ἴσχυεν
ischýō
could
To be strong, to have power or strength (physical, mental, or moral); to be able or capable of accomplishing something. In various contexts, it conveys: being able, having the capacity or means to act, prevailing or overcoming, being effective or efficacious, or being healthy/robust. The core meaning centers on possessing or exhibiting strength, which may be literal (physical might), extended metaphorically (moral or spiritual fortitude), or operational (having the ability to produce results or prevail in a given situation).
Mark 5:4 · Word #21
Lexicon G2480
| Lemma | ἰσχύω |
| Transliteration | ischýō |
| Strong's | G2480 |
| Definition | To be strong, to have power or strength (physical, mental, or moral); to be able or capable of accomplishing something. In various contexts, it conveys: being able, having the capacity or means to act, prevailing or overcoming, being effective or efficacious, or being healthy/robust. The core meaning centers on possessing or exhibiting strength, which may be literal (physical might), extended metaphorically (moral or spiritual fortitude), or operational (having the ability to produce results or prevail in a given situation). |
Morphology V IMPF ACT IND 3P SG
All morphology codes
| Part of Speech | V — Verb — An action or state of being |
| Tense | IMPF — Imperfect — Continuous or repeated past action |
| Voice | ACT — Active — The subject performs the action |
| Mood | IND — Indicative — States a fact or reality |
| Person | 3P — 3rd person — The one spoken about ("he/she/it/they") |
| Number | SG — Singular — One |
Common Translation
| Phrase | could |
| Literal | was-able/had-strength |
Lexical Info
| Lemma | ἰσχύω |
| Strong's | G2480 |
SIBI-P1 Translation G2480-03
was strong
| Morphological Notes | Verb; imperfect tense (ongoing past), active voice, indicative mood, 3rd person singular. |
| Rendering Rationale | The imperfect active indicative, 3rd singular, expresses ongoing past action or state, indicating that the subject was in a condition of strength or possessing power. "Was strong" preserves the root sense of exhibiting strength while reflecting the continuous past aspect. |
View full lexicon entry for G2480 →
SILEX v2
SIBI-P2 (Context-Aware)
was able
| Same as P1 | No — adjusted for context |
| Rationale | Replaced 'was strong' with 'was able' to fit idiomatic Greek use of ἴσχυεν in the sense of capability, not mere strength. |