5348. phthanó

Lexicon

phthanó: To come, to arrive, to attain, to precede

Original Word: φθάνω
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: phthanó
Pronunciation: fthan'-o
Phonetic Spelling: (fthan'-o)
Definition: To come, to arrive, to attain, to precede
Meaning: (a) I anticipate, precede, (b) I come, arrive.

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

anticipate, attain, come

Apparently a primary verb; to be beforehand, i.e. Anticipate or precede; by extension, to have arrived at -- (already) attain, come, prevent.

HELPS Word-studies

5348 phthánō – properly, precede, arrive ahead of time, i.e. before something which indicates priority in importance or sequence.

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
a prim. verb
Definition
to come before (another), anticipate, arrive
NASB Translation
arrive (1), attained (1), come (3), first to come (1), precede (1).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon

STRONGS NT 5348: φθάνω

φθάνω: 1 aorist ἔφθασα (Winer's Grammar, § 15 under the word); perfect ἐφθακα (1 Thessalonians 2:16 L text WH marginal reading); from Homer down;

1. to come before, precede, anticipate: ἡμεῖς οὐ μή φθάσωμεν (see μή, IV. 2) τούς κοιμηθέντας, we shall not get the start of those who have fallen asleep, i. e. we shall not attain to the fellowship of Christ sooner than the dead, nor have precedence in blessedness, 1 Thessalonians 4:15; ἔφθασεν ἐπ' αὐτούς ἡ ὀργή, (God's penal) wrath came upon them unexpectedly, 1 Thessalonians 2:16; ἔφθασεν ἐφ' ὑμᾶς ἡ βασιλεία τοῦ Θεοῦ, the kingdom of God has come upon you sooner than you expected, Matthew 12:28; Luke 11:20; (but all the preceding examples except the first are referred by the majority of recent interpretations to the following heading; — a meaning especially common when the verb is construed with prepositions).

2. in the Alex. (and other later) writings the idea of priority disappears, to come to, arrive at: εἰς τί, Philippians 3:16; to reach, attain to, a thing, Romans 9:31; ἄχρι τίνος, 2 Corinthians 10:14; (τίνι, to a thing, Tobit 5:19; ἕως τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, Test xii. Patr., p. 530 (i. e. test. Rub. 5 at the end); ἡ μεγαλωσύνη σου ἐμεγαλύνθη καί ἔφθασεν εἰς τόν οὐρανόν, Daniel 4:19, Theod. (cf. 17, 25; φθάνειν ἕως τῶν οὐρανῶν, 2 Chronicles 28:9; ἔφθασεν ὁ μήν ὁ ἕβδομος, 2 Esdr. 3:1; Philo de mund. opif. § 1; de legg. alleg. 3:76; de confus. lingg. § 29; Plutarch, apotheg. Lacon. § 28; de Alex. s. virt. s. fort. orat. 2:5. Cf. Sophocles Lexicon, under the word; Geldart, Modern Greek, p. 206; Winer's Grammar, § 2, 1 b.)). (Compare: προφθάνω.)

Topical Lexicon

Word Origin: A primary verb

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: While there is no direct Hebrew equivalent for φθάνω, the concept of arriving or reaching a destination can be found in Hebrew verbs such as נָגַע (naga, Strong's Hebrew 5060) meaning "to touch, reach" and בּוֹא (bo, Strong's Hebrew 935) meaning "to come, go, enter." These verbs similarly convey the idea of reaching or attaining a particular point or state.

Usage: The verb φθάνω is used in the New Testament to convey the idea of arriving at a place or reaching a certain state or condition. It often implies preceding or coming before someone or something else.

Context: The Greek verb φθάνω (phthánō) appears in several New Testament passages, illustrating the concept of reaching or attaining a particular point or state. It is often used in contexts where timing and sequence are significant, emphasizing the notion of arriving or achieving something before others or before a certain time.

In 1 Thessalonians 4:15, Paul uses φθάνω to describe the order of events at the coming of the Lord: "According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep." Here, φθάνω underscores the sequence of resurrection and the gathering of believers, indicating that those alive at Christ's return will not precede those who have died.

Another example is found in Philippians 3:16: "Nevertheless, we must live up to what we have already attained." In this context, φθάνω is used metaphorically to describe the spiritual progress or maturity that believers have reached, urging them to continue living in accordance with the level of spiritual growth they have achieved.

The verb also appears in 2 Corinthians 10:14: "We are not overextending ourselves, as though we had not come to you, for we were the first to reach you with the gospel of Christ." Here, φθάνω is used to assert the legitimacy of Paul's ministry, emphasizing that he and his companions were the first to bring the gospel to the Corinthians.

Overall, φθάνω conveys a sense of reaching a destination or achieving a goal, whether in a physical, temporal, or spiritual sense. It highlights the importance of timing and order in the unfolding of God's plans and the believer's journey of faith.

Forms and Transliterations

έφθακε εφθασαμεν εφθάσαμεν ἐφθάσαμεν έφθασαν έφθασε εφθασεν έφθασεν ἔφθασεν φθάνει φθάνοντα φθάρματά φθάσας φθασωμεν φθάσωμεν φθάσωσιν ephthasamen ephthásamen ephthasen éphthasen phthasomen phthasōmen phthásomen phthásōmen

Englishman's Concordance

Matthew 12:28 V-AIA-3S
GRK: δαιμόνια ἄρα ἔφθασεν ἐφ' ὑμᾶς
NAS: the kingdom of God has come upon you.
KJV: the kingdom of God is come unto you.
INT: demons then has come upon you

Luke 11:20 V-AIA-3S
GRK: δαιμόνια ἄρα ἔφθασεν ἐφ' ὑμᾶς
NAS: the kingdom of God has come upon you.
KJV: the kingdom of God is come upon you.
INT: demons then is come upon you

Romans 9:31 V-AIA-3S
GRK: νόμον οὐκ ἔφθασεν
NAS: of righteousness, did not arrive at [that] law.
KJV: hath not attained to the law
INT: a law not did attain

2 Corinthians 10:14 V-AIA-1P
GRK: καὶ ὑμῶν ἐφθάσαμεν ἐν τῷ
NAS: we did not reach to you, for we were the first to come even
KJV: you: for we are come as far as to you
INT: also you we came in the

Philippians 3:16 V-AIA-1P
GRK: εἰς ὃ ἐφθάσαμεν τῷ αὐτῷ
NAS: [standard] to which we have attained.
KJV: whereto we have already attained, let us walk
INT: whereto which we attained by the same

1 Thessalonians 2:16 V-AIA-3S
GRK: ἁμαρτίας πάντοτε ἔφθασεν δὲ ἐπ'
NAS: But wrath has come upon them to the utmost.
KJV: for the wrath is come upon them
INT: sins always is come moreover upon

1 Thessalonians 4:15 V-ASA-1P
GRK: οὐ μὴ φθάσωμεν τοὺς κοιμηθέντας
NAS: of the Lord, will not precede those
KJV: not prevent them which
INT: no not might precede the [ones] having fallen asleep

Strong's Greek 5348
7 Occurrences

ἐφθάσαμεν — 2 Occ.
ἔφθασεν — 4 Occ.
φθάσωμεν — 1 Occ.