aphanizo describes ruining or causing something to disappear, whether faces, stored goods, or human life.

The dominant attested use describes active ruin or spoiling: faces are altered in fasting and earthly treasure is subject to damage. In passive contexts, it marks the outcome of perishing or vanishing, applied to those warned in Acts and to life’s brief appearance in James.

1. Ruining or spoiling faces and possessions · dominant

   In Matthew 6:16, the present active plural form occurs in the clause about hypocrites altering their faces so as to appear fasting; the APB renders the action “destroy their faces.” In Matthew 6:19 and Matthew 6:20, the present active singular form describes what moth and eating do, or do not do, to stored treasure; the APB renders it “destroy.”

   Matthew 6:16Matthew 6:19Matthew 6:20
2. Perishing or vanishing · occasional

   In Acts 13:41, the aorist passive plural form addresses despisers in a warning; the APB renders the clause “marvel and perish.” In James 4:14, the present passive participle describes life as a vapor that appears briefly and then ceases to be seen; the APB renders it “vanishing.”

   Acts 13:41James 4:14

In the Anselm Project Bible: The APB varies between “destroy,” “perish,” and “vanishing” across these clauses. These renderings confirm the verses’ overall movement from ruin to disappearance rather than fixing a separate English equivalent in every instance.