δύναμις
Power
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What does δύναμις (dýnamis) mean in the Bible?
δύναμις (dýnamis) is a Greek word meaning "power". δύναμις, -εως, ἡ (δύναμαι), [in LXX for עֹז ,גּבוּרָה ,צָבָה ,(חֵיל) חַיִל, etc. The gospel saves because it carries God’s active power, not human persuasion. This term runs through the canonical themes of Covenant, Messiah.
Full entry for δύναμις (G1411) · Browse the biblical lexicon
Meaning
Power manifested in action and results, not mere authority or physical strength alone
(δύναμαι), [in LXX for עֹז ,גּבוּרָה ,צָבָה ,(חֵיל) חַיִל, etc.; 35 words in all ;] power, might, strength; relatively, ability, power to perform: Mat.25:15, Act.3:12, Heb.11:11; κατὰ δ., 2Co.8:3; παρὰ δ., ib.; ὑπὲρ δ., 2Co.1:8; of pecuniary ability, 2Co.8:3, Rev.18:3; absol., power, might: Luk.24:49, Act.1:8; opposite to ἀσθένεια, 1Co.15:43; ἡ δ. τ. ἁμαρτίας, 1Co.15:56; of power in action, Rom.1:16, 20 1Co.1:18, Php.3:10, al.; ἡ δ. τ. θεοῦ, Mat.22:29, Mrk.12:24, Rom.1:20, al.; opposite to μόρφωσις, 2Ti.3:5; in doxologies, Rev.4:11 7:12, al.; ἐν δ., Mrk.9:1, Luk.4:36, Rom.1:4, al.; of the power of performing miracles, Act.6:8, 2Th.2:9; pl., Mat.13:54, Mrk.6:14, Gal.3:5, al.; of the force or meaning of a word (Plat., al.), 1Co.14:11. By meton., of persons or things;
Why This Word Matters
The gospel saves because it carries God’s active power, not human persuasion. 2 Timothy 1:1-7
Indicates manifest divine authority. 2 Timothy 3:1-9
Reveals divine effective power flowing from Christ. Acts 1:1-11
Mission depends on God’s power, not human strength. The promise of power in verse 8 keeps the focus on what God supplies for witness rather than on human technique. Luke 8:40–56
Timothy’s ministry is sustained by God’s enabling, not by personal bravado. Power here is the capacity to act faithfully when fear pressures retreat. Mark 9:1
True godliness carries transformative power that false religion lacks.
Grammatical Forms
How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
Canonical Themes
Biblical Occurrences
Each occurrence shows the passage reference, the original language term as it appears in that context, its transliteration, and the contextual sense.
New Testament Witnesses
Appears In
Compound and idiomatic lexemes in which this word is a constituent. Follow a link to study the phrase and its other participating words.
Word Pictures (Robertson)
A.T. Robertson's Word Pictures in the New Testament (1930–31) discusses this term in the following chapters. Open any chapter and go to the Word Pictures tab to read his verse-by-verse commentary.
A.T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament (1930–31) — public domain