Greek word · G2479

ἰσχύς

ischys

strength

Strength, physical or otherwise: the strength a person or god has in himself. It is common in the LXX for Hebrew kōaḥ (strength) and related words.

Appears 10 times in 10 verses of the Greek New Testament. ·

What it means

ἰσχύς, -ύος, ἡ

[in LXX chiefly for כֹּחַ, also for חַיִל, עַז, גְּבוּרָה, etc. ;]

strength, might, power, force, ability: Revelation 5:12 7:12; ἰ. κ. δύναμις, 2 Peter 2:11; τ. κράτος τῆς ἰ. (Isaiah 40:26), Ephesians 1:19 6:10; ἡ δόξα τῆς ἰ., 2 Thessalonians 1:9; ἐξ ἰ., 1 Peter 4:11; ἐν ὅλῃ τ. ἰ., Mark 12:30, 33" (LXX) Luke 10:27 (LXX).†

SYN.: δύναμις (which see, and cf. ICC, Philippians 4:13); κράτος (cf. M, Th., I, 1:9) (AS)

From G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament (1922), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

In depth

From the study of Ephesians 1:19

Range of meaning

Strength, physical or otherwise: the strength a person or god has in himself. It is common in the LXX for Hebrew kōaḥ (strength) and related words.

Against the English

Usually 'strength' or 'might'. In the KJV the word disappears into 'mighty power'.

Used elsewhere in the period

Mark 12:30 ('with all your strength'); Rev 5:12; 7:12, in praise formulas. LXX Isa 40:26. The Qumran hymns pile up power words in a similar way when speaking of God (phrases like 'the strength of your might'). Scholars such as K. G. Kuhn have noted that this heaped style is shared between Ephesians and the Dead Sea Scrolls.

From the study of Ephesians 6:10

Range of meaning

Strength as an inner capacity or ability: physical strength, force, the ability to do something (Mark 12:30, "love the Lord with all your strength"). It is often paired with other power words.

Against the English

KJV/ESV/NASB "might" and WEB "strength" both keep it as a separate noun. BSB, NIV and NLT merge it with κράτος into "mighty power".

Used elsewhere in the period

The exact phrase "the might of his strength" (τοῦ κράτους τῆς ἰσχύος αὐτοῦ) appears earlier in Eph 1:19. There Paul piles up four power words (δύναμις, ἐνέργεια, κράτος, ἰσχύς) to describe the power God "worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him… far above all rule and authority" (1:20–21). The Septuagint pairs these words frequently (Isa 40:26; Dan 4:30 in Theodotion's Greek).

From the study of Luke 10:27

Range of meaning

Strength, might, power, ability; also, in some uses, resources. Here it stands for Hebrew mʾōd, normally the adverb “very, exceedingly.” As a noun it appears only in Deut 6:5 and 2 Kgs 23:25 (Josiah turned to YHWH “with all his heart, soul and mʾōd”), meaning “muchness, utmost capacity.”

Against the English

“Strength” is a fair rendering but narrows mʾōd toward physical force. The Hebrew means “all you’ve got,” including possessions and means.

Used elsewhere in the period

The Greek Old Testament of Deut 6:5 has dynamis (power); Mark 12:30 and Luke have ischys. The Aramaic Targum Onqelos renders “with all your wealth (nikhsin).” m. Berakhot 9:5 says “with all your mʾōd—with all your money.”

Where it appears

Mark · 2

  1. Mark 12:30 ἰσχύος strength

    Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’

    Here: Power, capacity, ability. It renders Hebrew me'od, literally 'muchness'. Jewish interpreters understood that word to include one's wealth and all one's resources, not only physical strength.

  2. Mark 12:33 ἰσχύος strength

    and to love Him with all your heart and with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself. This is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”

    Here: Physical power and capacity. It stands for the Hebrew me'od of Deuteronomy 6:5 ('muchness', everything you have), which Jewish teachers also took to mean one's wealth and resources.

Luke · 1

  1. Luke 10:27 ἰσχύϊ strength

    He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’ and ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”

    Here: “Strength”: power, capacity, everything one is able to do. It renders the Hebrew mʾōd, literally “muchness, very-ness.” Jewish interpreters of the time also took that word to mean your property and means.

Ephesians · 2

  1. Ephesians 1:19 ἰσχύος strength

    and the surpassing greatness of His power to us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of His mighty strength,

    Here: Strength someone has in himself, as in 'love the Lord… with all your strength' (Mark 12:30). It is placed at the bottom of the chain ('the might *of the strength*') as the source the might flows from.

  2. Ephesians 6:10 ἰσχύος might

    Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power.

    Here: Strength someone has in himself, his capacity. "The might of his strength" piles two power-words together for emphasis: his strength in action, overpowering.

2 Thessalonians · 1

  1. 2 Thessalonians 1:9 ἰσχύος power

    They will suffer the penalty of eternal destruction, separated from the presence of the Lord and the glory of His might,

    Here: Raw power and force. 'The glory of his strength' is the shining splendour that comes with his power, the power of a warrior king rising to shake the earth (Isaiah 2:19, 21).

1 Peter · 1

  1. 1 Peter 4:11 ἰσχύος strength

    If anyone speaks, he should speak as one conveying the words of God. If anyone serves, he should serve with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory and the power forever and ever. Amen.

    Here: Real capacity, physical and practical strength to get work done, not mere 'ability' in the abstract.

2 Peter · 1

  1. 2 Peter 2:11 ἰσχύϊ in strength

    Yet not even angels, though greater in strength and power, dare to bring such slanderous charges against them before the Lord.

Revelation · 2

  1. Revelation 5:12 ἰσχὺν strength

    In a loud voice they were saying: “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing!”

    Here: Physical or forceful might. It is close to 'power' and strengthens it: every kind of power belongs to him.

  2. Revelation 7:12 ἰσχὺς strength

    saying, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanks and honor and power and strength be to our God forever and ever! Amen.”

    Here: Near-synonym of dynamis. The pairing echoes Hebrew pairs such as koach and gevurah ('strength and might'). Together they say that all force belongs to God.

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.