The Greek word ἐξολεθρεύω, exolethreuo occurs only one time in the New Testament in Acts 3:23. It can mean physical or spiritual death. The context does not necessitate that the ones who are destroyed, are annihilated or whether or not they continue to exist. However, the single instance of its use suggests that the destruction is not spiritual nonexistence, but physical death since in Acts 2:23 it says “that prophet shall be utterly destroyed from among the people.” So it is suggestive of physical death. Therefore, the verse cannot be used to prove annihilationism is true since the destruction is not speaking of the final judgment.

• Greek word:  ἐξολεθρεύω, exolethreuo
• Meaning:   to destroy out of its place, destroy utterly, to extirpate.
• Strong’s #: G1842
• Frequency:  1 occurrence in 1 verse.

Summary of the meaning of the Greek word exolethreuo, destroy, in all verses where it occurs in the New Testament.

1. Physical and/or spiritual death,  1 occurrence
   1. Acts 3:23

 

TABLE OF ALL NEW TESTAMENT USAGES OF EXOLETHREUS, ἐξολεθρεύω
Address	Verse	Meaning
Acts 3:23	“And it will be that every soul that does not heed that prophet shall be utterly destroyed from among the people.’”	Physical and/or spiritual death

 

Dictionaries and Lexicons consulted

• “ἐξολοθρεύω exolothreúō; fut. exolothreúsō, from ek (1537), an intens., and olothreúō (3645), to destroy. To destroy utterly (Acts 3:23; Sept.: Ex. 30:33; 31:14; Deut. 7:10). The word and its syn. never mean extinction, but a change of one’s state involving retribution or punishment.
  • Zodhiates, Spiros. The Complete Word Study Dictionary: New Testament. Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, 2000.
• “ἐξολεθρεύω: to destroy and thus eliminate—‘to destroy, to destroy and remove.’ ἔσται δὲ πᾶσα ψυχὴ ἥτις ἐὰν μὴ ἀκούσῃ τοῦ προφήτου ἐκείνου ἐξολεθρευθήσεται ἐκ τοῦ λαοῦ ‘anyone who does not obey that prophet shall be destroyed and so removed from the people’ Ac 3:23. It is possible in Ac 3:23 that ἐξολεθρεύω refers to a type of severe ostracism.”
  • Louw, Johannes P., and Eugene Albert Nida. Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains. New York: United Bible Societies, 1996.
• “ἐξολεθρεύω [exolothreuo /ex·ol·oth·ryoo·o/] v. From 1537 and 3645; TDNT 5:170; TDNTA 681; GK 2017; AV translates as “destroy” once. 1 to destroy out of its place, destroy utterly, to extirpate.”
  • Strong, James. Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon. Woodside Bible Fellowship, 1995.

 

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