verb

fthanamō

Greekφθάνω (fthanō)

Strong’sG5348

I anticipate, precede, arrive

stem fthan-7 times in the New Testamentin 6 of 27 books3 forms occur

Translated as

come3×attained2×precede1×the first to come1×

What it means

φθάνω

[in LXX for נגע hi., מטא, etc.;]

1. to come before another, anticipate (cl.): c. acc. pers., I Th 4:15.

2. In late writers and MGr. (v. Kennedy, Sources, 156; Lft., Notes, 35), to come, arrive: Ro 9:31; seq. εἰς, Phl 3:16; ἄχρι, II Co 10:14; ἐπί (cf. Da TH 4:21, and v. Dalman, Words, 107), Mt 12:28, Lk 11:20, I Th 2:16 (cf. προ-φθάνω).†

G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament, 1922 — public domain. References open in the reader.

Strong’s G5348 — the 1890 definition, and where the word comes from

Saidfthan'-o

to be beforehand, i.e. anticipate or precede; by extension, to have arrived at

Fromapparently a primary verb;

King James(already) attain, come, prevent.

James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, 1890 — public domain. The numbers in it link to the entries here.

Forms in the New Testament

Form and the Greek behind it	What it is	Usually	Times
fthanataἔφθασεν	happened · he/she/itaorist active indicative 3rd person singular	come	4×
fthananaἐφθάσαμεν	happened · weaorist active indicative 1st person plural	attained	2×
fthananeiaφθάσωμεν	happened · weaorist active subjunctive 1st person plural	precede	1×

Every form the New Testament uses, in paradigm order. What the system can build beyond them — the whole of this verb, whether the text happens to use it or not — is in the tables below.

Every form the system can build — all 86, by mood, including the ones the New Testament never uses

Statements — indicative mood, 6 occurrences

Who person	happening now present	was happening imperfect	will happen future	happened aorist	has happened perfect	had happened pluperfect
I 1st person singular	fthanamō	fthaname	fthanami	fthanama	fthanamē	fthanamelē
you 2nd person singular	fthanasō	fthanase	fthanasi	fthanasa	fthanasē	fthanaselē
he/she/it 3rd person singular	fthanatō	fthanate	fthanati	fthanata4×ἔφθασεν	fthanatē	fthanatelē
we 1st person plural	fthananō	fthanane	fthanani	fthanana2×ἐφθάσαμεν	fthananē	fthananelē
ye 2nd person plural	fthanavō	fthanave	fthanavi	fthanava	fthanavē	fthanavelē
they 3rd person plural	fthanalō	fthanale	fthanali	fthanala	fthanalē	fthanalelē

May, might — subjunctive mood, 1 occurrence

Who person	happening now present	happened aorist	has happened perfect
I 1st person singular	fthanameiō	fthanameia	fthanameiē
you 2nd person singular	fthanaseiō	fthanaseia	fthanaseiē
he/she/it 3rd person singular	fthanateiō	fthanateia	fthanateiē
we 1st person plural	fthananeiō	fthananeia1×φθάσωμεν	fthananeiē
ye 2nd person plural	fthanaveiō	fthanaveia	fthanaveiē
they 3rd person plural	fthanaleiō	fthanaleia	fthanaleiē

Commands — imperative mood, no occurrences

Who person	happening now present	happened aorist	has happened perfect
you 2nd person singular	fthanasōr	fthanasar	fthanasēr
he/she/it 3rd person singular	fthanatōr	fthanatar	fthanatēr
ye 2nd person plural	fthanavōr	fthanavar	fthanavēr
they 3rd person plural	fthanalōr	fthanalar	fthanalēr

Wishes — optative mood, no occurrences

Who person	happening now present	happened aorist
I 1st person singular	fthanamoiō	fthanamoia
you 2nd person singular	fthanasoiō	fthanasoia
he/she/it 3rd person singular	fthanatoiō	fthanatoia
we 1st person plural	fthananoiō	fthananoia
ye 2nd person plural	fthanavoiō	fthanavoia
they 3rd person plural	fthanaloiō	fthanaloia

The “to …” form — infinitive, no occurrences

Who is acting voice	happening now present	will happen future	happened aorist	has happened perfect
the subject acts active voice	fthanarō	fthanari	fthanara	fthanarē

Used as an adjective — participle, no occurrences

Who is acting voice	happening now present	will happen future	happened aorist	has happened perfect
the subject acts active voice	fthanarōtos	fthanaritos	fthanaratos	fthanarētos

Each is given in the form it takes as a subject. From there a participle carries the ordinary noun endings, in every case, number and gender — so these four columns are the whole of what the verb contributes.

How every form is built — the slots that make them

fthanstem+aeiwho is acting voice+mstnvl—who person+—eiroistatement, command, wish mood+ōeiaēelēwhen tense+—tthen it declines+—ogender+—sits job in the sentence case

fthan is this word in every one of its forms. The slots after it make all the rest.

same in every form varies — every value shown

Where it appears

7 occurrences, every one of them listed

fthanata“come”happened · he/she/itaorist active indicative 3rd person singular4×

Matthew 12:28“come”ei de en pneume theou mis ekballamō teim daimoneim, ara fthanata epi vin tas basileias tou theou.But if I drive out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.

Luke 11:20“come”ei de en daktulo theou ekballamō teim daimoneim, ara fthanata epi vin tas basileias tou theou.But if I drive out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.

Romans 9:31“attained”Israēl de diōkarōtos nomon dikaiosunau eis nomon ouk fthanata.but Israel, who pursued a law of righteousness, has not attained it.

1 Thessalonians 2:16“come”kōluarōtoiu nin tei ethnei lalara hina sōzileia, eis tem anaplērara autoiu tain hamartain pantote. fthanata de epi autoin tas orgas eis telem.hindering us from telling the Gentiles how they may be saved. As a result, they continue to heap up their sins to full capacity; the utmost wrath has come upon them.

fthanana“attained”happened · weaorist active indicative 1st person plural2×

2 Corinthians 10:14“the first to come”ouk gar hōs mē efiknerōtois eis vin huperekteinanō heautoin, achri gar kai vu fthanana en te euangelie tou ChristouWe are not overstepping our bounds, as if we had not come to you. Indeed, we were the first to reach you with the gospel of Christ.

Philippians 3:16“attained”plēn eis hem fthanana, te aute stoicharō.Nevertheless, we must live up to what we have already attained.

fthananeia“precede”happened · weaorist active subjunctive 1st person plural1×

1 Thessalonians 4:15“precede”houtem gar vi leganō en logo kuriou, hoti nis tois zōarōtois tois perileipirōtois eis tan parousian tou kuriou ouk mē fthananeia toin koimiratoin;By the word of the Lord, we declare to you that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who have fallen asleep.