What does δύναμαι (dýnamai) mean in the Bible?
Dynamai means to be able, possess capacity, or have power to do something. John the Baptist says God is able to raise children for Abraham from stones, dismantling confidence in ancestry.
Greek · G1410
δύναμαι
To be able or possible
Reading a lexicon entry
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δύναμαι G1410
Pronunciation dýnamai
What does δύναμαι (dýnamai) mean in the Bible?
Dynamai means to be able, possess capacity, or have power to do something. John the Baptist says God is able to raise children for Abraham from stones, dismantling confidence in ancestry.
Reader summary
Full entry for δύναμαι (G1410) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render G1410?
The BSB source-word alignment has 210 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include can (51), cannot (26), could (15), you cannot (10), You can (9).
Where does δύναμαι (dýnamai) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Matthew 3:9. Its strongest book concentrations include John (37), Mark (33), Matthew (27), Luke (26).
Are there verse guides for δύναμαι (dýnamai)?
This entry includes 3 verse guides that explain exact original-language forms in context.
What This Word Actually Means
Dynamai means to be able, possess capacity, or have power to do something. John the Baptist says God is able to raise children for Abraham from stones, dismantling confidence in ancestry. Jesus asks who can be saved and answers that what is impossible with people is possible with God. He tells opponents they cannot hear His word because they cannot bear or receive it.
Paul says believers cannot drink both the Lord's cup and demons' cup, expressing incompatible allegiance rather than physical incapacity. Revelation says no one can enter the sanctuary until the plagues are completed. Ability may be divine, human, moral, relational, or restricted by God's purpose.
How the Bible Uses It
Dynamai expresses capacity or possibility. God can create covenant children beyond human expectations and save where people cannot; resistant hearers lack receptive capacity; divided worship is incompatible; and access may be temporarily barred by divine action.
- Matt.3.9
And do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham.
Matthew 3:9 says God can raise up children for Abraham from stones. John's warning strips ethnic descent of power to replace repentance and magnifies God's sovereign freedom.
- Mark.10.26
They were even more astonished and said to one another, “Who then can be saved?”
Mark 10:26 asks who can be saved after Jesus exposes wealth's grip. Jesus answers that salvation is impossible with people but not with God, locating saving capacity in Him.
- John.8.43
Why do you not understand what I am saying? It is because you are unable to accept My message.
John 8:43 says opponents cannot hear Jesus' word. The following verses connect this inability to hostile desire and refusal of truth, not a defect in physical hearing.
- 1Cor.10.21
You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons too; you cannot partake in the table of the Lord and the table of demons too.
First Corinthians 10:21 says believers cannot drink the Lord's cup and demons' cup. The impossibility is covenantal incompatibility: participation at the Lord's table cannot be joined to idolatrous fellowship.
- Rev.15.8
And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from His power; and no one could enter the temple until the seven plagues of the seven angels were completed.
Revelation 15:8 says no one could enter the sanctuary until the seven plagues were completed. Access is restricted within the vision while divine judgment reaches its appointed completion.
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders It can 51× Matthew 3:9, Matthew 6:24, Matthew 6:27, Matthew 10:28
cannot 26× Matthew 5:14, Matthew 7:18, Matthew 10:28, Matthew 26:42
could 15× Matthew 26:9, Mark 5:3, Mark 8:4, Mark 9:3
you cannot 10× Matthew 5:36, Matthew 6:24, Luke 16:2, Luke 16:13
You can 9× Matthew 8:2, Mark 1:40, Mark 9:23, Mark 14:7
can you 5× Matthew 12:34, Matthew 20:22, Mark 10:38, Luke 5:34
he cannot 5× Mark 3:26, Luke 14:26, 1 Corinthians 2:14, 2 Timothy 2:13
is able 5× Romans 16:25, Ephesians 3:20, James 4:12, Jude 1:24
they could 4× Matthew 17:16, Mark 4:33, Acts 27:12, Acts 27:39
they were unable 4× Mark 2:4, Luke 8:19, Luke 9:40, John 12:39
He is able 3× Hebrews 2:18, Hebrews 5:2, Hebrews 7:25
- 2× Matthew 16:3, Mark 4:32
. . . 2× Mark 1:45, 1 Corinthians 6:5
[but] He cannot 2× Matthew 27:42, Mark 15:31
able 2× Romans 15:14, 2 Timothy 3:7
