Greek word · G861
ἀφθαρσία
aphtharsia
incorruptibility
'Incorruptibility, imperishability': the state of not being subject to decay or dissolution (BDAG). In Greek philosophy it described the divine and the eternal. In Hellenistic Jewish writing it is a gift God intended for humans. In Paul it is the condition of the resurrection body.
Appears 8 times in 8 verses of the Greek New Testament. ·
What it means
ἀφθαρσία, -ας, ἡ
(ἄφθαρτος), [in LXX: Wisdom of Solomon 2:23 6:19, 4Ma.9:22 4Mac 17:12 * ;]
incorruptibility, immortality: Romans 2:7, 1 Corinthians 15:42 15:50 15:53-54, 2 Timothy 1:10; ἀγαπώντων . . . ἐν ἀ., Ephesians 6:24 (see AR, in l).†
ἀ-φθορία, -ας, ἡ
(φθείρω), [in LXX: Haggai 2:17 (שְׁדֵפָה)* ;]
uncorruptness: Titus 2:7 (Rec. ἀφθορία).†
(AS)
From G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament (1922), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).
In depth
- Range of meaning
'Incorruptibility, imperishability': the state of not being subject to decay or dissolution (BDAG). In Greek philosophy it described the divine and the eternal. In Hellenistic Jewish writing it is a gift God intended for humans. In Paul it is the condition of the resurrection body.
- Against the English
BSB, KJV, NIV, ESV and NASB render it 'immortality.' WEB and YLT have the more literal 'incorruptibility.' Paul has a separate word for 'immortality' (athanasia, 'deathlessness'), and he sets the two side by side in 1 Cor 15:53–54.
- How it drifted
'Immortality' in English quickly calls up the Platonic idea that the soul is by nature undying. Paul's word focuses on being freed from decay, which for him comes about in resurrection, as God's gift rather than a natural property.
- Used elsewhere in the period
Wisdom of Solomon 2:23: 'God created man for incorruption (aphtharsia).' Wis 6:18–19: keeping wisdom's laws assures incorruption, which 'brings one near to God.' 4 Maccabees 17:12: the martyrs' prize was 'incorruption in long-lasting life.' 1 Cor 15:42, 50–54: the body 'sown in corruption is raised in incorruption.'
From the study of Ephesians 6:24
- Range of meaning
Literally "un-decay": the condition of not being subject to corruption, rotting or death. Its uses: (1) imperishability as a quality of the divine; (2) immortality, the deathless life God gives; (3) rarely and debatably, moral "uncorruptness" or integrity. In the New Testament the second sense dominates: the resurrection body is raised "in incorruption" (1 Cor 15:42, 50, 53–54); people seek "glory, honor and immortality" (Rom 2:7); Christ "brought life and immortality to light" (2 Tim 1:10).
- Against the English
KJV "sincerity" turns it into a moral quality: honest, not fake. BSB/NIV "undying love", ESV "love incorruptible" and NASB/WEB "incorruptible love" keep the idea of permanence but attach it to love. NLT "eternally" attaches it to grace. YLT "undecayingly" is closest to the root picture.
- How it drifted
The KJV's "sincerity" follows an earlier English line that read the word ethically: a love "uncorrupted" by insincerity. The KJV makes the same choice at Titus 2:7, where its Greek text has the same word and it again renders it "sincerity". In modern English "sincerity" means only honesty of motive, so the link to death and resurrection disappears completely.
- Used elsewhere in the period
Greek philosophy called the gods aphthartos, imperishable. In Jewish Greek writing, Wisdom of Solomon 2:23 says God created humans "for incorruption", and 6:18–19 says incorruption "brings one near to God". 4 Maccabees 17:12 speaks of the martyrs' prize as "incorruption in long-lasting life". Philo uses it for the nature of the divine. Soon after the New Testament, Ignatius, writing to the Ephesians (17:1), says the Lord was anointed "that he might breathe incorruption on the church". In all these texts the word belongs to God's world and to deathless life.
