G5351 φθείρω (phtheírō)

Being corrupted (5351) (phtheiro [word study] from phthÃo or phthÃno = waste, decay, wither, pine away) means to cause harm to in a physical manner or in outward circumstances. To shrivel, to wither, to spoil. It means to ruin or destroy something with the implication of causing something to be corrupt and cease to exist. To destroy by corrupting. To pine or waste away. To corrupt in the sense of degeneration. Webster says that corrupt (from cor- ‘altogether’ + rumpere ‘to break’) implies loss of soundness, purity, or integrity, while defile implies befouling of what could or should have been kept clean and pure or held sacred and commonly suggests violation or desecration. Wither means to become dry and sapless, to shrivel as if from loss of bodily moisture, to lose vitality, force or freshness. Phtheiro is the root word from which we get our word diphtheria, an acute febrile contagious disease marked by the formation of a false membrane especially in the throat and caused by a bacterium (Corynebacterium diphtheriae) that produces a toxin causing inflammation of the heart and nervous system. Figuratively phtheiro as used by Paul in this verse it means to ruin, to corrupt or to cause deterioration of a man's inner life (as by erroneous teaching or immorality). Phtheiro and related derivatives are often used of moral corruption (see Ge 6:11 below). The image is powerful. It reeks of decay, as inner death and ruin gain a grip on individual and society, promising not progress but a continual rotting away. Classic Greek used phtheiro to describe buildings which crumbled with age and a derivative kataphtheiro to described economic ruin. "Phtheireste" was used as a curse to mean "be damned" or "go to the devil". Often in contracts it is laid down that the nurse engaged should not “spoil” her milk. Many papyri refer to animals that have fallen. The word group can refer to loss of food, of fruits destroyed by grasshoppers. NIDNTT writes that... In classical Gk. from the time of Homer onwards, and also in Philo and the Test. XII, phtheiro means to ruin, corrupt, destroy, kill. The term has various shades of meaning: to corrupt morally (Aristotle, Eth.Nic., 1103b), to bring down the state of laws (Plato, Laws 958c), to bribe (Dem., Orationes 18, 247), to seduce a woman (Dem., Orationes, 45, 79), to defile a virgin (Lucian, Cataplus sive Tyrannus 26). In the passive voice it means to go to ruin, perish, be corrupted, destroyed; and in the middle voice to destroy oneself (Thuc., 3, 113, 5). Derived from the word are phthora, destruction, corruption (Plato, Timaeus, 23c), and diaphthora, destruction (Polybius, 1, 48, 3, 8), murder (Euripides, Ion, 617), which is later used in the sense of corruption, disorder. Later words are aphtharsia, indestructibility, immortality (not before Epicurus, according to Diog. Laert., 10, 123), and aphthartos, incorruptible (Aristotle, De longitudine et brevitate vitae, 4, 466a 1; cf. also Wis. 12:1; Philo, Sacr., 95). Diaphtheiro can mean, in combination with other terms, to frustrate attempts to help (Thuc., 3, 113, 5), to change one’s mind (Aesch., Agamemnon, 932)...It is interesting that in the NT this group of words occurs nowhere in the gospels except for Lk. 12:33 (of moths destroying -- diaphtheiro --clothes). (Brown, Colin, Editor. New International Dictionary of NT Theology. 1986. Zondervan) TDNT adds that... phtheiro means “to destroy,” middle and passive “to perish.” It is often used for “to kill” (“to be killed”), but may also mean “to languish” (e.g., in prison). Economic ruin may also be in view. In curses the meaning may be “be damned” or more weakly “be off.” Another sense is “to spoil” (e.g., milk). The loss of food or of animals may sometimes be denoted. (Kittel, G., Friedrich, G., & Bromiley, G. W. Theological Dictionary of the New Testament. Eerdmans) Paul's point is this corruption brings about the result that they are being brought into a worse state. Note also that this corruption is a process that goes on, a condition that progresses! The unsaved person is thus subject to a continuous process of corruption which grows worse as time goes on. Be careful beloved! "The person you used to be" will ruin you through desires that deceive you. That old self becomes worse and worse because people are fooled by the evil things they want to do. Phtheiro is used 8 times in the NT and 21 times in the Septuagint (LXX). Here are a few instructive representative uses in the Septuagint... Genesis 6:11 Now the earth was corrupt (phtheiro is the first word in the sentence emphasizing the state of the earth because of the effect of sin -- "Corrupt was the earth") in the sight of God, and the earth was filled with violence. Daniel 2:44 "And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which will never be destroyed, (never be corrupted!!!) and that kingdom will not be left for another people; it will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, but it will itself endure forever. Daniel 7:14 "And to Him was given dominion, Glory and a kingdom, That all the peoples, nations, and men of every language Might serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion Which will not pass away; And His kingdom is one Which will not be destroyed, (never be corrupted) . Here are the 8 NT uses of phtheiro... 1 Corinthians 3:17 If any man destroys the temple of God, God will destroy him, for the temple of God is holy, and that is what you are. (Comment: 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. In the ancient world destroying a temple was a capital offense. The church is holy in that God has set it aside to glorify Himself even though it is not always as holy in its conduct as it is in its calling) 1 Corinthians 15:33 Do not be deceived: "Bad company corrupts good morals." 2 Corinthians 7:2 Make room for us in your hearts; we wronged no one, we corrupted no one, we took advantage of no one. 2 Corinthians 11:3 But I am afraid, lest as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds should be led astray (phtheiro = corrupted) from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ. Ephesians 4:22 that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, 2 Peter 2:12 (note) But these, like unreasoning animals, born as creatures of instinct to be captured and killed, reviling where they have no knowledge, will in the destruction of those creatures also be destroyed, Jude 1:10 But these men revile the things which they do not understand; and the things which they know by instinct, like unreasoning animals, by these things they are destroyed. Revelation 19:2 because His judgments are true and righteous; for He has judged the great harlot who was corrupting (imperfect tense = corrupting it over and over) the earth with her immorality, and He has avenged the blood of His bond-servants on her." Ruth Paxson has the following note regarding "being corrupted" writing that... The old man is utterly defiled and defiling in character, and waxes more and more degenerate in conduct even unto the point of depravity, as in the case of "the other Gentiles." "The old man" can do nothing but sin, for all his desires (Ep 4:22), as well as his deeds (Col 3:9-note), are sinful. He is unchangeable and incurable because he doesn't want to be changed. He is also irretrievably incorrigible, for his attitude to God is one of habitual disobedience (Ep 2:2-note), hardened into fixed enmity (Ro 8:7-note). "The old man," therefore, is the whole old creation in Adam. It is the sinner with only a sinful nature which contaminates everything from the centre to the circumference of his life. (Paxson, Ruth: The Wealth, the Walk and the Warfare of the Christian. 1939. Revell)