Greek word · G5351

φθείρω

phtheirō

to corrupt

To destroy or ruin; to spoil, rot or decay (physically); to corrupt morally, deprave, seduce or lead astray. Related to phthora, 'decay, perishing'.

Appears 9 times in 8 verses of the Greek New Testament. ·

What it means

φθείρω

[in LXX chiefly for שָׁחַת hi., pi., also for חָבַל, etc. ;]

to destroy, corrupt, spoil (on the varied usage and distinctive meaning of the word, see Mayor on 2Pe, App., 175 ff.): with accusative, 1 Corinthians 3:17 15:23, 2 Corinthians 7:2; before ἀπό, 2 Corinthians 11:3; ἐν, 2 Peter 2:12, Jude 1:10, Revelation 19:2; κατά, Ephesians 4:22 (cf. δια-, κατα-φθείρω).†

(AS)

From G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament (1922), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

In depth

From the study of Ephesians 4:22

Range of meaning

To destroy or ruin; to spoil, rot or decay (physically); to corrupt morally, deprave, seduce or lead astray. Related to phthora, 'decay, perishing'.

Against the English

KJV/YLT 'is corrupt' describe a fixed condition and can suggest bribery or political corruption today. BSB/NIV/NASB 'is being corrupted' and WEB 'grows corrupt' keep the ongoing process of the present participle.

How it drifted

Modern 'corrupt' tends to mean 'dishonest' or 'bribed'. The Greek is closer to 'rotting, falling to ruin'.

Used elsewhere in the period

LXX Gen 6:11–12: 'the earth was corrupted (ephtharē)' before the Flood. 1 Cor 3:17: 'if anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him'. 1 Cor 15:33 (quoting Menander): 'bad company ruins good morals'. Especially close is 2 Cor 11:3: 'as the serpent deceived (exēpatēsen) Eve… your minds may be corrupted (phtharē)'. There deceit and corruption are joined with the Eden story, as here. Gal 6:8 speaks of reaping phthora, 'decay/destruction', from the flesh.

From the study of 1 Corinthians 15:33

Range of meaning

To ruin, spoil, corrupt, destroy. It is used of physical decay, financial ruin, seducing or defiling a person, and moral corruption. Related nouns are phthora ("decay, corruption") and aphtharsia ("incorruption").

Against the English

"Corrupts" (BSB, KJV, WEB, NIV, NASB) and "ruins" (ESV) are both accurate. What no English rendering can show is the wordplay with the rest of 1 Corinthians 15.

Used elsewhere in the period

Paul uses it in 3:17 ("if anyone destroys God's temple") and 2 Corinthians 7:2; 11:3 (minds "led astray/corrupted"). The noun phthora and its opposite are central to 15:42, 50, 52–54.

From the study of 2 Corinthians 11:3

Range of meaning

Its senses include:

  • destroy or ruin (1 Cor 3:17, destroying God's temple);
  • corrupt or deprave morally (1 Cor 15:33, 'bad company corrupts good morals'; Eph 4:22);
  • spoil or decay;
  • in ordinary Greek, seduce or violate a woman: to 'ruin' a virgin (LSJ lists this sense).
Against the English

KJV/WEB 'corrupted' keeps the sense of moral ruin. Modern ears may hear it more abstractly, as in 'corrupted data'. BSB/NIV/ESV 'led astray' captures the moving away (with the help of 'from'), but loses the sense of ruin and the sexual overtone.

How it drifted

Modern translations soften 'ruined' into 'led astray' for readability. The result is a picture of wandering off a path rather than a betrothed bride being seduced and spoiled.

Used elsewhere in the period

4 Maccabees 18:7–8 is the closest parallel. The martyred mother says she was a pure virgin, and that no seducer 'ruined' her (ephtheiren) and the 'deceitful serpent' did not defile the purity of her virginity. The cluster of serpent + deception + phtheirō + virginity matches Paul's verse closely.

Where it appears

1 Corinthians · 3
  1. 1 Corinthians 3:17 φθείρει, φθερεῖ destroys,, will destroy

    If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him; for God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.

    Here: Present tense, 'is ruining'. It covers wrecking or spoiling a building and also corrupting something morally. Here it means tearing the community apart through faction and empty 'wisdom'.

  2. 1 Corinthians 15:33 φθείρουσιν Do corrupt

    Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good character.”

    Here: "Ruin" or "spoil." The present tense states a general truth: this is what bad company always does. The word ties into the rest of the chapter, where Paul sets decay (phthora) against the body that will not decay (15:42, 50–54).

2 Corinthians · 2
  1. 2 Corinthians 7:2 ἐφθείραμεν, we have corrupted,

    Make room for us in your hearts. We have wronged no one, we have corrupted no one, we have exploited no one.

    Here: 'We ruined / corrupted.' The word covers damaging someone's morals or faith, ruining them in some other way (financially, for example), and even seduction. Paul does not say which, so the denial may be deliberately broad: we have done no one damage of any kind.

  2. 2 Corinthians 11:3 φθαρῇ may be corrupted

    I am afraid, however, that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may be led astray from your simple and pure devotion to Christ.

    Here: 'Should be ruined/corrupted' (aorist passive subjunctive: a single event the Corinthians would suffer, described as a possibility). The verb was also used for seducing a virgin, which fits the betrothal picture in v. 2.

Ephesians · 1
  1. Ephesians 4:22 φθειρόμενον is being corrupted

    to put off your former way of life, your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires;

    Here: Present passive participle: 'being ruined', 'rotting', 'going to decay'. It describes an ongoing process, not a fixed state. The old human is decaying morally and heading for final ruin.

2 Peter · 1
  1. 2 Peter 2:12 φθαρήσονται will be destroyed

    These men are like irrational animals, creatures of instinct, born to be captured and destroyed. They blaspheme in matters they do not understand, and like such creatures, they too will be destroyed.

    Here: 'They will be destroyed', a future passive pointing to the coming judgment (2:3, 2:9). The repetition of the root makes the penalty match the crime: corruption ends in destruction.

Jude · 1
  1. Jude 1:10 φθείρονται. they corrupt themselves.

    These men, however, slander what they do not understand, and like irrational animals, they will be destroyed by the things they do instinctively.

    Here: "They are being ruined/destroyed". The present tense describes something already under way. The word covers both moral decay and final destruction. Here the stress falls on destruction (compare "they perished" in v. 11), and the decay is how it happens.

Revelation · 1
  1. Revelation 19:2 ἔφθειρεν was corrupting

    For His judgments are true and just. He has judged the great prostitute who corrupted the earth with her immorality. He has avenged the blood of His servants that was poured out by her hand.”

    Here: Imperfect tense: ongoing, habitual action. The word covers both moral corruption and physical ruin, and here both apply: she debased the world and wrecked it.

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.