Bible Lexicons

ἀπώλεια , -ας , ἡ

(< ἀπόλλυμι ),

[in LXX (Cremer, 797) for H6, H343, etc.;]

destruction, waste, loss, perishing (in Papyri, of money, v. MM, s.v.): Matthew 26:8, Mark 14:4, Acts 8:20, Romans 9:22, 1 Timothy 6:9, 2 Peter 2:1; in special sense of the loss of eternal life, perdition, the antithesis of σωτηρία : Matthew 7:13, John 17:12, Philippians 1:28; Philippians 3:19, 2 Thessalonians 2:3, Hebrews 10:39, 2 Peter 2:3; 2 Peter 3:7; 2 Peter 3:16, Revelation 17:8; Revelation 17:11 (DB, iii, 744).†

The weaker sense of ἀ. is illustrated by P Tebt II. 276.34 (an astrological fragment—ii/iii A.D.), where one who has acquired certain possessions ἐξωδιασμὸν αὐτῶν [ποιήσ ]ε ̣ται καὶ ἀπώλειαν, ";will spend and lose them"; (Edd.). Similarly in a series of nursing-contracts of the time of Augustus in BGU IV. we find the phrase ἐκτίνειν τὴν ἑκάστον ἀξίαν πλὴν συμφανοῦς ἀπωλείας, e.g. 1058.35 (= Chrest. II. 170), 1106.33, al. For the stronger meaning which we associate with NT usage, cf. the close of an ancient Coptic spell from the iii/A.D. Paris magical papyrus .1245 ff (= Selections, p. 114) ἔξελθε δαῖμον, ἐπεί σε δεσμεύω δεσμοῖς ἀδαμαντίνοις ἀλύτοις, καὶ παραδίδωμί σε εἰς τὸ μέλαν χάος ἐν ταῖς ἀπωλίαις, ";give you over to black chaos in utter destruction.";