ἰσχ-ύς G2479
Strength, might, power — inherent force or capacity for action, predicated of God's might and human devotion
The noun ἰσχύς (ischus) denotes inherent strength, might, or power — the capacity for forceful action whether physical, spiritual, or divine. It appears centrally in the Shema-derived command to love God 'with all your strength' (Mark 12:30, 33; Luke 10:27), echoing Deuteronomy 6:5 LXX. Paul invokes it for God's 'mighty strength' (Eph 1:19; 6:10; 2 Thess 1:9), and the heavenly doxologies ascribe 'might' to the Lamb (Rev 5:12; 7:12). Peter urges serving 'by the strength that God supplies' (1 Pet 4:11). Spanish 'fuerza/potencia,' Arabic قُوَّة, Hindi शक्ति/सामर्थ्य, Korean 힘, and Swahili nguvu all converge on the concept of inherent power.
Senses
1. strength, might, power — Inherent physical or spiritual strength, might, or power — the capacity for forceful action. Used of the human obligation to love God with all one's strength in the Shema quotation (Mark 12:30, 33; Luke 10:27; cf. Deut 6:5 LXX), of God's sovereign might working in Christ and available to believers (Eph 1:19; 6:10; 2 Thess 1:9; 1 Pet 4:11), and of the celestial doxology ascribing might to the Lamb and to God (Rev 5:12; 7:12). All inflectional variants — genitive, dative, accusative — share one undifferentiated semantic core. 10×
AR["القُوَّةَ", "القُوَّةُ", "بِقُوَّةٍ", "قُوَّةٍ", "قُوَّةِ", "قُوَّتِ", "قُوَّتِكَ", "قُوَّتِهِ"]·ben["পরাক্রম,", "শক্তি", "শক্তি-র", "শক্তিতে", "শক্তির"]·DE["Staerke", "ἰσχύϊ"]·EN["in-strength", "might", "strength"]·FR["force"]·heb["בְּכֹחַ", "גְּבוּרָה", "גְּבוּרָת", "כֹּחַ", "עֹז"]·HI["बल", "बल,", "शक्ति", "सामर्थ्य"]·ID["kekuatan", "kekuatan,", "kekuatanmu"]·IT["forza", "ischui", "ischuos"]·jav["kakiyatan", "kakuwatan", "kawasa", "kekiyatan"]·KO["강함-의", "능력의", "힘", "힘-을", "힘-이", "힘에", "힘으로", "힘의"]·PT["em-força", "força", "poder", "potência"]·RU["крепости", "могущества", "мощь,", "силе", "силой", "силы"]·ES["en-fuerza", "fortaleza", "fuerza", "potencia"]·SW["nguvu", "uweza,"]·TR["gücünden", "gücünle", "gücünün", "güçle", "güçte", "güçten", "kudret", "kuvvetinin", "ve-"]·urd["طاقت", "طاقت-سے", "قدرت", "قوت"]
Related Senses
H3808 1. simple negation (not) (4839×)G1722 1. locative: in, within (2442×)H1004b 1. house, dwelling, building (2015×)G3756 1. not (negation particle) (1635×)H4480a 1. source or separation (1198×)H5892b 1. city, town (1093×)G1519 1. direction: into, to, toward (1061×)H3427 1. Qal: to dwell, inhabit (937×)G1537 1. from, out of (source/origin) (886×)H8034 1. Name (designation / identifier) (856×)G3361 1. subjective negation (not) (834×)G1909 1. on, upon (spatial surface) (757×)H0369 1. existential negation: there is not (738×)H5869a 1. in the eyes/sight of (evaluative) (734×)H5650 1. Servant, attendant, subject (723×)H0408 1. prohibitive negation do-not (712×)G2443 1. so that, in order that (purpose/result) (665×)G0575 1. from (649×)G1223 1. through, by means of (582×)H3541 1. thus, so, in this manner (569×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
ἰσχ-ύς [see. entry near the end], ύος, ἡ, strength of body, Refs 8th c.BC+; of places, ἰσχὺς γῆς Refs 5th c.BC+; of a fortified place, Refs 5th c.BC+ __2 might, power, θεοῦ, θεῶν, Refs 5th c.BC+; ὅπου γὰρ ἰ. συζυγοῦσι καὶ δίκη might and right, Refs; φύσεως ἰ., of Themistocles, Refs 5th c.BC+; ἐπὶ μέγα ἐλθεῖν ἰσχύος to a great height of power, Refs; ἰ. μάχης fighting power, Refs; ἡ τῶν νόμων ἰ.…