Strong G703ἀρετή
virtue
- Transliteration
- aretē
- Pronunciation
- ar-et'-ay
- Morphology
- Greek Noun (Feminine)
Definition
From the same as G730; properly manliness (valor) that is excellence (intrinsic or attributed): - praise virtue.
Detailed definition
ἀρετή, -ῆς, ἡ
[in LXX, in sing.: Hab.3:3, Zec.6:13 (הוֹד), in pl.: Isa.42:8, 12 43:21 63:7 (תְּהִלָּה), Wis.4:1 5:13 8:7 2:1-24; 4Mac.2.2 *;]
prop., whatever procures pre-eminent estimation for a person or thing, in Hom. any kind of conspicuous advantage. Later confined by philos. writers to intrinsic eminence-moral goodness, virtue;
__(a) of God: 2Pe.1:3;
__(b) of men: Php.4:8, 2Pe.1:5; pl. (Isa, Es, ll. with), excellencies: 1Pe.2:9 (the usage appears to be a survival of an early comprehensive sense in which the original idea is blended with the impression which it makes on others, i.e. praise, renown; see Hort, 1 Pe., 129. Deiss., BS, 95 f., thinks it means manifestations of divine power, as in current Gk. speech; cf. also MM, see word)†
(AS)
[in LXX, in sing.: Hab.3:3, Zec.6:13 (הוֹד), in pl.: Isa.42:8, 12 43:21 63:7 (תְּהִלָּה), Wis.4:1 5:13 8:7 2:1-24; 4Mac.2.2 *;]
prop., whatever procures pre-eminent estimation for a person or thing, in Hom. any kind of conspicuous advantage. Later confined by philos. writers to intrinsic eminence-moral goodness, virtue;
__(a) of God: 2Pe.1:3;
__(b) of men: Php.4:8, 2Pe.1:5; pl. (Isa, Es, ll. with), excellencies: 1Pe.2:9 (the usage appears to be a survival of an early comprehensive sense in which the original idea is blended with the impression which it makes on others, i.e. praise, renown; see Hort, 1 Pe., 129. Deiss., BS, 95 f., thinks it means manifestations of divine power, as in current Gk. speech; cf. also MM, see word)†
(AS)
In the Bible
Strong G703 appears in 4 verses of the KJV.
Translated in the KJV by
- virtue3
- praise1
First verses
- Philippians 4:8Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
- 1 Peter 2:9But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:
- 2 Peter 1:3According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:
- 2 Peter 1:5And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;
Occurrences by book
Related words
Word family
Detailed Greek dictionary
ἀρετή [ᾰ], ἡ,
goodness, excellence, of any kind, in [Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Homerus Epicus)] especially of manly qualities, ποδῶν ἀρετὴν ἀναφαίνων[Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Ilias Homerus Epicus “Illiad” 20.411; ἀμείνων παντοίας ἀρετὰς ἠμὲν πόδας ἠδὲ μάχεσθαι καὶ νόον 15.642)]; so of the gods, τῶν περ καὶ μείζων ἀ. τιμή τε βίη τε[Refs (9.498)]; also of women, [Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Odyssea Homerus Epicus “Odyssey” 2.206)]; ἀ. εἵνεκα for valour, [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Herodotus Historicus 8.92: _plural_, ἀ. ἀπεδείκνυντο)] displayed brave deeds, [Refs ([prev. author] 1.176, 9.40.)]
b later, of the gods, chiefly in plural, glorious deeds, wonders, miracles, [NT+1st c.BC+ (“SIG” 1172, 1st c.BC-1st c.AD: Strabo Geographus 17.1.17; ζῶσαι ἀ. “IG” 14.966, cf. NT.1Pet.2.9)]: also in singular, ὄψιν ἰδοῦσα ἀρετὴν τῆς θεοῦ[Refs 3rd c.BC+ (“IG” 2.1426 b, compare 3rd c.BC: Isyllus Lyricus 62, “BSA” 21.169,180.)]
