διαφθείρω
to corrupt
‘to corrupt’ is one of 3 main senses fuller range ↓
Full lexicon entry — Thayer's Greek Lexicon
From Thayer's Greek Lexicon
Where this word appears
See every Present-tense verb in the Greek New Testament →
Grammar key — what these labels mean
Part of speech
- Verb
- An action or state-of-being word.
Tense
- Aorist
- Action viewed as a simple whole, without regard to duration — often past (perfective aspect).
- Present
- Ongoing or general action in present time (imperfective aspect).
- Perfect
- A completed past action with continuing present results.
Voice
- Passive
- The subject receives the action.
- Active
- The subject performs the action.
Mood
- Indicative
- States a fact or asks a factual question (the mood of reality).
- Infinitive
- A verbal noun (“to write”), unmarked for person or number.
- Participle
- A verbal adjective (“writing,” “having written”).
Case
- Accusative
- The case of the direct object and of extent.
- Genitive
- The case of source, possession, or “of” — answers “whose / from what.”
Person
- 3rd person
- The one spoken about (“he / she / it / they”).
Gender
- Masculine
- Grammatically masculine.
Number
- Plural
- More than one.
- Singular
- One.
2 distinct verses where G1311 appears in the Aorist tense, across 1 book. Filtered view — show all forms. Click any verse to open its interlinear word-by-word view. Verse text shown in the World English Bible for context — . Each verse’s Greek form is shown with its reference; the English is not keyword-highlighted, since the data carries no word-level English alignment. Use “Compare translations” on any verse to read it across multiple English versions. This concordance covers the Greek New Testament; Septuagint (Greek Old Testament) occurrences of this word are not indexed here.
Revelation 2 verses
- Revelation 8:9 διεφθάρησαν aor pass ind 3pl and one third of the living creatures which were in the sea died. One third of the ships were destroyed.
- Revelation 11:18 διαφθεῖραι διαφθείροντας aor act inf pres act ptcp acc pl masc The nations were angry, and your wrath came, as did the time for the dead to be judged, and to give your bondservants the prophets, their reward, as well as to the saints, and those who fear your name, to the small and the great; and to destroy those who destroy the earth."
About this entry
At a glance — auto-summarized from this page’s data, not written by a person. Every figure links to its source below. This summary describes the numbers; it doesn’t interpret them.
At its core, διαφθειρω (diaphtheírō) means “to corrupt.” A scarce word — 5 verses in all of the Greek New Testament. The word gravitates to Revelation (40%), then Luke and 2 Corinthians. Scripture first uses it in Luke 12:33. Ranging over 3 senses, it is not a single-sense word. Dig into 5-verse concordance and the renderings breakdown below.
Gloss history
Strong's 1890 vs modern scholarship
About this word
Strong's G1311 catalogs a Greek word from the Greek New Testament.
These counts are not copied from any lexicon or concordance. They are computed here, from the morphology-tagged Greek New Testament. What Lemma adds →
- 5
- distinct verses
- The word appears in 5 distinct verses.
- 4 / 27
- NT books
- The word appears in 4 of 27 New Testament books.
- #1,476
- by frequency
- Top 2500 most frequent Greek words (rank 1,476 of 5,347 Greek words by occurrence).
View all 5 occurrences in the concordance →
Most concentrated in
- Revelation 2 verses 40%
- Luke 1 verse 20%
- 2 Corinthians 1 verse 20%
By section of the New Testament
By traditional corpus
Conventional, traditional groupings — biblical authorship is debated, so this is a traditional corpus grouping, not an authorship claim. Some books belong to more than one corpus (Luke is in both the Gospels and the Lukan corpus, and so on), so these shares overlap and need not total 100%. Each figure is a share of the word’s 5 distinct verses.
- Johannine 2 verses · 40%
- Pauline corpus 2 verses · 40%
- Revelation 2 verses · 40%
- Gospels 1 verse · 20%
- Lukan (Luke–Acts) 1 verse · 20%
How translations render this word
Counts come from each version’s own published word-to-Strong’s tagging or interlinear alignment — an approximate guide to how each version renders this word, not a word-level alignment the data otherwise carries. Because each total is that version’s own tagged count, the per-version totals vary from one another and need not match the appearance or distinct-verse counts above. These counts may also differ from a printed concordance because Lemma counts each distinctly tagged rendering and does not collapse phrase taggings into a single head-word total. This is a fixed set of word-tagged versions (KJV, ASV, BSB, ULT) and does not change with the reading translation you choose elsewhere. Each version’s license is shown beside its name below (and on Sources).
