Quick Definition
φθάνω v. I anticipate, precede, arrive
Strong's Definition
apparently a primary verb; to be beforehand, i.e. anticipate or precede; by extension, to have arrived at
KJV Usage: (already) attain, come, prevent
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament
verb | προφθάνω
15.84 · Linear Movement · Come, Come To, Arrive
to come to, to reach, to arrive to move toward and to arrive at a point
15.141 · Linear Movement · Come/Go Prior To
to come/go prior to, to come/go beforehand, to precede to come/go prior to some other event, normally one involving a similar type of movement Though the movement referred to by φθάνω[b] and προέρχομαι[c] may involve movement which is spacially ahead of someone else, nevertheless the focus of meaning is not a spacial relationship but a temporal one.
13.16 · Be, Become, Exist, Happen · State
to come to be, to attain, to achieve to attain or arrive at a particular state Though grammatically it is the law which is not attained in ROM 9:31, semantically it is, of course, the state of righteousness which was the ultimate goal, and hence it was this particular state which was not attained.
1 There are no doubt certain subtle distinctions of meaning in ἐφικνέομαιφθάνω[a], καταντάω[a], and ἥκω[a], but it is not possible to determine what the distinctive features are on the basis of existing contexts. 2 In the case of meanings involving to attain to a state, there is obviously a change in state implied, but the focus seems to be primarily on the end point, and hence these meanings are classified in this subdomain rather than in the following subdomain.
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament © United Bible Societies, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
φθάνω: 1 aor. ἔφθασα [W.§ 15s. v.]; pf. ἔφθακα (1 Th. ii. 16 Ltxt. WH mrg.); fr. Hom. down; 1. to come before, precede, anticipate: ἡμεῖς od μὴ φθάσωμεν (see μή, IV. 2) rods 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 Th. iv. 15; ἔφθασεν ἐπ᾽ αὐτοὺς ἡ ὀργή, (God’s penal) wrath came upon them unexpectedly, 1 Th. ii. 15; ἔφθασεν ἐφ᾽ ὑμᾶς ἡ βασιλεία τοῦ θεοῦ, the kingdom of God has come upon you sooner than you expected, Mt. xii. 28; Lk. xi. 20; [but all the preceding exx. except the first are referred by the majority of recent interpp. to the foll. head ;—a meaning esp. common when the verb is construed with prepositions]. 2. in the Alex. [and other later] writ. the idea of priority disappears, fo come to, arrive at: eis τι, Phil. iii. 16; to reach, altain to, a thing, Ro. ix. 31; ἄχρι τινός, 2 Co. x. 14; (τινί, to a thing, Tob. v. 19; ἕως τοῦ ovpaνοῦ, Test. xii. Patr. p. 530 [i. 6. test. Rub. 5 fin.]; ἡ peγαλωσύνη σου ἐμεγαλύνθη καὶ ἔφθασεν eis τὸν οὐρανόν, Dan. 4, 19 Theod. [ef. 17, 25; φθ. ἕως τῶν οὐρανῶν, 2 Chr. Xxvill. 9; ἔφθασεν 6 μὴν 6 ἕβδομος, 2 Esdr. iii. 1; Philo de mund. opif. $1; de legg. alleg. iii. 76 ; de confus. lings. § 29; Plut. apotheg. Lacon. § 28; de Alex. s. virt. s. fort. orat. ii. 5. Cf. Soph. Lex. s. v.; Geldart, Mod. Greek, p. 206; W.§2,1b.]). [Comp.: προτφθάνω.
Mounce Concise Greek Dictionary
φθάνω phthanō 7x
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*
Abbott-Smith Greek Lexicon
φθάνω
[in LXX for נגע hi., מטא, etc. ;]
to come before another, anticipate (cl.): c. acc. pers., I Th 4:15.
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).†
Moulton & Milligan — Vocabulary of the Greek NT
φθάνω 844 (v/vi A.D.) πατέραν φωνεύσας (/. πατέρα φονεύσας) νόμους φοβηθεὶς ἔφυγεν εἰς ἐρημίαν, ‘having killed his father, in fear of the laws he fled into the desert,” and the Christian amulet P Oxy VIII. 1151} (v/a.n.?2) φεῦγε πν(εῦμ)αᾳ μεμισιμένον, Χ(ριστό)ς σε διώκει, ““ἢγ, hateful spirit ! Christ pursues thee” (Ed.). A somewhat weakened sense is found in P Giss I. goii- 16 (A.D. 215) Αἰ[γύπτι]οι πάντες, οἵ εἰσιν ἐν ᾿Αλεξανδρείᾳ, καὶ μάλιστα ἄ[γ]ροικοι, οἵτινες πεφε[ύγασιν] ἄλ[λοθεν, and 7b.*5 οἵτινες φεύγουσι τὰς χώρας τὰς ἰδίας.