From the study of 1 Corinthians 15:42
- Range of meaning
Incorruptibility, imperishability: the quality of not being subject to decay. In Greek philosophy and Hellenistic Judaism it is a mark of divinity and of eternal existence.
- Against the English
'Incorruption' (KJV/YLT) and 'imperishable' (BSB, WEB, most modern versions) are both accurate. The supplied contextual gloss 'immortality' is near the meaning but blurs a distinction Paul keeps: in 15:53–54 he pairs aphtharsia (not decaying) with athanasia (not dying, 'immortality'). Paraphrases such as 'raised to live forever' catch the result but lose the picture of a body that cannot rot.
- Used elsewhere in the period
Epicurus (Letter to Menoeceus 123) calls a god a living being that is aphthartos. Wisdom of Solomon 2:23: 'God created humanity for aphtharsia, and made it an image of his own eternity'; 6:19: 'aphtharsia brings one near to God.' 4 Maccabees 17:12 speaks of the martyrs' prize as 'aphtharsia in long-lasting life.' Paul: Romans 1:23 ('the glory of the imperishable God'); Romans 2:7 (those who seek 'glory, honor and aphtharsia').
Similar words
Where it appears
Romans · 1
-
Romans 2:7 ἀφθαρσίαν immortality
To those who by perseverance in doing good seek glory, honor, and immortality, He will give eternal life.
Here: Literally 'un-decay': being beyond rot, decay and death. For Paul this is the condition of the resurrection body (1 Cor 15:42, 52–54), not an immortal soul escaping the body. It answers 1:23, where people traded the glory of the incorruptible God for images of corruptible humans.
1 Corinthians · 4
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1 Corinthians 15:42 ἀφθαρσίᾳ· immortality;
So will it be with the resurrection of the dead: What is sown is perishable; it is raised imperishable.
Here: 'Un-decay' (a- 'not' + phthora 'decay'). It means a state that can no longer decay or wear out. In Greek and Jewish thought this belonged to God and the divine realm, and Paul says the raised body will share it.
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1 Corinthians 15:50 ἀφθαρσίαν immortality
Now I declare to you, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.
Here: Literally 'un-decay': the condition of being beyond decay. It is the quality of the age to come and of God himself. The perishable cannot take hold of it as long as it stays perishable.
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1 Corinthians 15:53 ἀφθαρσίαν imperishable
For the perishable must be clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality.
Here: The same root as 'perishable', negated with the Greek prefix a- ('un-'). Literally 'un-perishability'. This is the garment the body puts on: a condition in which decay can no longer take hold.
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1 Corinthians 15:54 ἀφθαρσίαν [the] imperishable
When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come to pass: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”
Here: The state of being beyond decay. It is described as a garment that is received, not something the body already has.
Ephesians · 1
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Ephesians 6:24 ἀφθαρσίᾳ incorruptibility
Grace to all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with an undying love.
Here: The state of not decaying or perishing. Elsewhere in the New Testament it describes the resurrection body and eternal life. Ending the letter on this word lands it on the imperishable life of the age to come.
2 Timothy · 1
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2 Timothy 1:10 ἀφθαρσίαν immortality
And now He has revealed this grace through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has abolished death and illuminated the way to life and immortality through the gospel,
Here: "Incorruptibility": the state of not being subject to decay or rotting away. For Paul this belongs to the resurrected body (1 Cor 15:42, 53–54), not to a disembodied soul.
Titus · 1
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Titus 2:7 ἀφθορίαν, incorruptable,
In everything, show yourself to be an example by doing good works. In your teaching show integrity, dignity,
Here: Literally 'un-corruption'. Titus's teaching must be untainted: not watered down, not bent for profit or favor. This sets him against the Cretan teachers who taught 'for shameful gain' (1:11). The supplied data tags this word under ἀφθαρσία, a related but different word (see textual notes).
Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.