Lexical Definition

‎δύναμις‎ dýnamis (doo'-nam-is) power ^G:N-F
from ‎δύναμαι‎

ability, abundance, meaning, might(-ily, -y, -y deed), (worker of) miracle(-s), power, strength, violence, mighty (wonderful) work.

• force (literally or figuratively)
• specially, miraculous power (usually by implication, a miracle itself)

Abbott-Smith

δύναμις, -εως, ἡ (< δύναμαι), [in LXX chiefly for חַיִל (חֵיל) , ץָבָא, גְּבוּרָה, עֹו, etc.; 35 words in all;]
power, might, strength; relatively, ability, power to perform: Mt 25:15, Ac 3:2, He 11:11; κατὰ δ., II Co 8:3; παρὰ δ., ib. ; ὑπὲρ δ., II Co 1:8; of pecuniary ability, II Co 8:3, Re 18:3; absol., power, might: Lk 24:49, Ac 1:8; opp. to ἀσθένεια, I Co 15:43 ; ἡ δ. τ. ἁμαρτίας, I Co 15:56; of power in action, Ro 1:16, 20, I Co l:18, Phl 3:10, al. ἡ δ. τ. Θεοῦ, Mt 22:29, Mk 12:24, Ro 1:20, al.; opp. to μόρφωσις, II Ti 3:5; in doxologies, Re 4:11 7:12, al. ; ἐν δ., Mk 9:1, Lk 4:36, Ro 1:4, al. ; of the power of performing miracles, Ac 6:8, II Th 2:9 ; pl., Mt 13:54, Mk 6:14, Ga 3:5, al. ; of the force or meaning of a word (Plat., al.), I Co 14:11. By meton., of persons or things;
(a) of God, Mt 26:64, Mk 14:62 (Dalman, Words, 200 ff.) ;
(b) of angels, Ro 8:38, Eph 1:21, I Pe 3:22;
(c) of armies, pl. [LXX for צְבָאוֺת], metaph., of the stars, Mt 24:29, Mk 13:25, Lk 21:26;
(d) of that wh. manifests God's power : Christ, I Co 1:24; τ. εὐαγγέλιον, Ro 1:16; ἡ δ. τ. κυρίου, I Co 5:4;
(e) of mighty works (Tr., Syn., § xci), δ. ποιεῖν, Mk 6:5 9:39; pl., Mt 7:22, Mk 6:2, Lk 10:13, al.; σημεῖα κ. δ.,. Ac 8:13 ; δ. κ. τέρατα κ. σημεῖα, Ac 2:22, II Co 12:12.
SYN.: βία, ἐνέργεια, ἐξουσία, ἰσχύς, κράτος (v. Tr., l.c.; Cremer, 218, 236; DB, i, 616; iv, 29; DCG, i, 607; ii, 188).

Abbott-Smith References

Liddell-Scott-Jones

δύναμις [ῠ], ἡ,

genitive εως, Ionic dialect ιος, Ionic dialect dative δυνάμι: (δύναμαι):— power, might, in [Refs 8th c.BC+], especially of bodily strength, εἴ μοι δ. γε παρείη [Refs 8th c.BC+]: generally, strength, power, ability to do anything, πὰρ δύναμιν beyond one's strength, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; opposed to κατὰ δ. as far as lies in one, [Refs 8th c.BC+]

