Lexical Summary megaleios: magnificent, splendid, majestic Original Word: μεγαλεῖος Strong's Exhaustive Concordance great things, wonderful works. From megas; magnificent, i.e. (neuter, plural as noun) a conspicuous favor, or (subjectively) perfection -- great things, wonderful works. see GREEK megas NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom megas Definition magnificent, splendid NASB Translation mighty deeds (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 3167: μεγαλεῖοςμεγαλεῖος, μεγαλεῖα, μεγαλεῖον (μέγας), magnificent, excellent, splendid, wonderful (Xenophon, Josephus, Artemidorus Daldianus, others); absolutely, μεγαλεῖα (ποιεῖν τίνι) to do great things for one (show him conspicuous favors), Luke 1:49 R G; τά μεγαλεῖα τοῦ Θεοῦ (Vulg.magnalia dei (A. V. the mighty works of God)), i. e. the glorious perfections of God and his marvellous doings (גְּדֹלות, Psalm 70:19 Topical Lexicon Overview Strong’s Greek 3167 describes the “mighty deeds” or “great things” that testify to God’s matchless power and majesty. The single New Testament occurrence appears at the birth-of-the-Church event in Acts 2:11, where Spirit-filled disciples declare “the magnificent works of God” (μεγαλεῖα τοῦ Θεοῦ). Pentecost and the First Use Acts 2 records Jews and proselytes from every nation hearing the gospel in their own languages. Among the many dialects represented, the common theme was not personal experience but God’s own exploits: “Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the magnificent works of God in our own tongues!” (Acts 2:11). The Spirit’s inaugural sermon thus centers on divine achievement rather than human eloquence. The term signals that salvation history has reached its apex in the death, resurrection, and exaltation of Jesus Christ, now proclaimed to the nations. Old Testament Backdrop: Proclaiming His Mighty Acts Although the exact Greek term is unique to Acts, the idea pervades Scripture. Repeatedly Israel is charged to recount God’s wonders: Luke, a Septuagint-steeped historian, deliberately invokes this heritage. The outpoured Spirit empowers a renewed people to continue the age-old vocation of publishing God’s covenant faithfulness, now climaxed in Christ. Christological Focus The “mighty deeds” ultimately converge on the Person and work of Jesus: His incarnation (John 1:14), miracles (Acts 10:38), sin-bearing death (1 Peter 2:24), resurrection (Romans 1:4), and kingly exaltation (Philippians 2:9-11). Peter’s Pentecost sermon (Acts 2:22-36) immediately follows the crowd’s hearing of these deeds, tying the vocabulary to the gospel narrative itself. Trinitarian Dynamic • God the Father authors the plan of redemption (“the determined plan and foreknowledge of God,” Acts 2:23). Missionary Implications Pentecost models Spirit-empowered proclamation that is: 1. God-centered—focusing on what He has done. Modern missions mirror this pattern: herald the gospel’s mighty acts, trust the Spirit to bridge linguistic and cultural divides, and base all teaching on Scripture’s authority. Worship and Doxology The term invites corporate praise. Biblical worship is less about subjective feeling than objective reality—God’s historical interventions. Whether in ancient Israel, a Jerusalem upper room, or a twenty-first-century congregation, God’s people assemble to declare His μεγαλεῖα. Traditional hymns (“Great Is Thy Faithfulness”) and contemporary songs alike stand in continuity with Pentecost when they rehearse God’s acts of creation, providence, redemption, and consummation. Pastoral Application • Testimony: Personal accounts gain weight when tethered to God’s mighty deeds in Christ. Eschatological Anticipation Pentecost previews a universal confession yet to come. Revelation envisions every tribe and language praising the Lamb for His mighty salvation (Revelation 7:9-10). The singular use of the term hints that the final chorus will be a seamless continuation of the first Spirit-given doxology. Conclusion Though Strong’s Greek 3167 appears only once, it encapsulates the heartbeat of Scripture: God reveals Himself through mighty deeds, culminating in Jesus Christ, and the Spirit commissions the Church to proclaim these deeds to all nations until He comes. Forms and Transliterations μεγαλεια μεγαλεία μεγαλεῖα megaleia megaleîaLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts |
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