2 generally, excellence, ἡ ἀ. τελείωσίς τις[Refs 4th c.BC+ (4th c.BC: Aristoteles Philosophus “Metaphysica” 1021b20, compare “EN” 1106a15, etc.)]; of persons, ἄνδρα πὺξ ἀρετὰν εὑρόντα[Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Pindarus Lyricus “O.” 7.89, compare “P.” 4.187, 5th c.BC: Bacchylides Lyricus 9.13, etc.; τὸ φρονεῖν ἀ. μεγίστη 1st c.AD(?): Heraclitus 112)]: in plural, forms of excellence, μυρίαι ἀνδρῶν ἀ.[Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Bacchylides Lyricus 13.8, compare 5th c.BC: Gorgias Rhetor et Sophista “fragment” 8, etc.; δικαστοῦ αὕτη ἀ. 5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Apologia” 18a)]; especially moral virtue, [Refs 5th c.BC+ (3rd c.AD: Democritus Epigrammaticus 179, 263, +others, 5th c.BC: Gorgias Rhetor et Sophista “fragment” 6)]; opposed to κακία, [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th-6th c.BC: Xenophon Historicus “Memorabilia” 2.1.21, compare 5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Respublica” 500d, “Lg.” 963a, 963cf, 4th c.BC: Demosthenes Orator 60.17, 4th c.BC: Aristoteles Philosophus “Ethica Nicomachea” 1102a6, “Pol.” 1295a37, etc.)]; good nature, kindness, etc., [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Euripides Tragicus “Fragmenta” 163.)]
2.b of animals, things, as land, [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Herodotus Historicus 4.198, 7.5, 5th c.BC: Thucydides Historicus 1.2)]; ἡ ἐν ἀρετῇ κειμένη γῆ productive land, [Refs 2nd c.BC+ (“PTeb.” 5.165 (2nd c.BC))]; ἵππου[Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Herodotus Historicus 3.88)]; κυνῶν, ἵππων, [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Respublica” 335b; σκεύους [prev. work] 601d)]; [ἀστακοῦ] [Refs 5th c.BC+ (4th c.BC: Archestratus Epicus “fragment” 24; ἀ. βίου 5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Respublica” 618c; πολιτείας “Lg.” 886b, etc.)]
3 prosperity, [Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Odyssea Homerus Epicus “Odyssey” 13.45.)]
II ἀ. εἴς τινα active merit, good service done him, ἐς τοὺς Ἕλληνας[Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Thucydides Historicus 3.58, compare 2.40; ἀ. περί τινα 5th-6th c.BC: Xenophon Historicus “Anabasis” 1.4.8; ἀνταποδοῦναι ἀ. 5th c.BC: Thucydides Historicus 4.19; ἀρετὰς παρασχέσθαι ὑπέρ τινος 4th c.BC: Demosthenes Orator 19.312)]; ἀρετῆς ἕνεκα, frequently in honorary Inscrr., [Refs (“IG” 22.107.14, etc.)]
III reward of excellence, distinction, fame, πλούτῳ δ᾽ ἀρετὴ καὶ κῦδος ὀπηδεῖ[Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th-7th c.BC: Hesiodus Epicus “Opera et Dies” 313, compare 7th-6th c.BC: Sappho Lyrica 80, 5th c.BC: Pindarus Lyricus “N.” 5.53, +others; ἀθάνατος ἀ. 5th c.BC: Sophocles Tragicus “Philoctetes” 1420, 5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Symposium” 208d; ἃ ἆθλα τοῦ πολέμου τοῖς ἀνδράσιν ἐστίν, ἐλευθερία καὶ ἀ. 4th c.BC: Lycurgus Orator 49)]; of God, δόξα καὶ ἀ.[NT (NT.2Pet.1.3)]: in plural, glories, [LXX+6th c.BC+ (6th c.BC: Theognis Elegiacus 30, 5th c.BC: Pindarus Lyricus “N.” 10.2, +others; πλοῦτος ἀρεταῖς δεδαιδαλμένος [prev. author] “O.” 2.53; γενναίων ἀ. πόνων 5th c.BC: Euripides Tragicus “Hercules Furens” 357 (Lyric poetry), compare 5th c.BC: Lysias Orator 2.26; προγόνων ἀ. 5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Respublica” 618b; in LXX)] frequently of the praises of God, [Refs 4th c.BC+ (4th c.BC: Isaeus Orator 42.8, +others)]
IV Ἀρετή personified, [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Prodicus Philosophus 1, 4th c.BC: Aristoteles Philosophus “Fragmenta” 675, 3rd c.BC(?): Callixinus Historicus 2, “CIG” “Corpus Inscriptionum Graecarum” “Corpus Inscriptionum Graecarum” 2786, “SIG” 985.10, etc.)]
