Lexicon
dunamis: Power, strength, ability, might, miracle
Original Word: δύναμις
Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine
Transliteration: dunamis
Pronunciation: DOO-nah-mis
Phonetic Spelling: (doo'-nam-is)
Definition: Power, strength, ability, might, miracle
Meaning: (a) physical power, force, might, ability, efficacy, energy, meaning (b) plur: powerful deeds, deeds showing (physical) power, marvelous works.
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
ability, power, strength
From dunamai; force (literally or figuratively); specially, miraculous power (usually by implication, a miracle itself) -- ability, abundance, meaning, might(-ily, -y, -y deed), (worker of) miracle(-s), power, strength, violence, mighty (wonderful) work.
see GREEK dunamai
HELPS Word-studies
1411 dýnamis (from 1410 /dýnamai, "able, having ability") – properly, "ability to perform" (L-N); for the believer, power to achieve by applying the Lord's inherent abilities. "Power through God's ability" (1411 /dýnamis) is needed in every scene of life to really grow in sanctification and prepare for heaven (glorification). 1411 (dýnamis) is a very important term, used 120 times in the NT.
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Originfrom
dunamaiDefinition(miraculous) power, might, strength
NASB Translationability (4), meaning (1), mightily (1), mighty (1), miracle (2), miracles (17), miraculous powers (3), power (83), powers (6), strength (2), wealth (1).
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
STRONGS NT 1411: δύναμιςδύναμις,
δυνάμεως,
ἡ; (from
Homer down); the
Sept. for
חַיִל,
גְּבוּרָה,
עֹז,
כֹּחַ,
צָבָא (an army, a host);
strength, ability, power;
a. universally, "inherent power, power residing in a thing by virtue of its nature, or which a person or thing exerts and puts forth": Luke 1:17; Acts 4:7; 1 Corinthians 4:20; 2 Corinthians 4:7; 2 Corinthians 12:9 (ἡ δύναμις ἐν ἀσθένεια τελεῖται (R G τελειοῦται)); ; 1 Thessalonians 1:5; Hebrews 7:16; Hebrews 11:34; Revelation 1:16; Revelation 17:13; ἰδίᾳ δυνάμει, Acts 3:12; μεγάλη δυνάμει, Acts 4:33; ἑκάστῳ κατά τήν ἰδίαν δύναμιν, Matthew 25:15; ὑπέρ δύναμιν, beyond our power, 2 Corinthians 1:8; ἐν δυνάμει namely, ὤν, endued with power, Luke 4:36; 1 Corinthians 15:43; so in the phrase ἔρχεσθαι ἐν δυνάμει, Mark 9:1; powerfully, Colossians 1:29; 2 Thessalonians 1:11; contextually, equivalent to evidently, Romans 1:4; ἐν δυνάμει σημείων καί τεράτων, through the power which I exerted upon their souls by performing miracles, Romans 15:19; δύναμις εἰς τί, Hebrews 11:11; δύναμις ἐπί τά δαιμόνια καί νόσους θεραπεύειν, Luke 9:1; ἡ δύναμις τῆς ἁμαρτίας ὁ νόμος, sin exercises its power (upon the soul) through the law, i. e. through the abuse of the law, 1 Corinthians 15:56; τῆς ἀναστάσεως τοῦ Χριστοῦ, the power which the resurrection of Christ has, for instructing, reforming, elevating, tranquilizing, the soul, Philippians 3:10; τῆς εὐσεβείας, inhering in godliness and operating upon souls, 2 Timothy 3:5; δυνάμεις μέλλοντος αἰῶνος (see αἰών, 3), Hebrews 6:5; τό πνεῦμα τῆς δυνάμεως (see πνεῦμα, 5), 1 Peter 4:14 Lachmann; 2 Timothy 1:7; δύναμις is used of the power of angels: Ephesians 1:21 (cf. Meyer at the passage]) 2 Peter 2:11; of the power of the devil and evil spirits, 1 Corinthians 15:24; τοῦ ἐχθροῦ, i. e. of the devil, Luke 10:19; τοῦ δράκοντος, Revelation 13:2; angels, as excelling in power, are called δυνάμεις (cf. (Philo de mutat. nora. § 8 δυνάμεις ἀσωματοι) Meyer as above; Lightfoot on Colossians 1:16; see ἄγγελος): Romans 8:38; 1 Peter 3:22. ἡ δύναμις τοῦ Θεοῦ, universally, the power of God: Matthew 