φθάνω

From the study of 1 Thessalonians 4:15

Range of meaning

In classical Greek, 'to do something first, anticipate, get somewhere before someone'. In Koine Greek it often weakens to plain 'arrive, reach' (Matt 12:28; 1 Thess 2:16; Phil 3:16). Here, with a person as object, the older sense 'to precede, get ahead of, gain an advantage over' is clearly in view. Ou mē with the aorist subjunctive is the most emphatic way Greek can deny a future possibility.

Against the English

KJV 'shall not prevent' (in 1611, 'go before'). BSB 'will by no means precede' and NIV 'will certainly not precede' keep both the meaning and the emphasis. ESV/NASB-style 'will not precede' and YLT 'may not precede' lose the double negative's force.

How it drifted

The KJV followed the Latin Vulgate's praeveniemus, from praevenire, 'come before'. In early modern English 'prevent' still meant 'go before, anticipate' (compare KJV Ps 119:147, 'I prevented the dawning of the morning'). By the 1700s the word had shifted to 'stop, hinder', so the KJV now seems to say the living will not obstruct the dead.

Used elsewhere in the period

BDAG gives 'come before, precede' for this verse. Wisdom 6:13 and 16:28 (LXX) use phthanō for 'anticipate, get ahead of'. The emphatic ou mē construction is frequent in the Greek Old Testament and in Jesus' sayings in the Gospels (e.g., Matt 24:34–35).

From the study of Philippians 3:16

Range of meaning

In classical Greek the word mainly means 'to come before, get somewhere first, anticipate'. In Koine (the everyday Greek of the New Testament period) that sense weakened, and the word often means simply 'to arrive, reach, come as far as, come upon'.

Against the English

'Attained' (KJV, BSB, NIV, ESV) is a fair rendering, but in modern English it suggests an achievement or level earned. YLT's 'to what we have come' and WEB's 'to the extent that we have already attained' stay closer to the spatial picture. NLT's 'the progress we have already made' gives the sense well.

How it drifted

English 'attain' moved from 'reach, arrive at' toward 'achieve, accomplish'. Here that can make Paul sound as if he is praising a spiritual level the readers have earned, which he has just denied about himself (v.12).

Used elsewhere in the period

The older 'precede' sense still appears in 1 Thess 4:15 ('we will not precede those who have fallen asleep') and Wisdom 6:13 (Wisdom 'comes first to' those who desire her). The 'arrive' sense is common: Matt 12:28 / Luke 11:20 ('the kingdom of God has come upon you'), Rom 9:31 (Israel 'did not reach' the law), 2 Cor 10:14 ('we came as far as you'), 1 Thess 2:16 (wrath 'has come upon them'). In the Septuagint (the Greek Old Testament) it often renders Hebrew verbs of reaching or touching, e.g. Daniel 4 (greatness 'reached to heaven').

From the study of Romans 9:31

Range of meaning

In classical Greek, 'to come first, get ahead of, anticipate'. In the Greek of the New Testament period it usually means 'to arrive at, reach, come as far as'. The older sense survives in 1 Thess 4:15, 'we will not precede those who have fallen asleep'.

Against the English

KJV and BSB have 'attain' and NASB 'arrive at'. ESV has 'succeeding in reaching' and NIV 'attained their goal'. 'Attain' can sound like 'achieve by merit', while the Greek is the plain spatial idea of getting to a destination.

Used elsewhere in the period

Matt 12:28, 'the kingdom of God has come upon you'. 2 Cor 10:14, 'we came all the way to you'. Phil 3:16, 'to what we have reached'. 1 Thess 2:16, 'wrath has come upon them'.