δύναμαι
dýnamai
G1410 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To have capacity or ability (whether innate, circumstantial, or granted) to accomplish or experience something; to be capable, able, or empowered to do or undergo an action or event. The verb expresses factual possibility or ability in various degrees, including physical, mental, moral, or circumstantial capacity. In some contexts, indicates potentiality or what is within one's power to do, as well as permission or opportunity.
Semantic Range
to be able (to do something), to have power or ability, to be capable, to be possible, may (expressing possibility), can (expressing capacity), to have the means or opportunity, to be empowered, to be permitted or allowed (in some contexts), could (potential or circumstantial ability)
Root / Etymology
Related to the Greek root δυν- ('strength, power, ability'). It is the present deponent/middle form of a verb of uncertain further etymology, but clearly related to δύναμις ('power, ability, capacity'). Likely a root inherited from earlier Greek; no known foreign borrowing or parallel. The root is productive in forming related terms such as δυνάστης ('ruler, powerful one') and δυνατός ('capable, possible').
Historical & Contextual Notes
In classical Greek, δύναμαι functions as the principal verb for expressing ability or capacity—whether literal, psychological, legal, or circumstantial. Its primary semantic field remains consistent through Hellenistic Greek (including the LXX) and into Koine of the New Testament. In Koine texts, its use can range from everyday statements of capability ("I can speak") to more abstract or theological senses ("it is possible"). In some contexts, it implicitly contrasts with θέλω ('to want, wish'), marking the difference between ability and will. English translations (can, be able, may, be possible) do not always capture whether the ability arises from personal power, external circumstance, or inherent nature. The verb is sometimes negated to express impossibility or incapacity. It ought not to be confused with θέλω, which denotes volition, nor with ἐξουσιάζω, which can denote lawful right or authority. The word group that includes δυνάμαι forms a central element in Koine Greek's lexicon of agency and potentiality. English translations may obscure the flexible scope of the verb, especially in idiomatic or legal contexts.
Translation Consistency
δύναμαι primarily expresses ability, capacity, or possibility; the periphrastic English ‘be able’ naturally and consistently covers physical, mental, moral, circumstantial ability and the modal senses (can/may/could) across tenses and persons, matching the SILEX range and the common ‘able’ renderings while allowing regular inflection for tense/person in the translation system.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
of uncertain affinity; to be able or possible:--be able, can (do, + -not), could, may, might, be possible, be of power.
Root Family
δυν- (dýnamai) — to be able, to have power, to be capable
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| G1411 | δύναμις | in power |
| G1416 | δύνω | of going down |
| G1744 | ἐνδύνω | slipping in |
| G1931 | ἐπιδύω | let it set fully |
Word Forms
34 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G1410-18 |
δύναται | dunatai | V PRS MID IND 3P SG |
can | is able | is able | 72 |
G1410-17 |
δύνασθε | dunasthe | V PRS MID IND 2P PL |
you are able | you are able | you are able | 27 |
G1410-30 |
ἐδύνατο | edunato | V IMPF MID IND 3P SG |
could | was able | was able | 15 |
G1410-13 |
δυνάμεθα | dunametha | V PRS MID IND 1P PL |
we are able | we are able | we are able | 9 |
G1410-14 |
δύνανται | dunantai | V PRS MID IND 3P PL |
can | they are able | they are able | 8 |
G1410-16 |
δύνασθαι | dunasthai | V PRS MID INF |
be able | to be able | to be able | 8 |
G1410-03 |
δύναμαι | dunamai | V PRS MID IND 1P SG |
I am able | I am able | I am able | 7 |
G1410-15 |
δύνασαι | dunasai | V PRS MID IND 2P SG |
you can | you are able | you are able | 7 |
G1410-09 |
δυναμένων | dunamenon | V PRS MID PTCP GEN M PL |
able | of those being able | being able | 5 |
G1410-10 |
δυνάμενος | dunamenos | V PRS MID PTCP NOM M SG |
able | being able | being able | 5 |
Occurrences in Scripture
210 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G1410-18 |
Matthew 3:9 | δύναται | dunatai | V PRS MID IND 3P SG |
is able | is able | is able |
G1410-18 |
Matthew 5:14 | δύναται | dunatai | V PRS MID IND 3P SG |
is able | is able | is able |
G1410-15 |
Matthew 5:36 | δύνασαι | dunasai | V PRS MID IND 2P SG |
can you | you are able | you are able |
G1410-18 |
Matthew 6:24 | δύναται | dunatai | V PRS MID IND 3P SG |
can | is able | is able |
G1410-17 |