- King James Version: Corrupt 1×, Corrupteth 1×, Destroy 1×
- American Standard Version: Destroy 2×
- Berean Standard Bible: Destroy 2×
- unfoldingWord Literal Text: Destroy 2×
King James Version Public Domain
Renders G1311 across 6 tagged occurrences — most commonly:
American Standard Version Public Domain
Renders G1311 across 5 tagged occurrences — most commonly:
Plus 3 renderings that appear only once — usually multi-word phrases or single function words the recovered tagging swept in, not distinct renderings.
Berean Standard Bible Public Domain
Renders G1311 across 6 tagged occurrences — most commonly:
Plus 4 renderings that appear only once — usually multi-word phrases or single function words the recovered tagging swept in, not distinct renderings.
unfoldingWord Literal Text CC BY-SA 4.0
Renders G1311 across 6 tagged occurrences — most commonly:
Plus 4 renderings that appear only once — usually multi-word phrases or single function words the recovered tagging swept in, not distinct renderings.
Senses in Thayer's
The 3 senses Thayer's distinguishes for this word, in lexicon order (not ranked by frequency or importance). The full entry — with sub-senses — is in the Lexicon Entry tab.
- to change for the worse, to corrupt
- to consume
- to destroy, to kill
Word origin
Derived from διαβαλλω (diabállō) (G1225) — to slander.
Forms in the corpus
The 6 distinct written forms G1311 takes in the Greek New Testament, most frequent first — each parse links to that tense’s occurrences in the concordance.
| Form | Parsing | Example | Uses |
|---|---|---|---|
| διαφθείρει diaphtheírei | Verb, Present, Active, Indicative, 3rd person, Singular | Luke 12:33 | 1 |
| διαφθείρεται diaphtheíretai | Verb, Present, Passive, Indicative, 3rd person, Singular | 2 Corinthians 4:16 | 1 |
| διαφθείροντας diaphtheírontas | Verb, Present, Active, Participle, Accusative, Plural, Masculine | Revelation 11:18 | 1 |
| διαφθεῖραι diaphtheîrai | Verb, Aorist, Active, Infinitive | Revelation 11:18 | 1 |
| διεφθάρησαν diephthárēsan | Verb, Aorist, Passive, Indicative, 3rd person, Plural | Revelation 8:9 | 1 |
| διεφθαρμένων diephtharménōn | Verb, Perfect, Passive, Participle, Genitive, Plural, Masculine | 1 Timothy 6:5 | 1 |
Same root — word family
Other Thayer's entries built from the same root as G1311, grouped by Strong’s listed origin. These share a root / origin per the lexicon — not necessarily a shared meaning. Each links to that word’s own entry.
Derives from
Shares the same root
Derived from this word
Compare all same-root words → They share a root, not necessarily a meaning.
Septuagint usage
The same Greek word διαφθειρω appears 59 times in the Greek Old Testament (Septuagint), across 56 verses in 16 books.
- 59
- LXX occurrences
- Tagged occurrences of this Greek word in the Septuagint.
- 56
- verses
- Distinct Septuagint verses containing this word.
- 16 / 39
- OT books
- The word appears in 16 of the 39 Old Testament books.
Sample Septuagint occurrences
- Judges 2:19 διαφθείρω
- Ruth 4:6 διαφθείρω
- 1 Samuel 2:25 διαφθείρω
- 2 Samuel 1:14 διαφθείρω
- 2 Kings 8:19 διαφθείρω
- Psalms 13:1 διαφθείρω
- Ecclesiastes 5:5 διαφθείρω
- Isaiah 49:19 διαφθείρω
- Jeremiah 5:26 διαφθείρω
- Lamentations 2:5 διαφθείρω
- Ezekiel 20:44 διαφθείρω
- Daniel 7:19 διαφθείρω
Septuagint occurrences (same lexeme)
Every verse where the same Strong’s number (G1311) appears in the Greek Septuagint — showing the first 50 of 56. Verse text shown in the World English Bible for context; the Greek form is the matched word — the English is not keyword-highlighted.
