← G621 G623 →

ἀπόλλυμι

apóllymi

G622 verb

SILEX Entry

Root ὀλ- to destroy, to lose, to cause to perish

Definition

To cause to perish, to ruin, to destroy, to lose; in active usage, to bring to ruin, to kill, or to make an end of something or someone; in middle or passive, to perish, to be lost, to be ruined, to die; contextually, also indicates being rendered useless, forfeited, or rendered ineffective. The verb describes a range of intensities, from complete destruction to loss of purpose or value.

Semantic Range

to destroy, ruin, kill, cause to perish, lose, render useless, forfeit, perish, be ruined, be lost, die; to lose (in the sense of failing to retain or keep)

Root / Etymology

From ἀπό ('from, away') and the root ὄλλυμι ('destroy, lose'); compounded to intensify the action of causing loss or destruction. Cognate with Latin perdere and English 'lose.'

Historical & Contextual Notes

In classical Greek, ἀπόλλυμι frequently conveys the idea of complete destruction or utter ruin, applying to physical objects, persons, or abstractions (such as honor or reputation). In the Septuagint, it is often used to translate Hebrew terms for destruction or loss, conveying both literal and metaphorical senses, including destruction in battle, moral ruin, or being lost to the community. In the New Testament, the active sense ('to destroy') and the intransitive/middle sense ('to perish', 'to be lost') are both common. Notably, terminology in English translation (e.g., 'perish', 'lose', 'destroy') does not always capture the nuance between irrevocable destruction and functional loss. The verb is distinct from φθείρω (to corrupt), as ἀπόλλυμι focuses on the result (loss or ruin), not the process. Its use in theological contexts (such as 'lost sheep' or avoiding 'perishing') should be understood first in its lexical and historical nuance rather than doctrinal implication; the word’s scope is broader than immediate associations with spiritual loss or physical annihilation and includes mundane meanings such as 'to lose a coin' or 'to perish in a shipwreck.'

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from ἀπό and the base of ὄλεθρος; to destroy fully (reflexively, to perish, or lose), literally or figuratively:--destroy, die, lose, mar, perish.

Root Family

ἀπόλλυμι (apollymi) — to destroy, to lose, to cause to perish

Word Forms

32 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
G622-07 ἀπολέσει apolesei V FUT ACT IND 3P SG will lose he/she/it will destroy 10
G622-06 ἀπολέσῃ apolese V AOR ACT SUBJ 3P SG destroy he/she/it might destroy 7
G622-13 ἀπόληται apoletai V AOR MID SUBJ 3P SG perish might perish 7
G622-04 ἀπολέσαι apolesai V AOR ACT INF to destroy to cause to perish 7
G622-27 ἀπολωλός apololos V PRF ACT PTCP ACC N SG lost having perished 6
G622-14 ἀπώλετο apoleto V AOR MID IND 3P SG perished perished 5
G622-11 ἀπολέσωσιν apolesosin V AOR ACT SUBJ 3P PL they might destroy they might destroy 4
G622-20 ἀπολλυμένοις apollumenois V PRS MID PTCP DAT M PL who are perishing to those perishing 4
G622-08 ἀπώλεσεν apolesen V AOR ACT IND 3P SG destroyed he destroyed 4
G622-32 ἀπολοῦνται apolountai V FUT MID IND 3P PL will be ruined they will perish 4

Occurrences in Scripture

91 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
G622-04 Matthew 2:13 ἀπολέσαι apolesai V AOR ACT INF to destroy to cause to perish
G622-13 Matthew 5:29 ἀπόληται apoletai V AOR MID SUBJ 3P SG might perish
G622-13 Matthew 5:30 ἀπόληται apoletai V AOR MID SUBJ 3P SG might perish
G622-22 Matthew 8:25 ἀπολλύμεθα apollumetha V PRS MID IND 1P PL we are perishing
G622-23 Matthew 9:17 ἀπόλλυνται apolluntai V PRS PASS IND 3P PL they are perishing
G622-28 Matthew 10:6 ἀπολωλότα apololota V PRF ACT PTCP ACC N PL having destroyed
G622-04 Matthew 10:28 ἀπολέσαι apolesai V AOR ACT INF to cause to perish
G622-07 Matthew 10:39 ἀπολέσει apolesei V FUT ACT IND 3P SG he/she/it will destroy
G622-05 Matthew 10:39 ἀπολέσας apolesas V AOR ACT PTCP NOM M SG having destroyed
G622-06 Matthew 10:42 ἀπολέσῃ apolese V AOR ACT SUBJ 3P SG he/she/it might destroy
← G621 Greek Lexicon G623 →