Matthew 6:24 | δύνασθε | dunasthe | V PRS MID IND 2P PL |
you can | you are able | you are able |
G1410-18 |
Matthew 6:27 | δύναται | dunatai | V PRS MID IND 3P SG |
can | is able | is able |
G1410-18 |
Matthew 7:18 | δύναται | dunatai | V PRS MID IND 3P SG |
is able | is able | is able |
G1410-15 |
Matthew 8:2 | δύνασαί | dunasai | V PRS MID IND 2P SG |
you can | you are able | you are able |
G1410-14 |
Matthew 9:15 | δύνανται | dunantai | V PRS MID IND 3P PL |
can | they are able | they are able |
G1410-03 |
Matthew 9:28 | δύναμαι | dunamai | V PRS MID IND 1P SG |
I am able | I am able | I am able |
G1410-09 |
Matthew 10:28 | δυναμένων | dunamenon | V PRS MID PTCP GEN M PL |
able | of those being able | of those being able |
G1410-09 |
Matthew 10:28 | δυνάμενον | dunamenon-2 | V PRS MID PTCP ACC M SG |
able | of those being able | the able one |
G1410-18 |
Matthew 12:29 | δύναταί | dunatai | V PRS MID IND 3P SG |
can | is able | is able |
G1410-17 |
Matthew 12:34 | δύνασθε | dunasthe | V PRS MID IND 2P PL |
can you | you are able | you are able |
G1410-17 |
Matthew 16:3 | δύνασθε | dunasthe | V PRS MID IND 2P PL |
you are able | you are able | you are able |
G1410-33 |
Matthew 17:16 | ἠδυνήθησαν | edunethesan | V AOR PASS IND 3P PL |
they could | they were able | they were able |
G1410-31 |
Matthew 17:19 | ἠδυνήθημεν | edunethemen | V AOR PASS IND 1P PL |
could | we were able | were able |
G1410-10 |
Matthew 19:12 | δυνάμενος | dunamenos | V PRS MID PTCP NOM M SG |
who is able | being able | being able |
G1410-18 |
Matthew 19:25 | δύναται | dunatai | V PRS MID IND 3P SG |
can | is able | is able |
G1410-17 |
Matthew 20:22 | δύνασθε | dunasthe | V PRS MID IND 2P PL |
are you able | you are able | you are able |
G1410-13 |
Matthew 20:22 | δυνάμεθα | dunametha | V PRS MID IND 1P PL |
we are able | we are able | we are able |
G1410-30 |
Matthew 22:46 | ἐδύνατο | edunato | V IMPF MID IND 3P SG |
was able | was able | was able |
G1410-30 |
Matthew 26:9 | ἐδύνατο | edunato | V IMPF MID IND 3P SG |
could have been | was able | was able |
G1410-18 |
Matthew 26:42 | δύναται | dunatai | V PRS MID IND 3P SG |
can | is able | is able |
G1410-03 |
Matthew 26:53 | δύναμαι | dunamai | V PRS MID IND 1P SG |
I am able | I am able | I am able |
G1410-03 |
Matthew 26:61 | δύναμαι | dunamai | V PRS MID IND 1P SG |
I am able | I am able | I am able |
G1410-18 |
Matthew 27:42 | δύναται | dunatai | V PRS MID IND 3P SG |
he can | is able | is able |
G1410-15 |
Mark 1:40 | δύνασαί | dunasai | V PRS MID IND 2P SG |
you can | you are able | you are able |
G1410-16 |
Mark 1:45 | δύνασθαι | dunasthai | V PRS MID INF |
he could | to be able | to be able |
G1410-08 |
Mark 2:4 | δυνάμενοι | dunamenoi | V PRS MID PTCP NOM M PL |
being able | those being able | being able |
G1410-18 |
Mark 2:7 | δύναται | dunatai | V PRS MID IND 3P SG |
can | is able | is able |
G1410-14 |
Mark 2:19 | δύνανται | dunantai | V PRS MID IND 3P PL |
can | they are able | they are able |
G1410-14 |
Mark 2:19 | δύνανται | dunantai-2 | V PRS MID IND 3P PL |
can | they are able | they are able |
G1410-16 |
Mark 3:20 | δύνασθαι | dunasthai | V PRS MID INF |
be able | to be able | to be able |
G1410-18 |
Mark 3:23 | δύναται | dunatai | V PRS MID IND 3P SG |
can | is able | is able |
G1410-18 |
Mark 3:24 | δύναται | dunatai | V PRS MID IND 3P SG |
can | is able | is able |
G1410-22 |
Mark 3:25 | δυνήσεται | dunesetai | V FUT MID IND 3P SG |
can stand | will be able | will be able |
G1410-18 |
Mark 3:26 | δύναται | dunatai | V PRS MID IND 3P SG |
can | is able | is able |
G1410-18 |
Mark 3:27 | δύναται | dunatai | V PRS MID IND 3P SG |
can | is able | is able |
G1410-16 |
Mark 4:32 | δύνασθαι | dunasthai | V PRS MID INF |
can | to be able | to be able |
G1410-28 |
Mark 4:33 | ἠδύναντο | edunanto | V IMPF MID IND 3P PL |
they were able | they were able | they were able |
G1410-30 |
Mark 5:3 | ἐδύνατο | edunato | V IMPF MID IND 3P SG |
could | was able | was able |
G1410-30 |
Mark 6:5 | ἐδύνατο | edunato | V IMPF MID IND 3P SG |
could | was able | was able |
G1410-30 |
Mark 6:19 | ἠδύνατο | edunato | V IMPF MID IND 3P SG |
could | was able | was able |
G1410-18 |
Mark 7:15 | δύναται | dunatai | V PRS MID IND 3P SG |
can | is able | is able |
G1410-18 |
Mark 7:18 | δύναται | dunatai | V PRS MID IND 3P SG |
is able | is able | is able |
G1410-29 |
Mark 7:24 | ἠδυνάσθη | edunasthe | V AOR PASS IND 3P SG |
he was able | he was able | he was able |
G1410-22 |
Mark 8:4 | δυνήσεταί | dunesetai | V FUT MID IND 3P SG |
can | will be able | will be able |
G1410-18 |
Mark 9:3 | δύναται | dunatai | V PRS MID IND 3P SG |
can | is able | is able |
G1410-19 |
Mark 9:22 | δύνῃ | dune | V PRS MID IND 2P SG |
thou canst | you are able | you are able |