Liddell-Scott-Jones — Greek-English Lexicon
φθάνω (phthanō) — to precede/arrive. φθάνω, [Refs 8th c.BC+], imperfect ἔφθανον [Refs 5th c.BC+]: future φθήσομαι [Refs 8th c.BC+]; but φθάσω [ᾰ] [Refs 5th c.BC+]: aorist ἔφθᾰσα [Refs 5th c.BC+]; optative 3rd.pers. singular φθάσειε [Refs 5th c.BC+] (this tense prevails in later Gk., [Refs 2nd c.BC+]; Doric dialect ἔφθασσα [Refs 3rd c.BC+]aorist is ἔφθην,[Refs 5th c.BC+], but the more usual form in [Refs 5th c.BC+]; plural ἔφθημεν, -ητε, -ησαν, [Refs 5th c.BC+], Epic dialect plural 3 φθάν [Refs 8th c.BC+]subjunctive φθῶ, Epic dialect 3rd.pers. singular φθήῃ, φθῇσιν, [Refs]; Epic dialect 1st pers. plural φθέωμεν [Refs 8th c.BC+]; 3rd.pers. plural φθέωσι [Refs]; optative φθαίην, Epic dialect 3rd.pers. singular φθαίησι (παρα-) [Refs 8th c.BC+]; infinitive φθῆναι [Refs 5th c.BC+]; participle φθάς [Refs 5th c.BC+]; Epic dialect participle middle φθάμενος [Refs 8th c.BC+]perfect ἔφθᾰκα[LXX+4th c.BC+]; πέφθακα [Refs 3rd c.AD+]: pluperfect ἐφθάκει [Refs 1st c.AD+]:—passive, [Refs 4th c.BC+]: imperfect ἐφθάνετο [Refs]; ἐφθάνοντο [Refs 1st c.AD+]: aorist ἐφθάσθην [Refs 1st c.BC+]. [φθᾰνω always in Attic dialect (so also in [Refs]; φθᾱνω in [Refs 8th c.BC+]]:—come or do first or before others:
I. with accusative person, to be beforehand with, overtake, outstrip, in running or otherwise, φθάνει δέ τε καὶ τὸν ἄγοντα [NT+8th c.BC+]; so ἔφθησαν τὸν χειμῶνα they anticipated the storm, [Refs 5th c.BC+]:—passive, to be overtaken, ὑπό τινος [Refs 4th c.BC+]; ἐφθάσθην (see. above).
II. absolutely, come or act first, opposed to ὑστερέω or ὑστερίζω, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; τοῦ φθάσαντος ἁρπαγή the prey of the first comer, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; in later writers, τὰ φθάσαντα the things before mentioned, [Refs 4th c.BC+]; participle φθάνων, φθάσας previous, τῶν φθασάντων δυεῖν βιβλίων [Refs 3rd c.AD+]; ἐν τοῖς φθάνουσιν ἔργοις Dex.Hist.[Refs 1st c.AD+]previous time, [Refs 2nd c.AD+]; τὸ φθάσαν, τὰ φθάσαντα, the past, [Refs 4th c.BC+]
II.2. with Preps., come or arrive first, ἕως τῶν οὐρανῶν [LXX+NT].., simply, arriveat, attain to, [NT+1st c.AD+]: absolutely, of Time, arrive, καιρὸς τῆς τομῆς ἔφθακε (variant{ἔφθασεν}) [LXX]; ἔφθασεν ὁ μὴν ὁ ἕβδομος[LXX]
II.2. b extend, μέχρι γῆς [Refs 3rd c.AD+]
II.2. c reach, αἰθέρα [Refs]
II.2. d Grammars, to be applied or applicable, ἐπ᾽ ἀμφοτέρας τὰς διαθέσεις [Refs 2nd c.AD+]
III. the action in which one is beforehand is expressed by the participle agreeing with the subject, [Ἄτη] πολλὸν ὑπεκπροθέει, φθάνει δέ τε πᾶσαν ἐπ᾽ αἶαν βλάπτουσ᾽ ἀνθρώπους and is beforehand in doing men mischief, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; ἀλλ᾽ ἄρα μιν φθῆ Τηλέμαχος κατόπισθε βαλών Telemachus was beforehand with him in striking, i.e. struck first, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; ἔφθησαν ἀπικόμενοι arrived first, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; so φ. εὐεργετῶν to be the first to show a kindness, [Refs 5th c.BC+]participle passive is also used, ἦ κε πολὺ φθαίη πόλις ἁλοῦσα, i.e. it would be taken first, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; εἴ κε φθήῃ τυπείς shall be wounded first, [Refs]; φθαίητε γὰρ ἂν.. ἐξανδραποδισθέντες ἣ.. [Refs 5th c.BC+]; φθάνειν δεῖ πεφραγμένους τοὶς πόρους they must first be blocked up, [Refs] were drawn up before the drivers, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; more frequently by πρὶν.. or ἢ.., ἔφθη ὀρεξάμενος, πρὶν οὐτάσαι [Refs 8th c.BC+]; ἔφθησαν ἀναβάντες πρὶν ἢ.. [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἔφθησαν ἐκπεσόντες πρότερον ἢ.. [Refs]
