"come before, precede, 1 Thess. 4:15; absol. to advance, make progress, 2 Cor. 10:14; Phil. 3:16; to come up with, come upon, be close at hand, Mt. 12:28; Lk. 11:20; 1 Thess. 2:16; to attain an object of pursuit, Rom. 9:31*"
Definition and meaning
come before, precede, 1 Thess. 4:15; absol. to advance, make progress, 2 Cor. 10:14; Phil. 3:16; to come up with, come upon, be close at hand, Mt. 12:28; Lk. 11:20; 1 Thess. 2:16; to attain an object of pursuit, Rom. 9:31*
In the original Greek the word is written: φθάνω
Historical context
Rome had controlled Judea since 63 BC. Herod the Great rebuilt the Temple into one of the most magnificent structures in the ancient world — and simultaneously murdered members of his own family. The common people paid multiple layers of taxation and were politically powerless. Into that world a carpenter from Galilee began teaching that the kingdom of God had arrived.
The people who first heard this word were not reading a book — they were living through empires, oppression, exile, and covenant. Every word carried the weight of that reality. Understanding it changes how you read Scripture.
Scripture references
These are the most notable occurrences of phthano (G5348) across the King James Bible.
But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you.
But if I with the finger of God cast out devils, no doubt the kingdom of God is come upon you.
But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness.
For we stretch not ourselves beyond our measure, as though we reached not unto you: for we are come as far as to you also in preaching the gospel of Christ:
Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing.
Forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they might be saved, to fill up their sins alway: for the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost.
For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
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Common questions
Strong's G5348 (phthano) is a Greek word that means: come before, precede, 1 Thess. 4:15; absol. to advance, make progress, 2 Cor. 10:14; Phil. 3:16; to come up with, come upon, be close at hand, Mt. 12:28; Lk. 11:20; 1 Thess. 2:16; to attain an object ... It appears 7 times in the King James Bible.
The word phthano (G5348) appears 7 times in the original Greek text.
Strong's G5348 is phthano, a Greek word defined as: come before, precede, 1 Thess. 4:15; absol. to advance, make progress, 2 Cor. 10:14; Phil. 3:16; to come up with, come upon, be close at hand, Mt. 12:. James Strong catalogued this in his 1890 concordance to help English readers study the original languages of the Bible.
phthano is a Greek word found in the New Testament.