What Does Matthew 12:14 Mean in the King James?

Then the Pharisees went out, and held a council against him, how they might destroy him.

Matthew 12:14 · KJV

The analysis reads the King James wording.

King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.

THE KEY

The word translated “destroy” also means to bring into loss: the plot is already doing its work before anyone touches him.

THE MEANING

The verse names how harm becomes organized: people align their counsel toward another person’s loss. Its language shows violence present in the shared intention before an act is carried out, so destruction begins as a chosen direction, not only as a blow.

WHAT THIS UNDOES

The lie that harm begins only with the blow is undone here: the intention to destroy is already violence when it becomes shared counsel.

THE ROOT

ἀπολέσωσιν

apolesōsin

GROWS FROM

⁨ὄλλυμι⁩ (ollymi), in ⁨ἀπόλλυμι⁩ (apollymi)

To lose, perish, ruin, or destroy.

The verb here, ⁨ἀπολέσωσιν⁩ (apolesōsin), comes from ⁨ἀπόλλυμι⁩ (apollymi), whose range holds destroying together with losing and perishing. English “destroy” can sound like a single terminal act; this word family also makes visible the aim of bringing someone into loss.

ALSO GROWS

apōleia: loss, ruin, destruction

ἀπώλεια

This noun shows that the root can name the state or outcome of being brought to loss.

apolōlos: lost, perished

ἀπολωλός

This form describes one who is lost, revealing the condition toward which the plot’s verb aims.

THE PATTERN

Violence becomes collective when private hostility is formalized as shared counsel.

The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying,

Psalm 2:2 · KJVRulers join their counsel against the anointed, turning opposition into a shared decision.

Then from that day forth they took counsel together for to put him to death.

John 11:53 · KJVThe plan to kill becomes collective when people take counsel together.

And consulted that they might take Jesus by subtilty, and kill him.

Matthew 26:4 · KJVConsultation again turns hostility toward Jesus into a coordinated plan for his death.

THE THREAD

For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.

Matthew 16:25 · KJV

The verb translated “shall lose” is another form of ⁨ἀπόλλυμι⁩ (apollymi), the same word family as “destroy” here. One root carries both the intent to make someone perish and the language of loss held inside a paradox of losing and finding.

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