22:29; Mark 12:24; Luke 22:69; Acts 8:10; Romans 1:20; Romans 9:17; 1 Corinthians 6:14; δύναμις ὑψίστου, Luke 1:35; ἡ δύναμις, especially in doxologies, the kingly power of God, Matthew 6:13 Rec.; Revelation 4:11; Revelation 7:12; Revelation 11:17; Revelation 12:10; Revelation 15:8; Revelation 19:1; and the abstract for the concrete (as הַגְּבוּרָה in Jewish writings; cf. Buxtorf Lex. talm. col. 385 (p. 201f, Fischer edition)) equivalent to ὁ δυνατός, Matthew 26:64; Mark 14:62; δύναμις τοῦ Θεοῦ is used of the divine power considered as acting upon the minds of men, 1 Corinthians 2:5; 2 Corinthians 6:7; Ephesians 3:7, 20; (2 Timothy 1:8; 1 Peter 1:5); εἰς τινα, 2 Corinthians 13:4 (but WH in brackets); Ephesians 1:19; ἐνδύεσθαι δύναμιν ἐξ ὕψους, Luke 24:49; by metonymy, things or persons in which God's saving power shows its efficacy are called δυνάμεις Θεοῦ: thus, ὁ Χριστός, 1 Corinthians 1:24; ὁ λόγος τοῦ σταυροῦ, 1 Corinthians 1:18; τό εὐαγγέλιον, with the addition εἰς σωτηρίαν παντί, etc. Romans 1:16 (cf. Winer's Grammar, § 36, 3 b.). δύναμις is ascribed to Christ, now in one sense and now in another: a power to heal disease proceeds from him, Mark 5:30; Luke 5:17; Luke 6:19; Luke 8:46 the kingly power of the Messiah is his, Matthew 24:30; (Mark 13:26); Luke 21:27; 2 Peter 1:16; Revelation 5:12; ἄγγελοι τῆς δυνάμεως αὐτοῦ (see ἄγγελος, 2), ministering to his power, 2 Thessalonians 1:7 (Winer's Grammar, § 34, 3 b. note); metaphysical (or essential) power, viz. that which belongs to him as ὁ θεῖος λόγος, in the expression τό ῤῆμα τῆς δυνάμεως αὐτοῦ, the word uttered by his power, equivalent to his most powerful will and energy, Hebrews 1:3; moral power, operating on the soul, 2 Corinthians 12:9 R G; and called ἡ θεία αὐτοῦ δύναμις in 2 Peter 1:3; ἡ δύναμις τοῦ κυρίου, the power of Christ invisibly present and operative in Christian church formally assembled, 1 Corinthians 5:4. δύναμις τοῦ ἁγίου πνεύματος: Acts 1:8 (Winer's Grammar, 125 (119)); πνεῦμα ἅγιον καί δύναμις, Acts 10:38; ἀπόδειξις πνεύματος καί δυνάμεως (see ἀπόδειξις, b.), 1 Corinthians 2:4; ἐν τῇ δυνάμει τοῦ πνεύματος, under or full of the power of the Holy Spirit, Luke 4:14; ἐν δυνάμει πνεύματος ἁγίου, by the power and influence of the Holy Spirit, Romans 15:13; by the power which, under the influence of the Holy Spirit, I exerted upon their souls, Romans 15:19.
b. specifically, the power of performing miracles: Acts 6:8; πᾶσα δύναμις, every kind of power of working miracles (with the addition of καί σημείοις καί τέρασι), 2 Thessalonians 2:9; plural: (Matthew 13:54; Matthew 14:2; Mark 6:14); 1 Corinthians 12:28; Galatians 3:5; ἐνεργήματα δυνάμεων, 1 Corinthians 12:10; by metonymy, of the cause for the effect, a mighty work (cf. Winers Grammar, 32; Trench, § xci.): δύναμιν ποιεῖν, Mark 6:5; Mark 9:39; so in the plural, Mark 6:2 Luke 19:37; joined with σημεῖα, Acts 8:13; with σημεῖα καί τέρατα, Acts 2:22; 2 Corinthians 12:12; Hebrews 2:4 (?); ποιεῖν δυνάμεις, Matthew 7:22; (); Acts 19:11; γίνονται δυνάμεις, Matthew 11:20f, 23; Luke 10:13.
c. moral power and excellence of soul: 1 Corinthians 4:19; 2 Corinthians 4:7; Ephesians 3:16; Colossians 1:11.
d. the power and influence which belong to riches; (pecuniary ability), wealth: τοῦ στρήνους, 'riches ministering to luxury' (Grotius), Revelation 18:3; κατά δύναμιν καί ὑπέρ (others, δύναμιν, according to their means, yea, beyond their means, 2 Corinthians 8:3; (in this sense, for חַיִל, the Sept. Deuteronomy 8:17; Ruth 4:11; not infrequent Greek writings, as Xenophon, Cyril 8, 4, 34; an. 7, 7, 21 (36)).
e. power and resources arising from numbers: Revelation 3:8.
