New Testament study of the word "perdition" by Stella Paterson

This study has been prepared specifically as a companion to the article “Who Is Antichrist?” Please read the article as well as this study for a greater understanding of the Lord’s mind as to who “antichrist” truly is.

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Greek #684

apōleia (ap-o'-li-a) From a presumed derivative of Greek #622

Definition: “ruin or loss (physical, spiritual or eternal)”

Translated: “damnable (-nation), destruction, die, perdition, X perish, pernicious ways, waste”

- The words “damnable, damnation, and pernicious ways” were used in the revised KJV. See the words in bold for their use in the older (but still imperfect) version.

2 Peter 2:1-3: “But there arose false prophets also among the people, as among you also there shall be false teachers, who privily shall bring in destructive heresies, denying even the Master that bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their lascivious doings; by reason of whom the way of the truth shall be evil spoken of. And in covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose sentence now from of old lingereth not, and their destruction slumbereth not.” (The rendering of the Greek word “apōleia” as “lascivious doings” is inaccurate, as can be seen by the definition. The revised KJV’s “pernicious ways” is much better.)

- The word “destruction” was used in the revised KJV. See bold words for its use in the older version.

Matthew 7:13(&14): “Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: because strait is the gate, and narrow [Recovery Bible translated as ‘constricted’. Greek: ‘to crowd’] is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.”

Romans 9: 22(&23-24): “What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering vessels of wrath fitted unto destruction: and that he might make known the riches of his glory upon vessels of mercy, which he afore prepared unto glory, even us, whom he also called, not from the Jews only, but also from the Gentiles?”

Philippians 3: (18&)19: “For many walk, of whom I told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: whose end is perdition, whose God is the belly [Greek: figuratively ‘the heart’], and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.”

2 Peter 3: (15&)16: “And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our brother Paul also according to the wisdom given to him, wrote unto you; as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; wherein are some things hard to be understood, which the ignorant and unstedfast wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.”

- The word “die” was used in the revised KJV but is not found in the older version. Both are quoted here for comparison.

Acts 25:16:

“To whom I answered, It is not the manner of the Romans to deliver any man to die, before that he which is accused have the accusers face to face, and have licence to answer for himself concerning the crime laid against him.” (Revised KJV)

“To whom I answered, that it is not the custom of the Romans to give up any man, before that the accused have the accusers face to face, and have had opportunity to make his defence concerning the matter laid against him.” (older version)

- The word “perdition” was used in the revised KJV. See bold words for its use in the older version.

John 17:12: “While I was with them, I kept them in thy name which thou hast given me and I guarded them, and not one of them perished, but the son of perdition [Judas]; that the scripture might be fulfilled.”

Philippians 1: (27&)28: “Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or be absent, I may hear of your state, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one soul striving for the faith of the gospel; and in nothing affrighted by the adversaries: which is for them an evident token of perdition, but of you salvation, and that from God.”

2 Thessalonians 2:3(&4): “Let no man beguile you in any wise: for it will not be, except the falling away first, and the man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; he that opposeth and exalteth himself against all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he sitteth in the temple of God, setting himself forth as God.”

1 Timothy 6:9: “But they that desire to be rich fall into a temptation and a snare, and many foolish and hurtful lusts, such as drown men in destruction [Greek: ‘death, punishment’] and perdition.”

Hebrews 10: (38&)39: “But my righteous one shall live by faith: and if he shrink back, my soul hath no pleasure in him. But we are not of them who shrink back unto perdition; but of them that have faith unto the saving of the soul.”

2 Peter 3: (5-6&)7: For this they wilfully forget, that there were heavens from of old, and an earth compacted out of water and amidst water, by the word of God; by which means the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished: but the heavens that now are, and the earth, by the same word have been stored up for fire, being reserved against the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.”

Revelation 17:8, 11: “The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and is about to come out of the abyss, and to go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, they whose name hath not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast how he was, and is not, and shall come... And the beast that was, and is not, is himself also an eighth, and is of the seven, and he goeth into perdition.”

- The word “perish” was used in both the revised KJV and the older version.

Acts 8:20: “But Peter said unto him [Simon the sorcerer], Thy silver perish with thee, because thou hast thought to obtain the gift of God with money.”

- The word “waste” was used in both the revised KJV and the older version. (It is interesting that some of those at the leper’s house used such a strong word in their condemnation of the ointment being poured out on Jesus’ head. What utter distaste they must have had for Him!)

Matthew 26: (7&)8: “There came unto him a woman having an alabaster cruse of exceeding precious ointment, and she poured it on his head, as he sat at meat. But when the disciples saw it, they had indignation, saying, To what purpose is this waste?”

Mark 14:4: “But there were some that had indignation among themselves, saying, To what purpose hath this waste of the ointment been made?”


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