can we 2× John 14:5, 1 Thessalonians 3:9
could not 2× Acts 21:34, 1 Corinthians 3:1
couldn’t 2× Matthew 17:19, Mark 9:28
How can 2× Matthew 9:15, Mark 2:19
I am able 2× Matthew 9:28, Matthew 26:61
I cannot 2× Luke 11:7, Luke 14:20
unable 2× Luke 1:20, Acts 27:15
was able 2× Matthew 22:46, Revelation 5:3
We can 2× Matthew 20:22, Mark 10:39
we cannot 2× Acts 4:16, 1 Timothy 6:7
you will be able 2× Acts 24:8, Ephesians 6:13
[and] was unable 1× Luke 1:22
[and] we have 1× Acts 19:40
[He and His disciples] could 1× Mark 3:20
are able 1× 2 Timothy 3:15
are unable 1× James 4:2
can [anyone] 1× 1 Timothy 6:16
Can he 1× John 3:4
can I 1× Acts 8:31
can it [do so] 1× Romans 8:7
can they 1× Acts 24:13
can’t I 1× John 13:37
could not [see] 1× Luke 19:3
has the right 1× Acts 25:11
He could 1× John 9:33
He could not 1× Mark 6:5
I can 1× Matthew 26:53
It can 1× Hebrews 10:1
May we 1× Acts 17:19
she had been unable 1× Mark 6:19
so that you can 1× 1 Corinthians 10:13
that enables Him 1× Philippians 3:21
that they were unable 1× Hebrews 3:19
they can 1× Luke 20:36
they cannot 1× Mark 2:19
vvv 1× Revelation 7:9
was unable 1× Mark 7:24
we cannot do 1× 2 Corinthians 13:8
we had authority 1× 1 Thessalonians 2:6
were unable 1× Hebrews 9:9
who can 1× Matthew 19:12
who could 1× Acts 27:43
who is unable 1× Hebrews 4:15
will be able 1× Romans 8:39
will be able to 1× Luke 21:15
you are still not ready 1× 1 Corinthians 3:2
you are unable 1× John 8:43
You can [do] 1× Mark 9:22
you can bear 1× 1 Corinthians 10:13
you cannot [do] 1× Luke 12:26
you could not 1× Acts 13:39
you were not yet ready [for solid food] 1× 1 Corinthians 3:2
you will be able to 1× Ephesians 3:4
you will not be able 1× Acts 5:39
Show sample aligned rows
Matthew 3:9 δύναται to can Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular Matthew 5:14 δύναται to cannot Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular Matthew 5:36 δύνασαι to you cannot Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 2nd Person Singular Matthew 6:24 δύναται to can Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular Matthew 6:24 δύνασθε to You cannot Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 2nd Person Plural Matthew 6:27 δύναται to can Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular Matthew 7:18 δύναται to cannot Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular Matthew 8:2 δύνασαί to You can Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 2nd Person Singular Matthew 9:15 δύνανται to How can Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Plural Matthew 9:28 δύναμαι to I am able Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 1st Person Singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Matthew 3:9
Aligned rows 210
Books represented 19
Matthew 27 Mark 33 Luke 26 John 37 Acts 21 Romans 5 1 Corinthians 15 2 Corinthians 3 Galatians 1 Ephesians 5 Philippians 1 1 Thessalonians 2 1 Timothy 3 2 Timothy 3 Hebrews 9 James 6 1 John 2 Jude 1 Revelation 10
Source forms
δύναται 69x dynatai Matthew 3:9, Matthew 5:14, Matthew 6:24, Matthew 6:27
δύνασθε 27x dynasthe Matthew 6:24, Matthew 12:34, Matthew 16:3, Matthew 20:22
ἐδύνατο 11x edynato Matthew 22:46, Matthew 26:9, Mark 5:3, Mark 6:5
δύνανται 8x dynantai Matthew 9:15, Mark 2:19, Luke 20:36, Romans 8:8
δύνασθαι 8x dynasthai Mark 1:45, Mark 3:20, Mark 4:32, 1 Corinthians 10:13
δύναμαι 5x dynamai Matthew 9:28, Matthew 26:53, Luke 11:7, Luke 14:20
δυνάμενος 5x dynamenos Matthew 19:12, Luke 1:20, Galatians 3:21, Hebrews 5:2
δυνάμεθα 4x dynametha Acts 4:16, Acts 4:20, 1 Thessalonians 3:9, 1 Timothy 6:7
Parsing patterns
Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular 71x Matthew 3:9, Matthew 5:14, Matthew 6:24, Matthew 6:27
Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 2nd Person Plural 27x Matthew 6:24, Matthew 12:34, Matthew 16:3, Matthew 20:22
Verb - Imperfect Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular 15x Matthew 22:46, Matthew 26:9, Mark 5:3, Mark 6:5
Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 2nd Person Singular 11x Matthew 5:36, Matthew 8:2, Mark 1:40, Mark 9:22
Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 1st Person Plural 9x Matthew 20:22, Mark 10:39, John 14:5, Acts 4:16
Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Plural 9x Matthew 9:15, Mark 2:19, Luke 20:36, Acts 24:13
Verb - Present Infinitive Middle or Passive 8x Mark 1:45, Mark 3:20, Mark 4:32, 1 Corinthians 10:13
Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 1st Person Singular 7x Matthew 9:28, Matthew 26:53, Matthew 26:61, Luke 11:7
Using This Word Well
Be careful not to...
