What does ἰσχύω (ischýō) mean in the Bible?
Ischyō means to be strong enough, prevail, be effective, or have the strength required for an action. Jesus asks what salt is good for if it loses the capacity to season.
Greek · G2480
ἰσχύω
To have (or exercise) force (literally or figuratively)
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ἰσχύω G2480
Pronunciation ischýō
What does ἰσχύω (ischýō) mean in the Bible?
Ischyō means to be strong enough, prevail, be effective, or have the strength required for an action. Jesus asks what salt is good for if it loses the capacity to season.
Reader summary
Full entry for ἰσχύω (G2480) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render G2480?
The BSB source-word alignment has 28 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include they were unable (4), could (3), healthy (2), they could not (2), Were you not able (2).
Where does ἰσχύω (ischýō) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Matthew 5:13. Its strongest book concentrations include Luke (8), Acts (6), Mark (4), Matthew (4).
Are there verse guides for ἰσχύω (ischýō)?
This entry includes 1 verse guide that explain exact original-language forms in context.
What This Word Actually Means
Ischyō means to be strong enough, prevail, be effective, or have the strength required for an action. Jesus asks what salt is good for if it loses the capacity to season. In Gethsemane, Peter cannot remain watchful for one hour. The dishonest manager says he lacks strength for digging. Paul's accusers cannot prove their grave allegations, and Revelation says the dragon and his angels are not strong enough to retain a place in heaven.
The verb does not name abstract power or guarantee success to the determined. It evaluates whether a person, claim, object, or hostile force proves effective in a particular task or contest.
How the Bible Uses It
Ischyō concerns effective strength in a stated situation: salt may lose usefulness, a disciple fails to stay awake, a worker lacks physical capacity, charges fail to prevail, and the dragon cannot hold his heavenly position. Context names the task and standard of sufficiency.
- Matt.5.13
You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its savor, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.
Matthew 5:13 asks how salt that becomes tasteless can be made salty again and says it is no longer good for anything. Effectiveness belongs to disciples' faithful witness within Jesus' kingdom teaching.
- Mark.14.37
Then Jesus returned and found them sleeping. “Simon, are you asleep?” He asked. “Were you not able to keep watch for one hour?
Mark 14:37 records Jesus asking Peter whether he lacked strength to keep watch for one hour. The failure exposes human weakness before temptation and prepares for the disciples' collapse.
- Luke.16.3
The manager said to himself, ‘What shall I do, now that my master is taking away my position? I am too weak to dig and too ashamed to beg.
Luke 16:3 has the manager admit he is not strong enough to dig and is ashamed to beg. His assessment drives a shrewd but ethically compromised plan before losing his position.
- Acts.25.7
When Paul arrived, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, bringing many serious charges that they could not prove.
Acts 25:7 says Paul's accusers brought serious charges they could not prove. Their allegations are numerous and forceful but lack evidential strength before the hearing.
- Rev.12.8
But the dragon was not strong enough, and no longer was any place found in heaven for him and his angels.
Revelation 12:8 says the dragon and his angels were not strong enough, and no place remained for them in heaven. Evil's opposition is real but decisively unable to defeat God's victory.
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 they were unable 4× Mark 9:18, Luke 14:6, Luke 20:26, John 21:6
could 3× Matthew 8:28, Luke 6:48, Luke 14:30
healthy 2× Matthew 9:12, Mark 2:17
they could not 2× Acts 6:10, Acts 25:7
Were you not able 2× Matthew 26:40, Mark 14:37
[the dragon] was not strong enough 1× Revelation 12:8
has any value 1× Galatians 5:6
have been able 1× Acts 15:10
I am too weak 1× Luke 16:3
I can do 1× Philippians 4:13
is unable 1× Luke 14:29
it cannot be executed 1× Hebrews 9:17
It is no longer good 1× Matthew 5:13
prevail 1× Acts 19:20
The attack 1× Acts 19:16
to prevail 1× James 5:16
was able 1× Luke 8:43
we barely managed 1× Acts 27:16
will not be able 1× Luke 13:24
with the strength 1× Mark 5:4
Show sample aligned rows
Matthew 5:13 ἰσχύει to It is no longer good Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular Matthew 8:28 ἰσχύειν to could Verb - Present Infinitive Active Matthew 9:12 ἰσχύοντες to healthy Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural Matthew 26:40 ἰσχύσατε to Were you not able Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 2nd Person Plural Mark 2:17 ἰσχύοντες to healthy Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural Mark 5:4 ἴσχυεν to with the strength Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular Mark 9:18 ἴσχυσαν to they were unable Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural Mark 14:37 ἴσχυσας to Were you not able Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 2nd Person Singular Luke 6:48 ἴσχυσεν to could Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular Luke 8:43 ἴσχυσεν to was able Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Matthew 5:13
