him <span class="itali">should be corrupted</span> the minds<p><b><a href="/text/ephesians/4-22.htm" title="Biblos Lexicon">Ephesians 4:22</a> <a href="/abbrev.htm" title="Verb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Accusative Masculine Singular">V-PPM/P-AMS</a></b><br><a href="/interlinear/ephesians/4.htm" title="Greek">GRK:</a> <span class="greek3">ἄνθρωπον τὸν <b>φθειρόμενον</b> κατὰ τὰς</span><br><a href="http://biblehub.com/nas/ephesians/4.htm" title="New American Standard Bible">NAS:</a> self, <span class="itali">which is being corrupted</span> in accordance<br><a href="/kjvs/ephesians/4.htm" title="King James Bible with Strong's">KJV:</a> which <span class="itali">is corrupt</span> according<br><a href="/interlinear/ephesians/4-22.htm" title="Biblos Interlinear Bible">INT:</a> man which <span class="itali">is being corrupted</span> according to the<p><b><a href="/text/2_peter/2-12.htm" title="Biblos Lexicon">2 Peter 2:12</a> <a href="/abbrev.htm" title="Verb - Future Indicative Passive - 3rd Person Singular">V-FIP-3S</a></b><br><a href="/interlinear/2_peter/2.htm" title="Greek">GRK:</a> <span class="greek3">αὐτῶν καὶ <b>φθαρήσονται</b> </span><br><a href="http://biblehub.com/nas/2_peter/2.htm" title="New American Standard Bible">NAS:</a> of those creatures also <span class="itali">be destroyed,</span><br><a href="/interlinear/2_peter/2-12.htm" title="Biblos Interlinear Bible">INT:</a> of them also <span class="itali">will be destroyed</span><p><b><a href="/text/jude/1-10.htm" title="Biblos Lexicon">Jude 1:10</a> <a href="/abbrev.htm" title="Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Plural">V-PIM/P-3P</a></b><br><a href="/interlinear/jude/1.htm" title="Greek">GRK:</a> <span class="greek3">ἐν τούτοις <b>φθείρονται</b> </span><br><a href="http://biblehub.com/nas/jude/1.htm" title="New American Standard Bible">NAS:</a> by these things <span class="itali">they are destroyed.</span><br><a href="/kjvs/jude/1.htm" title="King James Bible with Strong's">KJV:</a> those things <span class="itali">they corrupt themselves.</span><br><a href="/interlinear/jude/1-10.htm" title="Biblos Interlinear Bible">INT:</a> in these things <span class="itali">they corrupt themselves</span><p><b><a href="/text/revelation/19-2.htm" title="Biblos Lexicon">Revelation 19:2</a> <a href="/abbrev.htm" title="Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular">V-IIA-3S</a></b><br><a href="/interlinear/revelation/19.htm" title="Greek">GRK:</a> <span class="greek3">μεγάλην ἥτις <b>ἔφθειρεν</b> τὴν γῆν</span><br><a href="http://biblehub.com/nas/revelation/19.htm" title="New American Standard Bible">NAS:</a> who <span class="itali">was corrupting</span> the earth<br><a href="/kjvs/revelation/19.htm" title="King James Bible with Strong's">KJV:</a> which <span class="itali">did corrupt</span> the earth<br><a href="/interlinear/revelation/19-2.htm" title="Biblos Interlinear Bible">INT:</a> great who <span class="itali">corrupted</span> the earth<p><b><a href="/greek/5351.htm">Strong's Greek 5351</a><br><a href="/greek/strongs_5351.htm">9 Occurrences</a></b><br><br><a href="/greek/ephtheiramen_5351.htm">ἐφθείραμεν — 1 Occ.</a><br><a href="/greek/ephtheiren_5351.htm">ἔφθειρεν — 1 Occ.</a><br><a href="/greek/phthare__5351.htm">φθαρῇ — 1 Occ.</a><br><a href="/greek/phthare_sontai_5351.htm">φθαρήσονται — 1 Occ.</a><br><a href="/greek/phtheirei_5351.htm">φθείρει — 1 Occ.</a><br><a href="/greek/phtheiromenon_5351.htm">φθειρόμενον — 1 Occ.</a><br><a href="/greek/phtheirontai_5351.htm">φθείρονται — 1 Occ.</a><br><a href="/greek/phtheirousin_5351.htm">φθείρουσιν — 1 Occ.</a><br><a href="/greek/phtherei_5351.htm">φθερεῖ — 1 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 /> <script type="text/javascript"> </script> <script type="text/javascript" src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js"> </script><br /><br /> </div> <div id="left"><a href="/greek/5350.htm" onmouseover='lft.src="/leftgif.png"' onmouseout='lft.src="/left.png"' title="5350"><img src="/left.png" name="lft" border="0" alt="5350" /></a></div><div id="right"><a href="/greek/5352.htm" onmouseover='rght.src="/rightgif.png"' onmouseout='rght.src="/right.png"' title="5352"><img src="/right.png" name="rght" border="0" alt="5352" /></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>