- Do not use dynamai to promise that God will fulfill any goal merely because someone can imagine it.
- Do not treat morally formed inability as though it removes all responsibility to repent and receive truth.
Avoid claiming...
- Do not use dynamai to promise that God will fulfill any goal merely because someone can imagine it.
- Do not treat morally formed inability as though it removes all responsibility to repent and receive truth.
Key Verse and Form Guides
Verse-level guides showing how this original-language form works in its specific context, including grammar, verse function, and guarded interpretation.
John 1:46 Verb Third Person Singular Present Middle or Passive Deponent Indicative
δύναταί dunatai to be able or possible The verb makes the line sound like a question about possibility and perceived suitability, which strengthens the skeptical tone of the exchange. Read verse guide John 15:5 Verb Second Person Plural Present Middle or Passive Deponent Indicative
δύνασθε dynasthe to be able or possible The verb states the inability that defines life apart from Jesus in the vine image. Read verse guide Matthew 5:14 Verb Third Person Singular Present Middle or Passive Deponent Indicative
δύναται dunatai to be able or possible makes the city comparison an impossibility statement. Read verse guide Evidence Summary
Greek word. Ability from personal power, permission, or circumstance rather than mere possibility
Source Gloss
to be able or possible
Greek Text Appearances
Textus Receptus witness, full corpus Greek token appearances from Scrivener 1894 Textus Receptus in the full New Testament corpus.
16 of 210 Greek text appearances shown. Linked morphology labels have verse guides.
Matthew 3:9 Verb Third Person Singular Present Middle or Passive Deponent Indicative
δύναται dunatai
I am powerful, am able
Read verse dunatai
I am powerful, am able
Read verse Matthew 5:36 Verb Second Person Singular Present Middle or Passive Deponent Indicative
δύνασαι dunasai
I am powerful, am able
Read verse Matthew 6:24 Verb Third Person Singular Present Middle or Passive Deponent Indicative
δύναται dunatai
I am powerful, am able
Read verse Matthew 6:24 Verb Second Person Plural Present Middle or Passive Deponent Indicative
δύνασθε dunasqe
I am powerful, am able
Read verse Matthew 6:27 Verb Third Person Singular Present Middle or Passive Deponent Indicative
δύναται dunatai
I am powerful, am able
Read verse Matthew 7:18 Verb Third Person Singular Present Middle or Passive Deponent Indicative
δύναται dunatai
I am powerful, am able
Read verse Matthew 8:2 Verb Second Person Singular Present Middle or Passive Deponent Indicative
δύνασαί dunasai
I am powerful, am able
Read verse Matthew 9:15 Verb Third Person Plural Present Middle or Passive Deponent Indicative
δύνανται dunantai
I am powerful, am able
Read verse Matthew 9:28 Verb First Person Singular Present Middle or Passive Deponent Indicative
δύναμαι dunamai
I am powerful, am able
Read verse Matthew 10:28 Verb Present Middle or Passive Deponent Participle Genitive Plural Masculine
δυναμένων dunamenwn
I am powerful, am able
Read verse Matthew 10:28 Verb Present Middle or Passive Deponent Participle Accusative Singular Masculine
δυνάμενον dunamenon
I am powerful, am able
Read verse Matthew 12:29 Verb Third Person Singular Present Middle or Passive Deponent Indicative
δύναταί dunatai
I am powerful, am able
Read verse Matthew 12:34 Verb Second Person Plural Present Middle or Passive Deponent Indicative
δύνασθε dunasqe
I am powerful, am able
Read verse Matthew 16:3 Verb Second Person Plural Present Middle or Passive Deponent Indicative
δύνασθε; dunasqe
I am powerful, am able
Read verse Matthew 17:16 Verb Third Person Plural Aorist Passive Deponent Indicative
ἠδυνήθησαν hdunhqhsan
I am powerful, am able
Read verseFull New Testament corpus: 260 chapters, 7,957 verses, 140,628 tokens. Data source: honza/textus-receptus (data only), with authority check against byztxt/greektext-textus-receptus.