Aligned rows 28
Books represented 10
Matthew 4 Mark 4 Luke 8 John 1 Acts 6 Galatians 1 Philippians 1 Hebrews 1 James 1 Revelation 1
Source forms
ἰσχύει 4x ischyei Matthew 5:13, Galatians 5:6, Hebrews 9:17, James 5:16
ἴσχυσεν 4x ischysen Luke 6:48, Luke 8:43, Luke 14:30, Acts 19:16
ἴσχυον 3x ischyon John 21:6, Acts 6:10, Acts 25:7
ἴσχυσαν 3x ischysan Mark 9:18, Luke 14:6, Luke 20:26
ἴσχυεν 2x ischyen Mark 5:4, Acts 19:20
ἰσχύοντες 2x ischyontes Matthew 9:12, Mark 2:17
ἰσχύσαμεν 2x ischysamen Acts 15:10, Acts 27:16
ἰσχύω 2x ischyō Luke 16:3, Philippians 4:13
Parsing patterns
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular 5x Luke 6:48, Luke 8:43, Luke 14:30, Acts 19:16
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular 4x Matthew 5:13, Galatians 5:6, Hebrews 9:17, James 5:16
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural 3x Mark 9:18, Luke 14:6, Luke 20:26
Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural 3x John 21:6, Acts 6:10, Acts 25:7
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 1st Person Plural 2x Acts 15:10, Acts 27:16
Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular 2x Mark 5:4, Acts 19:20
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular 2x Luke 16:3, Philippians 4:13
Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural 2x Matthew 9:12, Mark 2:17
Using This Word Well
Be careful not to...
- Do not turn ischyō into a promise that sincere believers can accomplish any chosen goal.
- Do not treat inability or need for help as moral failure when the passage does not do so.
Avoid claiming...
- Do not turn ischyō into a promise that sincere believers can accomplish any chosen goal.
- Do not treat inability or need for help as moral failure when the passage does not do so.
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.
Evidence Summary
MessiahRevelation
Greek word. Power to prevail or accomplish; ability to be effective in action, whether physical, spiritual, or moral.
Source Gloss
to have (or exercise) force (literally or figuratively)
Greek Text Appearances
Textus Receptus witness, full corpus Greek token appearances from Scrivener 1894 Textus Receptus in the full New Testament corpus.
16 of 29 Greek text appearances shown. Linked morphology labels have verse guides.
iscuei
I am strong, able
Read verse Matthew 8:28 Verb Present Active Infinitive
ἰσχύειν iscuein
I am strong, able
Read verse Matthew 9:12 Verb Present Active Participle Nominative Plural Masculine
ἰσχύοντες iscuontev
I am strong, able
Read verse Matthew 26:40 Verb Second Person Plural Aorist Active Indicative
ἰσχύσατε iscusate
I am strong, able
Read verse Mark 2:17 Verb Present Active Participle Nominative Plural Masculine
ἰσχύοντες iscuontev
I am strong, able
Read verse Mark 5:4 Verb Third Person Singular Imperfect Active Indicative
ἴσχυε iscuen
I am strong, able
Read verse Mark 9:18 Verb Third Person Plural Aorist Active Indicative
ἴσχυσαν. iscusan
I am strong, able
Read verse Mark 14:37 Verb Second Person Singular Aorist Active Indicative
ἴσχυσας iscusav
I am strong, able
Read verse Luke 6:48 Verb Third Person Singular Aorist Active Indicative
ἴσχυσε iscusen
I am strong, able
Read verse Luke 8:43 Verb Third Person Singular Aorist Active Indicative
ἴσχυσεν iscusen
I am strong, able
Read verse Luke 13:24 Verb Third Person Plural Future Active Indicative
ἰσχύσουσιν. iscusousin
I am strong, able
Read verse Luke 14:6 Verb Third Person Plural Aorist Active Indicative
ἴσχυσαν iscusan
I am strong, able
Read verse Luke 14:29 Verb Present Active Participle Genitive Singular Masculine
ἰσχύοντος iscuontov
I am strong, able
Read verse Luke 14:30 Verb Third Person Singular Aorist Active Indicative
ἴσχυσεν iscusen
I am strong, able
Read verse Luke 16:3 Verb First Person Singular Present Active Indicative
ἰσχύω, iscuw
I am strong, able
Read verse Luke 20:26 Verb Third Person Plural Aorist Active Indicative
ἴσχυσαν iscusan
I am strong, 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 3 Aligned forms 28 Tenses Aorist, Present, Imperfect, Future Voices Active
Tenses
Voices
Indicative states a fact or reality 24×
Aorist Active Luke 6:48 · Luke 8:43 · Luke 14:30 · Acts 19:16 · Rev 12:8 · Mark 9:18 · Luke 14:6 · Luke 20:26 · Acts 15:10 · Acts 27:16 · Matt 26:40 · Mark 14:37 12×
Imperfect Active John 21:6 · Acts 6:10 · Acts 25:7 · Mark 5:4 · Acts 19:20 5×
Future Active Luke 13:24 1×
Participle verbal adjective — the action as a modifying quality 3×
Present Active Matt 9:12 · Mark 2:17 · Luke 14:29 3×
Infinitive verbal noun — the action in abstract 1×
Present Active Matt 8:28 1×
Discourse Aspect
How this verb appears across 27 occurrences in the NT discourse index (MACULA Greek SBLGNT).
