Lexical Summary adunatos: Impossible, unable, powerless Original Word: ἀδύνατος Strong's Exhaustive Concordance impossible, impotent, weak. From a (as a negative particle) and dunatos; unable, i.e. Weak (literally or figuratively); passively, impossible -- could not do, impossible, impotent, not possible, weak. see GREEK a see GREEK dunatos NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom alpha (as a neg. prefix) and dunatos Definition unable, powerless NASB Translation impossible (6), no strength (1), things that are impossible (1), could not do (1), without strength (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 102: ἀδύνατοςἀδύνατος, (δύναμαι) (from Herodotus down); 1. without strength, impotent: τοῖς ποσί, Acts 14:8; figuratively, of Christians whose faith is not yet quite firm, Romans 15:1 (opposed to δυνατός). 2. impossible (in contrast with δυνατόν): παρά τίνι, for (with) anyone, Matthew 19:26; Mark 10:27; Luke 18:27; τό ἀδύνατος τοῦ νόμου 'what the law could not do' (this God effected by, etc.; (others take τό ἀδύνατος here as nominative absolutely, cf. Buttmann, 381 (326); Winer's Grammar, 574 (534); Meyer or Gifford at the passage)), Romans 8:3; followed by the accusative with an infinitive, Hebrews 6:4, 18; Hebrews 10:4; by an infinitive, Hebrews 11:6. The ten New Testament occurrences of ἀδύνατος cluster around moments where human inability is contrasted with God’s limitless power. In Matthew 19:26 and Mark 10:27 Jesus announces, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible”, immediately after the rich young ruler episode. Luke preserves the same principle: “What is impossible with man is possible with God” (Luke 18:27). These passages form a triad anchoring the term in the Gospel tradition and establish the pattern—human limitation becomes the stage on which divine omnipotence is displayed. Pauline Emphasis on Incapacity and Grace Romans 8:3 presses the thought further: “For what the law was powerless to do [ἀδύνατον], in that it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending His own Son…”. The “impossible” task of the Mosaic Law—effecting righteousness in fallen humanity—is achieved by Christ’s incarnate obedience and sacrificial death. Later, Romans 15:1 charges “we who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak [ἀδυνάτων]”. Here the Apostle applies the same vocabulary pastorally, calling the spiritually mature to shoulder the inabilities of others in the community, thus modeling the grace God has shown toward our own impotence. Hebrews: The Immutability of God’s Decrees Hebrews uses the term four times to underline absolute certainties. Hebrews 6:4 and 6:18 declare it “impossible” for apostates to be renewed while assuring that “it is impossible for God to lie” (6:18). Hebrews 10:4 insists, “it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins,” and Hebrews 11:6 states, “without faith it is impossible to please God.” The epistle therefore employs ἀδύνατος both negatively (warning against vain hopes) and positively (confirming God’s unchanging character and redemptive plan). Acts: A Living Parable of Powerlessness Acts 14:8 portrays a man “crippled [ἀδύνατος] in his feet, who had never walked.” His healing through Paul’s proclamation of Christ serves as a tangible sign that the Gospel overcomes every form of helplessness—physical and spiritual alike—fulfilling the Isaianic vision of lame men leaping for joy. Theological Themes 1. Anthropology: Humanity is intrinsically incapable of self-salvation or perfect obedience. Pastoral and Devotional Significance • Assurance—Believers rest in a covenant grounded on what God cannot do (lie) and what He alone can do (save). Historical Reflection Early church fathers regularly cited these verses to refute claims of self-justification and to defend the doctrine of grace. Throughout revivals and missionary movements, Matthew 19:26 has been a rallying cry, reminding laborers that apparent impossibilities are fertile ground for God’s extraordinary work. Summary Strong’s Greek 102 consistently marks the boundary between finite human strength and the infinite sufficiency of God. Whether revealing the limits of the Law, the futility of ritual sacrifice, or the bondage of physical infirmity, Scripture employs the term to exalt the God who alone makes the impossible possible. Englishman's Concordance Matthew 19:26 Adj-NNSGRK: ἀνθρώποις τοῦτο ἀδύνατόν ἐστιν παρὰ NAS: this is impossible, but with God KJV: this is impossible; but with INT: men this impossible is with Mark 10:27 Adj-NNS Luke 18:27 Adj-NNP Acts 14:8 Adj-NMS Romans 8:3 Adj-NNS Romans 15:1 Adj-GMP Hebrews 6:4 Adj-NNS Hebrews 6:18 Adj-NNS Hebrews 10:4 Adj-NNS Hebrews 11:6 Adj-NNS Strong's Greek 102 |
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