Grammatical Forms
How mood, tense, and voice shift the force of this verb in context.
This verb appears through different tense, voice, mood, or stem patterns. Those forms help readers see how the action is presented in context.
Form groups 5 Aligned forms 209 Tenses Present, Imperfect, Future, Aorist Voices Middle, Passive
Tenses
Voices
Indicative states a fact or reality 171×
Present Middle Matt 3:9 · Matt 5:14 · Matt 6:24 · Matt 6:27 · Matt 7:18 · Matt 12:29 · Matt 19:25 · Matt 26:42 · Matt 27:42 · Mark 2:7 · Mark 3:23 · Mark 3:24 · Mark 3:26 · Mark 3:27 · Mark 7:15 · Mark 7:18 134×
Imperfect Middle Matt 22:46 · Matt 26:9 · Mark 5:3 · Mark 6:5 · Mark 6:19 · Mark 14:5 · Luke 1:22 · Luke 19:3 · John 9:33 · John 11:37 · Acts 26:32 · Rev 5:3 · Rev 7:9 · Rev 14:3 · Rev 15:8 · Mark 4:33 19×
Future Middle Mark 3:25 · Mark 8:4 · Mark 9:39 · Rom 8:39 · 1 Cor 6:5 · Acts 5:39 · Eph 6:16 · Luke 21:15 · Acts 19:40 · Acts 24:8 10×
Aorist Passive Matt 17:16 · Luke 9:40 · Heb 3:19 · Matt 17:19 · Mark 9:28 · Mark 7:24 · Acts 13:38 · 1 Cor 3:1 8×
Infinitive verbal noun — the action in abstract 8×
Present Middle Mark 1:45 · Mark 3:20 · Mark 4:32 · 1 Cor 10:13 · 2 Cor 1:4 · 2 Cor 3:7 · Eph 6:11 · Phil 3:21 8×
Participle verbal adjective — the action as a modifying quality 24×
Present Middle Matt 19:12 · Luke 1:20 · Gal 3:21 · Heb 5:2 · Jas 4:12 · Matt 10:28 · Heb 4:15 · Heb 5:7 · Jas 1:21 · Mark 2:4 · Rom 15:14 · 1 Thess 2:7 · Acts 20:32 · Eph 3:20 · Jude 1:24 · Acts 21:34 24×
Optative wish or remote possibility 3×
Present Middle Acts 27:12 · Acts 27:39 · Acts 8:31 3×
Subjunctive possibility, probability, or purpose 3×
Present Middle Luke 16:26 · Rev 13:17 2×
Aorist Passive Eph 6:13 1×
Discourse Aspect
How this verb appears across 209 occurrences in the NT discourse index (MACULA Greek SBLGNT).
