WG: Incorruptible / Corruption¶
Overview¶
The corruption/incorruption word group in the Greek NT centers on the root verb φθείρω (phtheiro) and its derivatives. Two alpha-privative adjectives negate corruption (aphthartos, "imperishable") and death (athanasia, "immortality"). Together, these six words frame the biblical contrast between perishable creation and imperishable divine reality.
Word Group Members¶
| Strong's | Word | Transliteration | POS | Occurrences | Role in Concept | Library Entry |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G5351 | φθείρω | phtheiro | verb | 7 | Root action — to corrupt, destroy, decay | TODO(need G5351 study) |
| G5349 | φθαρτός | phthartós | adj | 6 | Quality of present state — perishable, corruptible | TODO(need G5349 study) |
| G5356 | φθορά | phthora | noun | 9 | The condition — corruption, decay, destruction | TODO(need G5356 study) |
| G862 | ἄφθαρτος | aphthartos | adj | 7 | Negated quality — imperishable, incorruptible | G862 |
| G861 | ἀφθαρσία | aphtharsia | noun | 8 | The negated state — incorruptibility, immortality | G861 |
| G110 | ἀθανασία | athanasia | noun | 3 | Related concept — deathlessness, immortality | G110 |
Relationships¶
Shared Roots¶
- φθείρω (phtheiro, G5351) is the root verb, from which derive:
- φθαρτός (G5349) — verbal adjective: "subject to decay"
- φθορά (G5356) — action noun: "the process/state of decay"
- ἄφθαρτος (G862) — alpha-privative of phthartós: "not subject to decay"
- ἀφθαρσία (G861) — alpha-privative abstract noun: "the state of non-decay"
- ἀθανασία (athanasia, G110) is from a different root (ἀ- + θάνατος, death) but functions in the same semantic field
Co-occurrence (appear in same verses)¶
| Word A | Word B | Shared Verses | Typical Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| G862 (aphthartos) | G5349 (phthartós) | 3x | Direct contrast: "corruptible... incorruptible" (Rom 1:23, 1 Cor 9:25, 1 Pet 1:23) |
| G861 (aphtharsia) | G5349 (phthartós) | 2x | "corruptible must put on incorruption" (1 Cor 15:53-54) |
| G861 (aphtharsia) | G5356 (phthora) | 2x | "sown in corruption, raised in incorruption" (1 Cor 15:42, 50) |
| G861 (aphtharsia) | G110 (athanasia) | 2x | Parallel pair: "incorruption... immortality" (1 Cor 15:53-54) |
| G5349 (phthartós) | G110 (athanasia) | 2x | "corruptible... immortality" (1 Cor 15:53-54) |
Roles in the Concept¶
- Root action: φθείρω (phtheiro) — the process of corrupting, destroying, or decaying
- Present condition: φθαρτός (phthartós) — the current perishable state of creation and mortal bodies
- Outcome of decay: φθορά (phthora) — corruption as a force or destination (Rom 8:21, Gal 6:8)
- Negated quality: ἄφθαρτος (aphthartos) — the divine attribute and promised future state: immune to decay
- Negated state: ἀφθαρσία (aphtharsia) — the abstract condition of imperishability; what believers "put on"
- Deathlessness: ἀθανασία (athanasia) — overlapping concept focused on inability to die rather than inability to decay
Key Passages Where Multiple Group Words Appear Together¶
- 1 Cor 15:42 — [G861 + G5356] "It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption"
- 1 Cor 15:50 — [G861 + G5356] "neither doth corruption inherit incorruption"
- 1 Cor 15:52 — [G862] "the dead shall be raised incorruptible"
- 1 Cor 15:53 — [G861 + G5349 + G110] "this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality"
- 1 Cor 15:54 — [G861 + G5349 + G110] "when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption"
- Rom 1:23 — [G862 + G5349] "changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man"
- 1 Pet 1:23 — [G862 + G5349] "born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible"
1 Corinthians 15:42-54 is the densest passage, employing five of the six group members in a single argument about the resurrection body.
Generated from: gather_word_group_data.py, search_strongs.py Last updated: 2026-05-03