Dunamis: If you are a Christian and a lover of the Bible, you must have come across the word ‘Dunamis’ depending on the Bible version you’re using. This word ‘Dunamis’ is mentioned about 120 times in the New Testament. So, it definitely deserves an explanation.
Dunamis is a Greek word, closely related to the word ‘Dynamic’. It means Power. The synonyms of it are strength, capacity, ability, potency, force, might, capability and so on. This word does not connote human strength. The meaning is deeper and divine. It is most frequently used only for the description of miracles, signs and wonders, healing supernatural power and love of God.
Power is also frequently used in the Bible as a description of strength of mind, moral qualities of a person, power of his/her faith and so on. Power can also refer to an important feature of someone’s nature. It means that this person or God has some inner strength that does not depend on outward things. When it comes to the Bible, Dunamis distinctly describes the power of God.
Dunamis: Passages in the Bible where it was used:
- “Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see that the kingdom of God has come with power.” (Matthew 16:28).
- Matthew 22:29 “You are mistaken because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God.”
- “Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven. And then all the peoples of the earth will mourn when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory”.
- “The angel answered, ‘The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.“ (Luke 1:35).
- “His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.” (2 Peter 1:3).
- “All the people were amazed and said to each other, ‘What words these are! With authority and power he gives orders to impure spirits and they come out!’“ (Luke 4:36).
- “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”( Acts 1:8).
- “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.” (Romans 1:20).
- “Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.” (1 Corinthians 1:22–24).
- “But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.” (2 Corinthians 4:7).
- “But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.”(2 Corinthians 12:9).
- “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever! Amen.” (Ephesians 3:20–21)
- “For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love, and self-discipline.” (2 Timothy 1:7)
- “The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.” (Hebrews 1:3).
To understand it more perfectly, God has inborn and essential power. We can claim that Dunamis is an important part of Lord. From some of the passages above, Christians also have Dunamis in their reborn souls. However, it’s not their personal merit. God gave them this power. In other words, when people give Lord their lives, He changes their hearts, minds, goals, and dreams and gives them the power to live devotional, pure and holy lives.