III. b in later Gr., with participle to express previous action or happening, φθάνω ὑμῖν πρότερον γεγραφηκώς I have already written to you, [Refs 2nd c.AD+], etc.; ἔφθασα εἰρηκώς [Refs 2nd c.AD+]
III.2. in the same sense, participle φθάς or φθάσας, Epic dialect φθάμενος, is used like an adverb with a principal Verb, ὅς μ᾽ ἔβαλε φθάμενος, for ὅς μ᾽ ἔφθη βαλών, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; οὐκ ἄλλος φθὰς ἐμεῦ κατήγορος ἔσται no other shall be an accuser before me, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἀνέῳξάς με φθάσας you opened the door before me, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; even with a participle, φθάσας.. ἁρπάσας [Refs 5th c.BC+]; rarely participle present, φθάνοντες δῃοῦμεν [Refs 5th c.BC+]
III.2. b in signification [Refs]already paid them, [Refs 4th c.AD+]; but ὡσεὶ καὶ ὁμογενῆ φθάσας εἶπον as if I had said (not had already said) ὁ., [Refs 2nd c.AD+]
III.3. rarely with infinitive, ὁ φθάσας θαρσῆσαι he that first gains confidence, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; σπεύδειν ὅπως.. φθαίης ἔτ᾽ εἰς ἐκκλησίαν ἐλθεῖν (variant{ἐλθών}) hurry to be in time to get to.., [Refs 5th c.BC+]; μόλις φθάνει θρόνοισιν ἐμπεσοῦσα μὴ χαμαὶ πεσεῖν hardly manages by falling first on the seat not to fall on the ground, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; more frequently in later writers, of actions which one manages to do, does before or has done first or already, [Refs 3rd c.BC+]; ἐὰν ὁ ἰατρὸς αὐτὸ φθάσῃ κενῶσαι [Refs 2nd c.AD+]; φθάνοντος ἤδη πυρέττειν ἐκ τεττάρων ἡμερῶν τοῦ νοσοῦντος having already begun, [Refs]; μὴ φθάνων προσηκόντως τρέφεσθαι if he is not first suitably nourished, [Refs]; συμβαίνει φθάνειν ἀποθνῄσκειν τοὺς νεωτέρους the young die first, [Refs]; εἰ φθάσαιμεν παλαιοὺς πίθους ἔχειν μεγάλους if we already have.., [Refs 2nd c.AD+]
IV. with negatives,
IV.1. with οὐ and participle (infinitive is see reading in [Refs 5th c.BC+] you must no sooner get your beard than you march, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; οὐ φθάνει ἐξαγόμενος καὶ εὐθὺς ὅμοιός ἐστι τοῖς ἀκαθάρτοις no sooner is he brought out than he becomes unclean, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; οὐκ ἔφθημεν εἰς Τροιζῆν᾽ ἐλθόντες καὶ τοιαύταις νόσοις ἐλήφθημεν ἐξ ὧν.. no sooner had we come to Troezen than.., [Refs 5th c.BC+]; οὐκ ἔφθη μοι συμβᾶσα ἡ ἀτυχία καὶ εὐθὺς ἐπεχείρησαν διαφορῆσαι τἄνδοθεν scarcely or no sooner had misfortune befallen me when.., [Refs 5th c.BC+]
IV.2. οὐκ ἂν φθάνοις, οὐκ ἂν φθάνοιτε, with participle present, express a strong exhortation or urgent command, οὐκ ἂν φθάνοιτε τὴν ταχίστην ὀπίσω ἀπαλλασσόμενοι you could not be too quick in departing, i.e. make haste and be off, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; οὐ φθάνοιτ᾽ ἔτ᾽ ἄν θνῄσκοντες make haste and die, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; εἰς ἀγορὰν ἰὼν ταχέως οὐκ ἂν φθάνοις[Refs 5th c.BC+]; these phrases are not to be treated as questions, compare οὐκ ἂν φθάνοιμι (i.e. λέγων) [Refs 5th c.BC+]: with participle aorist, once in [Refs 2nd c.AD+]
IV.2. b in [Refs]shall hear in a moment, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; οὐκ ἂν φθάνοι τὸ πλῆθος τούτοις τοῖς θηρίοις δουλεῦον will soon (or inevitably) be enslaved to.., [Refs 4th c.BC+]; also to express what is logically inevitable, οὐκ ἂν φθάνοιεν αὐτοὺς προσκυνοῦντες they will soon be (or cannot logically help) worshipping them, Aristeas 137; τοῦτο μὲν οὐκ ἂν φθάνοις καὶ Ἐμπεδοκλεῖ πρὸ αὐτοῦ ἐγκαλῶν [Refs 2nd c.AD+]: with participle aorist, [Refs]