Aspect
Tense
present 171 imperfect 19 future 10 aorist 9
Voice
middle 200 passive 9
Mood
indicative 171 participle 24 infinitive 8 optative 3 subjunctive 3
NT Occurrences
Matthew 3:9 δύναται present middle indicative ongoing Matthew 5:14 δύναται present middle indicative ongoing Matthew 5:36 δύνασαι present middle indicative ongoing Matthew 6:24 δύναται present middle indicative ongoing Matthew 6:24 δύνασθε present middle indicative ongoing Matthew 6:27 δύναται present middle indicative ongoing Matthew 7:18 δύναται present middle indicative ongoing Matthew 8:2 δύνασαί present middle indicative ongoing Matthew 9:15 δύνανται present middle indicative ongoing Matthew 9:28 δύναμαι present middle indicative ongoing Matthew 10:28 δυναμένων present middle participle participle Matthew 10:28 δυνάμενον present middle participle participle Matthew 12:29 δύναταί present middle indicative ongoing Matthew 12:34 δύνασθε present middle indicative ongoing Matthew 16:3 δύνασθε present middle indicative ongoing Matthew 17:16 ἠδυνήθησαν aorist passive indicative completed Matthew 17:19 ἠδυνήθημεν aorist passive indicative completed Matthew 19:12 δυνάμενος present middle participle participle Matthew 19:25 δύναται present middle indicative ongoing Matthew 20:22 δύνασθε present middle indicative ongoing Matthew 20:22 Δυνάμεθα present middle indicative ongoing Matthew 22:46 ἐδύνατο imperfect middle indicative background Matthew 26:42 δύναται present middle indicative ongoing Matthew 26:53 δύναμαι present middle indicative ongoing Matthew 26:61 Δύναμαι present middle indicative ongoing Matthew 26:9 ἐδύνατο imperfect middle indicative background Matthew 27:42 δύναται present middle indicative ongoing Mark 1:40 δύνασαί present middle indicative ongoing Mark 1:45 δύνασθαι present middle infinitive infinitive Mark 2:19 δύνανται present middle indicative ongoing Mark 2:19 δύνανται present middle indicative ongoing Mark 2:4 δυνάμενοι present middle participle participle Mark 2:7 δύναται present middle indicative ongoing Mark 3:20 δύνασθαι present middle infinitive infinitive Mark 3:23 δύναται present middle indicative ongoing Mark 3:24 δύναται present middle indicative ongoing Mark 3:25 δυνήσεται future middle indicative prospective Mark 3:26 δύναται present middle indicative ongoing Mark 3:27 δύναται present middle indicative ongoing Mark 4:32 δύνασθαι present middle infinitive infinitive
+169 more occurrences
Aspect reflects grammatical form — not authorial emphasis. Participles and infinitives are verbal adjectives and nouns respectively.
Clause data: MACULA Greek (Clear Bible, CC BY 4.0) · SBLGNT (Logos/SBL, CC BY 4.0)
Selected Scripture Witnesses
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Biblical Witnesses
Personal inability or impossibility to serve two masters simultaneously
Capacity or willingness required to be Jesus' disciple with full commitment
Divine power and capacity to establish believers in faith through revelation
God's power to do abundantly more than humans can ask or comprehend
Disciples' inability or lack of power to cast out a demon from a boy
Showing 5 selected witnesses from 209 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
δύναμαι is of uncertain origin - no further derivation.
Part of These Phrases
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.
For the Preacher and Teacher
Dynamai is a capacity verb, and its theology changes with the subject. God can create a people beyond inherited privilege and accomplish salvation beyond human ability. Human beings, meanwhile, can become unable to receive truth because their desires oppose the speaker. Paul describes another inability: covenant fellowship with Christ and participation in idolatry cannot coherently occupy the same allegiance.
Revelation presents access restricted until God's judicial purpose is complete. These uses direct confidence away from self-generated possibility and toward God's power and holy will. They also refuse excuses that treat moral resistance as neutral limitation. Faithful teaching names the action, the agent, and the reason for ability or inability, inviting repentance where desire is corrupt and trust where only God can act.
Anchor passage
Mark.10.26
Doctrinal connections
- Divine sovereignty: God can create covenant heirs beyond human lineage and expectation.
- Salvation: what is impossible for human beings is possible with God.
- Human responsibility: inability to hear can be bound to hostile desire and rejection of truth.
- Union and worship: fellowship with Christ excludes participation in idolatrous communion.
- Holiness: access to God's sanctuary remains governed by His presence and purpose.
- Judgment: divine plans reach completion without creaturely interference.
Dynamai is a common deponent verb meaning to be able, have capacity, or be possible. Its complement normally states the action, while negation may express physical inability, moral incapacity, incompatibility, or prohibition.
From Old to New Testament
God repeatedly declares His ability to fulfill promises beyond human strength, while Israel is warned that divided worship is impossible covenant faithfulness. The New Testament centers saving possibility in God through Christ.
Sources
MorphGNT Strong's Dictionary XML — CC0 1.0 Public Domain
Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (morphhb/OSHB) — CC BY 4.0
Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon — CC BY 4.0
Berean Standard Bible (BSB) source-word alignment - CC0 Public Domain