__2 outward power, influence, authority, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἐν δ. εἶναι, γενέσθαι, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__3 force for war, forces, δ. ἀνδρῶν [LXX+5th c.BC+]; μετὰ δυνάμεων ἱκανῶν Wilcken [Refs 2nd c.BC+]; δ. καὶ πεζὴ καὶ ἱππικὴ καὶ ναυτική [Refs 5th c.BC+]; πέντε δυνάμεσι πεφρουρημένον, of the five projecting rows of sarissae in the phalanx, [Refs 1st c.BC+]
__4 a power, quantity, χρημάτων δ. [Refs 5th c.BC+].
__5 means, κατὰ δύναμιν [Refs 4th c.BC+]; opposed to παρὰ δ., [NT]
__II power, faculty, capacity, αἱ ἀμφὶ τὸ σῶμα δ. [Refs 5th c.BC+]: with genitive of things, capacity for, τῶν ἔργων [Refs 4th c.BC+]; τοῦ λόγου, τῶν λόγων, [Refs 4th c.BC+]: absolutely, any natural capacity or faculty, that may be improved and may be used for good or ill, [Refs 4th c.BC+]
__II.2 elementary force, such as heat, cold, etc., [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἡ τοῦ θερμοῦ δ.[Refs 4th c.BC+]
__II.2.b property, quality, ἰδίην δύναμιν καὶ φύσιν ἔχειν [Refs 5th c.BC+]; especially of the natural properties of plants, etc., αἱ δ. τῶν φυομένων, τῶν σπερμάτων, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; productive power, τῆς γῆς [Refs]: generally, function, faculty, δύναμις φυσική, ζωική, ψυχική, [Refs 2nd c.AD+]; περὶ φυσικῶν δ., title of work by Galen.
__II.2.c in plural, agencies, ὑπάρχειν ἐν τῇ φύσει τὰς τοιαύτας δυνάμεις (i.e. the gods) Polystr.p.10 W.
__II.2.d function, meaning, of part in whole, [Refs]
__II.2.e in Music, function, value, of a note in the scale, δ. ἐστι τάξις φθόγγου ἐν συστήματι [Refs 4th c.BC+]; μέση κατὰ δύναμιν, opposed to κατὰ θέσιν, [Refs 2nd c.AD+]
__II.3 faculty, art, or craft, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; δ. σκεπτική the doctrine of the Sceptics, [Refs 2nd c.AD+]
__II.4 a medicine, [Refs 5th c.BC+]: in plural, collection of formulae or prescriptions, [Refs 4th c.AD+]
__II.4.b action of medicines, περὶ τῆς ἁπλῶν φαρμάκων δ., title of work by Galen; also, potency, δυνάμει θερμά, ψυχρά, [Refs]
__II.5 magically potent substance or object, [Refs]: in plural, magical powers, [Refs 3rd c.AD+]
__III force or meaning of a word, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__III.b phonetic value of sounds or letters, [Refs 2nd c.BC+]
__III.2 worth or value of money, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__IV capability of existing or acting, potentiality, opposed to actuality (ἐνέργεια), [Refs 4th c.BC+] as adverb, virtually, ὕστερον ὂν τῇ τάξει, πρότερον τῇ δυνάμει.. ἐστί [Refs 4th c.BC+]; opposed to ἐνεργείᾳ, [Refs 4th c.BC+]; opposed to ἐντελεχείᾳ, [Refs]
__V in Mathematics texts, power, κατὰ μεταφορὰν ἡ ἐν γεωμετρίᾳ λέγεται δ. [Refs]; usually second power, square, κατὰ δύναμιν in square, [Refs 5th c.BC+] a line the square on which is equal to an area, ἡ BA ἐλάσσων ἐστὶν ἢ διπλασίων δυνάμει τῆς AK the square on BA is less than double of the square on AK, [Refs 3rd c.BC+] commensurable in square, [Refs 3rd c.BC+]; ἡ δυνάμει δεκάς the series 12 + 22... + 102, [Refs]
__V.b square number, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__V.c square of an unknown quantity [Refs 3rd c.AD+]
__V.2 square root of a number which is not a perfect square, surd, opposed to μῆκος, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__V.3 product of two numbers, ἡ ἀμφοῖν (i.e. τριάδος καὶ δυάδος) δ. ἑξάς [Refs 1st c.AD+]; δυνάμει in product, [Refs 2nd c.BC+]
__VI concrete, powers, especially of divine beings, αἱ δ. τῶν οὐρανῶν [LXX+NT+1st c.AD+]; πολυώνυμος δ., of God, [Refs 2nd c.AD+]
__VII manifestation of divine power, miracle, [NT]

_{LSJ Scripture Refs: LXX.Gen.21.22 ☩ 2Cor.8.3 ☩ LXX.Isa.34.4 ☩ 1Pet.3.22 ☩ Acts.8.10 ☩ Matt.11.21}