- Judges 2:19 διαφθείρω But it happened, when the judge was dead, that they turned back, and dealt more corruptly than their fathers, in following other gods to serve them, and to bow down to them; they didn't cease from their doings, nor from their stubborn way.
- Judges 6:5 διαφθείρω For they came up with their cattle and their tents; they came in as locusts for multitude; both they and their camels were without number: and they came into the land to destroy it.
- Judges 16:7 διαφθείρω Samson said to her, If they bind me with seven green cords that were never dried, then shall I become weak, and be as another man.
- Judges 16:8 διαφθείρω Then the lords of the Philistines brought up to her seven green cords which had not been dried, and she bound him with them.
- Judges 20:21 διαφθείρω The children of Benjamin came forth out of Gibeah, and destroyed down to the ground of the Israelites on that day Twenty-two thousand men.
- Judges 20:25 διαφθείρω Benjamin went forth against them out of Gibeah the second day, and destroyed down to the ground of the children of Israel again eighteen thousand men; all these drew the sword.
- Judges 20:35 διαφθείρω Yahweh struck Benjamin before Israel; and the children of Israel destroyed of Benjamin that day twenty-five thousand one hundred men: all these drew the sword.
- Judges 20:42 διαφθείρω Therefore they turned their backs before the men of Israel to the way of the wilderness; but the battle followed hard after them; and those who came out of the cities destroyed them in the midst of it.
- Ruth 4:6 διαφθείρω The near kinsman said, I can't redeem it for myself, lest I mar my own inheritance: take my right of redemption on you; for I can't redeem it.
- 1 Samuel 2:25 διαφθείρω If one man sin against another, God shall judge him; but if a man sin against Yahweh, who shall entreat for him? Notwithstanding, they didn't listen to the voice of their father, because Yahweh was minded to kill them.
- 1 Samuel 6:5 διαφθείρω Therefore you shall make images of your tumors, and images of your mice that mar the land; and you shall give glory to the God of Israel: peradventure he will lighten his hand from off you, and from off your gods, and from off your land.
- 1 Samuel 13:17 διαφθείρω The spoilers came out of the camp of the Philistines in three companies: one company turned to the way that leads to Ophrah, to the land of Shual;
- 1 Samuel 14:15 διαφθείρω There was a trembling in the camp, in the field, and among all the people; the garrison, and the spoilers, they also trembled; and the earth quaked: so there was an exceeding great trembling.
- 1 Samuel 23:10 διαφθείρω Then said David, O Yahweh, the God of Israel, your servant has surely heard that Saul seeks to come to Keilah, to destroy the city for my sake.
- 1 Samuel 26:15 διαφθείρω David said to Abner, Aren't you a [valiant] man? and who is like you in Israel? why then have you not kept watch over your lord, the king? for there came one of the people in to destroy the king your lord.
- 2 Samuel 1:14 διαφθείρω David said to him, How were you not afraid to put forth your hand to destroy Yahweh's anointed?
- 2 Samuel 11:1 διαφθείρω It happened, at the return of the year, at the time when kings go out [to battle], that David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the children of Ammon, and besieged Rabbah. But David stayed at Jerusalem.
- 2 Samuel 14:11 διαφθείρω Then said she, Please let the king remember Yahweh your God, that the avenger of blood destroy not any more, lest they destroy my son. He said, As Yahweh lives, there shall not one hair of your son fall to the earth.
- 2 Samuel 20:20 διαφθείρω Joab answered, Far be it, far be it from me, that I should swallow up or destroy.
- 2 Samuel 24:16 διαφθείρω When the angel stretched out his hand toward Jerusalem to destroy it, Yahweh repented him of the evil, and said to the angel who destroyed the people, It is enough; now stay your hand. The angel of Yahweh was by the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.
- 2 Kings 8:19 διαφθείρω However Yahweh would not destroy Judah, for David his servant's sake, as he promised him to give to him a lamp for his children always.
- 2 Kings 13:23 διαφθείρω But Yahweh was gracious to them, and had compassion on them, and had respect to them, because of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and would not destroy them, neither cast he them from his presence as yet.
- 2 Kings 18:25 διαφθείρω Am I now come up without Yahweh against this place to destroy it? Yahweh said to me, Go up against this land, and destroy it.
- 2 Kings 19:12 διαφθείρω Have the gods of the nations delivered them, which my fathers have destroyed, Gozan, and Haran, and Rezeph, and the children of Eden that were in Telassar?
