The Greek word ἀφθαρσία, aphtharsia is translated into the English immortality, imperishable, incorruptible in the NASB.  Immortality is brought to light through the gospel (2 Tim. 1:10).  It is equated with eternal life (Rom. 2:7). In the context of the resurrection (1 Cor. 15:42, 50, 53-54), it speaks of the permanence of the new glorified body.  It is also used of the incorruptibility of the love that believers have from Christ (Eph. 6:24). The word is never used of unbelievers. Instead, it appears to be depicting the only qualities of the eternal life, resurrection, and love for Christ that is possessed by believers.  annihilationists routinely say that because of this lack of immortality applied to unbelievers, it means that unbelievers will cease to exist of the final judgment. But, in Luke 20:36 Jesus said that angels do not die. Therefore, angels will also live forever even though the word immortality is not applied to them.  This means that the annihilationist argument that immortality (in the sense of living forever) is only for the redeemed does not work.

• Greek word: ἀφθαρσία, aphtharsia
• Meaning:   immortality, imperishible, incorruptible
• Strong’s #: G861
  Frequency:  7 occurrences

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

1. Permanent glorified bodies
   1. 1 Cor. 15:42, perishable body is raised an imperishable body
   2. 1 Cor. 15:50, perishable inherits the imperishable
   3. 1 Cor. 15:53-54, the perishable must put on the imperishable
2. Permanent life with God, 2 occurrences
   1. Rom. 2:7, immortality equated with eternal life
   2. 2 Tim. 1:10, immortality is through the gospel
3. Permanent purity of love
   1. Eph. 6:24, love Christ with an incorruptible love

TABLE OF ALL NEW TESTAMENT USEAGES OF ἀφθαρσία
Address	Verse	Meaning
Rom. 2:7	to those who by perseverance in doing good seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life	Permanent life with God
1 Cor. 15:42	“So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown a perishable body, it is raised an imperishable body.”	Permanent glorified bodies
1 Cor. 15:50	“Now I say this, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.”	Permanent glorified bodies
1 Cor. 15:53	“For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this must put on immortality.”	Permanent glorified bodies
1 Cor. 15:54	“But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, “DEATH IS SWALLOWED UP in victory.”	Permanent glorified bodies
Eph. 6:24	“Grace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ with incorruptible love.”	Permanent purity of love
2 Tim. 1:10	“but now has been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel,”	Permanent life with God

 

Dictionaries and Lexicons consulted

• “ἀφθαρσία aphtharsía; gen. aphtharsías, fem. noun from áphthartos (862), incorruptible. Incorruption, incorruptibility, incapacity for corruption. 1 Cor. 15:42, 50, 53, 54 strictly refer to the resurrection body of believers compared to the corruptibility of the present body… “aphtharsía refers to the incapacity of the new resurrection body to deteriorate. This is a quality, however, that our present bodies do not have but will have in the resurrection.”
  • Zodhiates, Spiros. The Complete Word Study Dictionary: New Testament. Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, 2000
• “ἀφθαρσίαa, ας f: the state of not being subject to decay, leading to death—‘immortal, immortality.’ ἐγείρεται ἐν ἀφθαρσίᾳ ‘it will be raised immortal’ 1 Cor 15:42. It is possible to translate this clause as ‘it will be raised and will never again die.’ In rendering ‘immortality’ it may be necessary to employ an entire clause, for example, ‘that people will not die.’ However, in 2 Tm 1:10 ‘life and immortality’ may be best understood as a phrase in which ‘immortality’ is a qualification of ‘life,’ and therefore one may translate ‘revealing immortal life through the gospel’ or ‘revealing by means of the good news the life that does not end.'”
  • Louw, Johannes P., and Eugene Albert Nida. Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains. New York: United Bible Societies, 1996.
  • “ἀφθαρσία aphtharsía; gen. aphtharsías, fem. noun from áphthartos (862), incorruptible. Incorruption, incorruptibility, incapacity for corruption. 1 Cor. 15:42, 50, 53, 54 strictly refer to the resurrection body of believers compared to the corruptibility of the present body.”.
    • Strong, James. Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon. Woodside Bible Fellowship, 1995.