Destroy¶

Overview¶

Greek NT vocabulary for rendering something void, powerless, or non-existent. These words share the semantic territory of English "abolish," "nullify," "destroy," and "invalidate" but each occupies a distinct register: legal, physical, functional, or visual. The cluster is dominated by katargéō (G2673) in theological contexts and apóllymi (G622) in narrative contexts.

Word Group Members¶

Strong's	Word	Transliteration	POS	Occurrences	Role in Concept	Library Entry
G2673	καταργέω	katargéō	verb	26	Render inoperative — strip power, function, or authority	G2673
G2647	καταλύω	katalýō	verb	16	Dismantle / dissolve — physically tear down or legally dissolve	G2647-katalyo.md
G208	ἀκυρόω	akyróō	verb	3	Legally invalidate — void a promise, covenant, or statute	TODO(need G208 study)
G853	ἀφανίζω	aphanízō	verb	5	Make to disappear — remove visible existence, disfigure	TODO(need G853 study)
G622	ἀπόλλυμι	apóllymi	verb	86	Destroy fully / perish — total ruin (active) or loss (middle)	G622-apollymi.md

Relationships¶

Shared Roots¶

G2673 καταργέω and G2647 καταλύω both use the κατά prefix (down/thoroughly against) with different base verbs — intensified thoroughness is a shared pattern.
G208 ἀκυρόω uses the alpha-privative on κύριος-root (lord/authority) — "de-lord" something, remove its authority.

Co-occurrence (shared verses)¶

Word A	Word B	Shared Verses	Typical Context
G2673	G208	1	Gal 3:17 — "the law...cannot disannul [katargeō] [the covenant]...to make the promise of none effect [akyróō]"
All others	—	0	These synonyms tend to appear in distinct contexts, not together

Semantic Distinctions¶

Word	Register	What is Nullified	Retains Existence?
katargéō (G2673)	Theological / legal	Power, function, authority, effect	Yes — the object still exists but is stripped of force
katalýō (G2647)	Physical / legal	Structures, laws, associations	No — physical dismantling; or legal dissolution
akyróō (G208)	Legal (formal)	Documents, statutes, covenants	Yes — void as legal instrument, not destroyed
aphanízō (G853)	Visual / physical	Visible appearance or physical substance	Rendered invisible / consumed
apóllymi (G622)	Narrative / universal	Life, things, persons — total loss	No (active sense); subject is lost (middle sense)

Roles in the Concept¶

Strip of function: katargéō (G2673) — render entirely idle; the law's condemning power, death's dominion, partial gifts
Tear down / dissolve: katalýō (G2647) — dismantle the temple, break up a meeting, dissolve a meal-companion arrangement
Void legally: akyróō (G208) — formally invalidate a prior legal instrument (covenants, statutes)
Remove from sight: aphanízō (G853) — make invisible through corruption (moths/rust) or deliberate concealment
Destroy / perish: apóllymi (G622) — the broadest term; total destruction or being lost

Key Passages¶

Gal 3:17 — G2673 + G208 together: "the law...cannot katargeō [the covenant], that it should akyróō the promise" — two synonyms for nullification in one verse, distinguishing covenantal authority from legal promise
1 Cor 15:24–26 — G2673 alone: "he shall have put down all rule...the last enemy shall be destroyed [is] death" — progressive abolition of hostile powers
Eph 2:15 — G2673 alone: "having abolished in his flesh the enmity, [even] the law of commandments" — covenantal/legal register
2 Tim 1:10 — G2673 alone: "who hath abolished death" — functional register: death still exists but its dominion is stripped
Matt 26:61 / Mark 14:58 — G2647: Jesus accused of threatening to "destroy this temple" — physical dismantling register

Generated from: gather_word_group_data.py, gather_word_data.py Last updated: 2026-04-01