Lexical Summary dunatos: Powerful, mighty, able, possible Original Word: δυνατός Strong's Exhaustive Concordance able, mighty, possibleFrom dunamai; powerful or capable (literally or figuratively); neuter possible -- able, could, (that is) mighty (man), possible, power, strong. see GREEK dunamai HELPS Word-studies Cognate: 1415 dynatós (an adjective) – properly, able, describing what is made possible because of the power (ability) exerted by the subject; "preeminent ability or power in something" (WS, 1055). See 1411 (dynamis). NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom dunamai Definition strong, mighty, powerful NASB Translation able (6), could (1), impossible* (1), influential men (1), man of power (1), mighty (3), mighty one (1), possible (12), power (1), powerful (1), strong (3), strong enough (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 1415: δυνατόςδυνατός, δυνατή, δυνατόν (δύναμαι); (from Pindar down), the Sept. for גִּבּור; able, powerful, mighty, strong; 1. absolutely; a. mighty in wealth and influence: 1 Corinthians 1:26; (Revelation 6:15 Rec.); οἱ δυνατοί, the chief men, Acts 25:5 (Josephus, b. j. 1, 12, 4 ἧκον Ἰουδαίων οἱ δυνατοί; Xenophon, Cyril 5, 4, 1; Thucydides 1, 89; Polybius 9, 23, 4). ὁ δυνατός, the preeminently mighty one, almighty God, Luke 1:49. b. strong in soul: to bear calamities and trials with fortitude and patience, 2 Corinthians 12:10; strong in Christian virtue, 2 Corinthians 13:9; firm in conviction and faith, Romans 15:1. 2. in construction; a. δυνατός εἰμί with an infinitive, "to be able (to do something; (Buttmann, 260 (224); Winer's Grammar, 319 (299))): Luke 14:31; Acts 11:17; Romans 4:21; Romans 11:23; Romans 14:4 R G; 2 Corinthians 9:8 R G; 2 Timothy 1:12; Titus 1:9; Hebrews 11:19 (Lachmann δύναται; James 3:2. b. δυνατός ἐν τίνι, mighty, i. e. excelling in something: ἐν ἔργῳ καί λόγῳ, Luke 24:19; ἐν λόγοις καί ἔργοις, Acts 7:22; ἐν γραφαῖς:, excelling in knowledge of the Scriptures, Acts 18:24. c. πρός τί, mighty, i. e. having power for something: 2 Corinthians 10:4. d. neuter δυνατόν (in passive sense, cf. Buttmann, 190 (165)) possible: εἰ δυνατόν (ἐστι), Matthew 24:24; Matthew 26:39; Mark 13:22; Mark 14:35; Romans 12:18; Galatians 4:15; οὐκ ἦν δυνατόν followed by infinitive Acts 2:24; δυνατόν τί ἐστι τίνι (Buttmann, 190 (165)), Mark 9:23; Mark 14:36; Acts 20:16; παρά Θεῷ πάντα δυνατά ἐστι, Matthew 19:26; Mark 10:27; Luke 18:27. Τό δυνατόν αὐτοῦ, what his power could do, equivalent to τήν δύναμιν αὐτοῦ, Romans 9:22, cf. Winer's Grammar, § 34, 2. Strong’s 1415 appears thirty-two times, describing what is “able, powerful, possible, capable.” It modifies (1) God, (2) His works and gifts, (3) Christ, (4) Spirit-empowered believers, and (5) human plans that prove either feasible or futile. The contexts fall naturally into the categories below. Declarations of God’s Omnipotence • Matthew 19:26; Mark 10:27; Luke 18:27 – “With God all things are possible.” The term stands at the heart of salvation teaching, contrasting human inability with divine sufficiency. Christ Jesus – Mighty in Word and Deed • Luke 24:19; Acts 7:22 – Jesus and, typologically, Moses are called δυνατός in word and deed; miracles and authoritative teaching manifest heaven’s power on earth. Faith’s Access to Divine Power • Mark 9:23 – “‘If You can?’ said Jesus. ‘All things are possible to him who believes.’” Faith does not create power; it receives what God is already able to do. Spiritual Warfare and Ministry Effectiveness • 2 Corinthians 10:4 – The believer’s weapons are “powerful through God” for demolishing strongholds. Community Life: Bearing, Building, Bridling • Romans 15:1 – The “strong” are obligated to bear the weaknesses of the powerless, turning capacity into service. Human Authority and Its Limits • Acts 25:5 – Festus invites the “men of influence” (those able) to prosecute Paul, yet the narrative soon exposes Roman power as subordinate to providence. Expressions of Conditional Desire Several passages use δυνατός in conditional clauses: Historical Notes Hellenistic literature used δυνατός for gods, heroes, and statesmen. The New Testament deliberately redirects the term to the Lord, stressing that ultimate power belongs to Him alone and that any human strength is delegated and accountable. Theological Reflection Strong’s 1415 gathers the Bible’s theology of power into a single adjective: 1. God possesses unlimited ability; nothing He wills is impossible. Thus every occurrence of δυνατός, whether translated “possible,” “able,” “mighty,” or “strong,” points back to the Lord who “has done great things for me” (Luke 1:49) and forward to lives transformed by that same power. Englishman's Concordance Matthew 19:26 Adj-NNPGRK: θεῷ πάντα δυνατά NAS: but with God all things are possible. KJV: all things are possible. INT: God all things [are] possible Matthew 24:24 Adj-NNS Matthew 26:39 Adj-NNS Mark 9:23 Adj-NNP Mark 10:27 Adj-NNP Mark 13:22 Adj-NNS Mark 14:35 Adj-NNS Mark 14:36 Adj-NNP Luke 1:49 Adj-NMS Luke 14:31 Adj-NMS Luke 18:27 Adj-NNP Luke 24:19 Adj-NMS Acts 2:24 Adj-NNS Acts 7:22 Adj-NMS Acts 11:17 Adj-NMS Acts 18:24 Adj-NMS Acts 20:16 Adj-NNS Acts 25:5 Adj-NMP Romans 4:21 Adj-NMS Romans 9:22 Adj-ANS Romans 11:23 Adj-NMS Romans 12:18 Adj-NNS Romans 15:1 Adj-NMP 1 Corinthians 1:26 Adj-NMP 2 Corinthians 10:4 Adj-NNP Strong's Greek 1415 |