Aspect
Tense
aorist 12 present 10 imperfect 4 future 1
Voice
active 27
Mood
indicative 23 participle 3 infinitive 1
NT Occurrences
Matthew 5:13 ἰσχύει present active indicative ongoing Matthew 8:28 ἰσχύειν present active infinitive infinitive Matthew 9:12 ἰσχύοντες present active participle participle Matthew 26:40 ἰσχύσατε aorist active indicative completed Mark 2:17 ἰσχύοντες present active participle participle Mark 5:4 ἴσχυεν imperfect active indicative background Mark 9:18 ἴσχυσαν aorist active indicative completed Mark 14:37 ἴσχυσας aorist active indicative completed Luke 6:48 ἴσχυσεν aorist active indicative completed Luke 8:43 ἴσχυσεν aorist active indicative completed Luke 13:24 ἰσχύσουσιν future active indicative prospective Luke 14:29 ἰσχύοντος present active participle participle Luke 14:30 ἴσχυσεν aorist active indicative completed Luke 14:6 ἴσχυσαν aorist active indicative completed Luke 16:3 ἰσχύω present active indicative ongoing Luke 20:26 ἴσχυσαν aorist active indicative completed John 21:6 ἴσχυον imperfect active indicative background Acts 6:10 ἴσχυον imperfect active indicative background Acts 15:10 ἰσχύσαμεν aorist active indicative completed Acts 19:16 ἴσχυσεν aorist active indicative completed Acts 25:7 ἴσχυον imperfect active indicative background Acts 27:16 ἰσχύσαμεν aorist active indicative completed Galatians 5:6 ἰσχύει present active indicative ongoing Philippians 4:13 ἰσχύω present active indicative ongoing Hebrews 9:17 ἰσχύει present active indicative ongoing James 5:16 ἰσχύει present active indicative ongoing Revelation 12:8 ἴσχυσεν aorist active indicative completed
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.
New Testament Witnesses
To be strong or powerful.
to be strong, enabled
Showing 2 selected witnesses from 28 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
ἰσχύω is built from this root:
Why This Word Matters
Strength for endurance comes from Christ. Acts 19:11-20
Describes the victorious spread of the word of the Lord. Philippians 4:10–23
Canonical Themes
MessiahRevelation
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
Ischyō measures strength in action. Salt must remain effective for its purpose. Peter's confidence does not translate into one hour of watchfulness, showing why disciples need prayer rather than self-assurance. The manager appraises his physical limits, while Paul's accusers discover that vehement allegations are not strong enough without proof. Revelation places every contest beneath the largest outcome: the dragon fights, but he cannot prevail or keep his place.
Christian teaching should therefore avoid slogans that equate faith with limitless personal effectiveness. It encourages honest naming of weakness, disciplined watchfulness, evidence-based justice, and confidence in God's victory. Believers may fail at tasks, require help, or accept limits without concluding that evil has won or God has abandoned them.
Anchor passage
Rev.12.8
Doctrinal connections
- Discipleship: kingdom witness must retain its God-given distinctiveness and usefulness.
- Human weakness: confident disciples may lack strength to watch without prayerful dependence.
- Vocation and limits: honest appraisal of capacity matters, though it does not justify dishonest action.
- Justice: accusations must be strong in evidence, not merely serious in tone or number.
- Spiritual conflict: Satanic opposition is real but unable to prevail against God's rule.
- Perseverance: confidence rests in divine victory rather than limitless human competence.
Ischyō is the verb related to ischys, "strength," and often means to be strong, be able, prevail, or prove effective. The infinitive or context commonly identifies the action for which sufficient strength is present or absent.
From Old to New Testament
The Old Testament repeatedly asks who can stand before God and celebrates Him as strength when human power fails. Apocalyptic victory fulfills the promise that hostile powers cannot prevail against His kingdom.
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