- Psalms 13:1 διαφθείρω How long, Yahweh? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?
- Psalms 52:2 διαφθείρω Your tongue plots destruction, Like a sharp razor, working deceitfully.
- Psalms 56:1 διαφθείρω Be merciful to me, God, for man wants to swallow me up. All day long, he attacks and oppresses me.
- Psalms 57:1 διαφθείρω Be merciful to me, God, be merciful to me, For my soul takes refuge in you. Yes, in the shadow of your wings, I will take refuge, Until disaster has passed.
- Psalms 58:1 διαφθείρω Do you indeed speak righteousness, silent ones? Do you judge blamelessly, you sons of men?
- Psalms 74:1 διαφθείρω God, why have you rejected us forever? Why does your anger smolder against the sheep of your pasture?
- Psalms 77:38 διαφθείρω
- Psalms 77:45 διαφθείρω
- Ecclesiastes 5:5 διαφθείρω It is better that you should not vow, than that you should vow and not pay.
- Isaiah 49:19 διαφθείρω For, as for your waste and your desolate places, and your land that has been destroyed, surely now shall you be too small for the inhabitants, and those who swallowed you up shall be far away.
- Jeremiah 5:26 διαφθείρω For among my people are found wicked men: they watch, as fowlers lie in wait; they set a trap, they catch men.
- Jeremiah 6:5 διαφθείρω Arise, and let us go up by night, and let us destroy her palaces.
- Jeremiah 6:28 διαφθείρω They are all grievous rebels, going about with slanders; they are brass and iron: they all of them deal corruptly.
- Jeremiah 12:10 διαφθείρω Many shepherds have destroyed my vineyard, they have trodden my portion under foot, they have made my pleasant portion a desolate wilderness.
- Jeremiah 13:7 διαφθείρω Then I went to the Euphrates, and dug, and took the belt from the place where I had hid it; and, behold, the belt was marred, it was profitable for nothing.
- Jeremiah 15:6 διαφθείρω You have rejected me, says Yahweh, you are gone backward: therefore have I stretched out my hand against you, and destroyed you; I am weary with repenting.
- Jeremiah 27:45 διαφθείρω
- Jeremiah 28:1 διαφθείρω It happened the same year, in the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the fourth year, in the fifth month, that Hananiah the son of Azzur, the prophet, who was of Gibeon, spoke to me in the house of Yahweh, in the presence of the priests and of all the people, saying,
- Jeremiah 28:25 διαφθείρω
- Lamentations 2:5 διαφθείρω The Lord is become as an enemy, he has swallowed up Israel; He has swallowed up all her palaces, he has destroyed his strongholds; He has multiplied in the daughter of Judah mourning and lamentation.
- Lamentations 2:6 διαφθείρω He has violently taken away his tent, as if it were of a garden; he has destroyed his place of assembly: Yahweh has caused solemn assembly and Sabbath to be forgotten in Zion, Has despised in the indignation of his anger the king and the priest.
- Lamentations 2:8 διαφθείρω Yahweh has purposed to destroy the wall of the daughter of Zion; He has stretched out the line, he has not withdrawn his hand from destroying; He has made the rampart and wall to lament; they languish together.
- Ezekiel 20:44 διαφθείρω You shall know that I am Yahweh, when I have dealt with you for my name's sake, not according to your evil ways, nor according to your corrupt doings, you house of Israel, says the Lord Yahweh.
- Ezekiel 23:11 διαφθείρω Her sister Oholibah saw this, yet was she more corrupt in her doting than she, and in her prostitution which were more than the prostitution of her sister.
- Ezekiel 28:17 διαφθείρω Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty; you have corrupted your wisdom by reason of your brightness: I have cast you to the ground; I have laid you before kings, that they may see you.
- Daniel 7:19 διαφθείρω Then I desired to know the truth concerning the fourth animal, which was diverse from all of them, exceedingly terrible, whose teeth were of iron, and its nails of brass; which devoured, broke in pieces, and stamped the residue with its feet;
These are occurrences of the same Greek lexeme (G1311) in the Septuagint — not a translation of any one Hebrew word. The store carries no word-level Hebrew↔Greek alignment, so no Hebrew original is asserted here. Counts come from the recovered LXX Strong's tagging — high-frequency vocabulary is well covered, while rare or late forms may be untagged — so they reflect tagged occurrences and may slightly undercount.