f. power consisting in or resting upon armies, forces, hosts, (so, both in singular and in plural, often in Greek writings from Herodotus, Thucydides, Xenophon, on; in the Sept. and in Apocrypha); hence, δυνάμεις τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, the host of heaven, Hebraistically the stars: Matthew 24:29; Luke 21:26; and δυνάμεις ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς, Mark 13:25; equivalent to הַשָּׁמַיִם צְבָא, 2 Kings 17:16; 2 Kings 23:4; Isaiah 34:4; Jeremiah 8:2; Daniel 8:10, etc. (cf. σαβαώθ).
g. Like the Latinvis andpotestas, equivalent to the (force i. e.) meaning of a word or expression: 1 Corinthians 14:11; (Plato, Crat., p. 394 h.; Polybius 20, 9, 11; Dionysius Halicarnassus 1, 68; Dio Cuss. 55, 3; others). [SYNONYMS: βία, δύναμις, ἐνέργεια, ἐξουσία, ἰσχύς, κράτος βία, force, effective, often oppressive power, exhibiting itself in single deeds of violence; δύναμις, power, natural ability, general and inherent; ἐνέργεια, working, power in exercise, operative power; ἐξουσία, primarily liberty of action; then, authority — either as delegated power, or as unrestrained, arbitrary power; ἰσχύς, strength, power (especially physical) as an endowment κράτος, might, relative and manifested power — in the N. T. chiefly of God; τῷ κράτει τῆς ἰσχύος, Ephesians 6:10, τήν ἐνέργειαν τῆς δυναμμεως, Ephesians 3:7, τήν ἐνέργειαν τοῦ κράτους τῆς ἰσχύος, Ephesians 1:19. Cf. Schmidt, chapter 148; Lightfoot on Colossians 1:16; Meyer on Ephesians 1:19.]
Topical Lexicon
Word Origin: Derived from the Greek verb δύναμαι (dýnamai), meaning "to be able" or "to have power."
Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: • חַיִל (chayil) • Strong's Hebrew 2428: Often translated as "strength" or "might," used to describe physical strength, valor, or wealth.
• כֹּחַ (koach) • Strong's Hebrew 3581: Translated as "power" or "strength," referring to physical or supernatural power.
• גְּבוּרָה (geburah) • Strong's Hebrew 1369: Meaning "might" or "strength," often used in the context of heroic or divine power.
These Hebrew terms reflect similar concepts of power and strength as found in the Greek δύναμις, highlighting the continuity of the theme of divine power throughout the Scriptures.
Usage: • The term δύναμις is used in the New Testament to describe various forms of power, including physical strength, moral power, and the power of God manifested in miracles and divine acts. It is often associated with the power of the Holy Spirit and the authority given to believers.
Context: • General Overview: In the New Testament, δύναμις is a key term that encapsulates the concept of divine power and authority. It is frequently used to describe the miraculous works of Jesus and the apostles, as well as the transformative power of the Gospel.
• Theological Significance: Theologically, δύναμις is central to understanding the nature of God's intervention in the world. It signifies not only God's inherent power but also His active involvement in human affairs through miracles and the empowerment of believers. This power is often linked to the Holy Spirit, as seen in Acts 1:8, "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."
• Christological Aspect: In the life and ministry of Jesus, δύναμις is evident in His miracles and teachings. For instance, in Luke 4:36, the people are amazed at Jesus' authority and power: "All the people were overcome with amazement and said to one another, 'What is this message? With authority and power He commands the unclean spirits, and they come out!'"
• Eschatological Dimension: The concept of δύναμις also has an eschatological dimension, pointing to the ultimate demonstration of God's power in the resurrection of the dead and the establishment of His eternal kingdom. In 1 Corinthians 6:14, Paul writes, "By His power God raised the Lord from the dead, and He will raise us also."
• Practical Application: For believers, δύναμις is not only a theological concept but also a practical reality. It is the power that enables them to live out their faith, perform acts of service, and endure trials. As Paul states in Philippians 4:13, "I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength."
Forms and Transliterations
δυναμει δυνάμει δυναμεις δυνάμεις δύναμεις δυναμεσι δυνάμεσι δυναμεσιν δυνάμεσιν δυναμεων δυνάμεων δυναμεως δυνάμεως δυνάμεώς δύναμεως δυναμιν δύναμιν δύναμίν δυναμις δύναμις δύναμίς dunamei dunameis dunameon dunameōn dunameos dunameōs dunamesi dunamesin dunamin dunamis dynamei dynámei dynameis dynámeis dynameon dynameōn dynámeon dynámeōn dynameos dynameōs dynámeos dynámeōs dynamesi dynámesi dynamesin dynámesin dynamin dýnamin dýnamín dynamis dýnamis
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