θεῖος G2304
divine, godly, of or from God; pertaining to deity
This adjective describes what belongs to, comes from, or pertains to God or the divine nature. In Acts 17:29 Paul argues we shouldn't think the 'divine being' (τὸ θεῖον) is like gold or silver images. In 2 Peter 1:3 God's 'divine power' has granted everything needed for life and godliness. In 2 Peter 1:4 believers are promised participation in the 'divine nature.' The classical usage spans 'from the gods,' 'belonging to deity,' 'sacred,' and even 'appointed by God.' While Greek philosophy used τὸ θεῖον for 'the divine' in an abstract sense, New Testament usage firmly attaches divinity to the personal God revealed in Christ.
Senses
1. sense 1 — The sense identifies the quality of deity, whether as abstract divine essence or concrete divine attributes. Paul's Athenian speech uses the neuter substantive—'the divine being' or 'deity itself'—to connect with philosophical vocabulary while pointing beyond material representations. Peter's usage is explicitly attributive: divine power and divine nature are God's own qualities, and remarkably, believers are granted participation in that nature. The multilingual renderings uniformly capitalize or emphasize the divine quality—Spanish and German 'Divino/göttlich'—recognizing this as predication of deity. The word spans from philosophical abstraction (Acts) to concrete divine attributes and participatory promise (2 Peter). 3×
AR["إِلٰهِيَّ", "الإلهيَّةِ"]·ben["ঐশ্বরিক", "দৈবত্ব"]·DE["goettlich", "Θεῖον"]·EN["Divine", "divine", "of-divine"]·FR["divin", "θείας"]·heb["אֱלֹהִית", "אֱלֹהוּת"]·HI["ईश्वरत्व", "दिव्य"]·ID["ilahi", "keilahian"]·IT["divino", "theias"]·jav["Ilahi", "ilahi"]·KO["신성이", "신적인"]·PT["da-divina", "divino"]·RU["Божество", "божественной"]·ES["Divino", "divina"]·SW["Uungu", "wa-kimungu", "ya-kimungu"]·TR["ilahi", "İlahiliğin"]·urd["الٰہی", "الہیت"]
Related Senses
G2316 1. God, the true God (1315×)H6635b 1. hosts, armies (of YHWH) (286×)H0410 1. God, the true God (223×)G0032 1. heavenly angel (170×)H4397 2. messenger, envoy, ambassador (102×)H3742 1. cherub, angelic guardian being (91×)H0430 2. gods (pagan deities) (81×)H0426 1. God, the true God (76×)G1140 1. demon, evil spirit (62×)H0433 1. God, the true God (54×)H5945b 1. Most High (30×)G4152 1. spiritual (21×)H0426 2. god(s), pagan deities (20×)H5943 1. [ketiv:Most High] (18×)G1139 1. be demon-possessed (13×)H1712 1. Dagon (13×)G2316 2. god, pagan deity (12×)G5310 1. Most High (9×)H0410 3. a god, deity (generic) (9×)H3645 1. Chemosh (9×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
θεῖος, α, ον: __Alate Epic dialect θέειος Refs 5th c.AD+; θεήϊος Refs 2nd c.BC+; late Aeolic dialect θήϊος Refs; Laconian dialect σεῖος (see. below 1.3): comparative and superlative θειότερος, -ότατος, frequently in Refs 5th c.BC+: (θεός): __1 of or from the gods, divine, γένος Refs 8th c.BC+; ὌνειροςRefs 5th c.BC+, of a dust-storm, Refs 5th c.BC+; θ. τινὶ μοίρᾳ by divine intervention, Refs 5th…