V ἡ ἀ. σου as a title, Your worship, [Refs (PLips. 13 ii 20, etc.)]
VI an engine of war, [Refs 2nd c.BC+ (2nd c.BC: Athenaeus Mechanicus 38.11.)]
VII a plaster, [Refs 1st c.AD+ (1st c.AD: Andromachus Poeta Medicus cited in 2nd c.AD: Galenus Medicus 13.531.)]
goodness, excellence, of any kind, in [Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Homerus Epicus)] especially of manly qualities, ποδῶν ἀρετὴν ἀναφαίνων[Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Ilias Homerus Epicus “Illiad” 20.411; ἀμείνων παντοίας ἀρετὰς ἠμὲν πόδας ἠδὲ μάχεσθαι καὶ νόον 15.642)]; so of the gods, τῶν περ καὶ μείζων ἀ. τιμή τε βίη τε[Refs (9.498)]; also of women, [Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Odyssea Homerus Epicus “Odyssey” 2.206)]; ἀ. εἵνεκα for valour, [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Herodotus Historicus 8.92: _plural_, ἀ. ἀπεδείκνυντο)] displayed brave deeds, [Refs ([prev. author] 1.176, 9.40.)]
b later, of the gods, chiefly in plural, glorious deeds, wonders, miracles, [NT+1st c.BC+ (“SIG” 1172, 1st c.BC-1st c.AD: Strabo Geographus 17.1.17; ζῶσαι ἀ. “IG” 14.966, cf. NT.1Pet.2.9)]: also in singular, ὄψιν ἰδοῦσα ἀρετὴν τῆς θεοῦ[Refs 3rd c.BC+ (“IG” 2.1426 b, compare 3rd c.BC: Isyllus Lyricus 62, “BSA” 21.169,180.)]
2 generally, excellence, ἡ ἀ. τελείωσίς τις[Refs 4th c.BC+ (4th c.BC: Aristoteles Philosophus “Metaphysica” 1021b20, compare “EN” 1106a15, etc.)]; of persons, ἄνδρα πὺξ ἀρετὰν εὑρόντα[Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Pindarus Lyricus “O.” 7.89, compare “P.” 4.187, 5th c.BC: Bacchylides Lyricus 9.13, etc.; τὸ φρονεῖν ἀ. μεγίστη 1st c.AD(?): Heraclitus 112)]: in plural, forms of excellence, μυρίαι ἀνδρῶν ἀ.[Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Bacchylides Lyricus 13.8, compare 5th c.BC: Gorgias Rhetor et Sophista “fragment” 8, etc.; δικαστοῦ αὕτη ἀ. 5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Apologia” 18a)]; especially moral virtue, [Refs 5th c.BC+ (3rd c.AD: Democritus Epigrammaticus 179, 263, +others, 5th c.BC: Gorgias Rhetor et Sophista “fragment” 6)]; opposed to κακία, [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th-6th c.BC: Xenophon Historicus “Memorabilia” 2.1.21, compare 5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Respublica” 500d, “Lg.” 963a, 963cf, 4th c.BC: Demosthenes Orator 60.17, 4th c.BC: Aristoteles Philosophus “Ethica Nicomachea” 1102a6, “Pol.” 1295a37, etc.)]; good nature, kindness, etc., [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Euripides Tragicus “Fragmenta” 163.)]
2.b of animals, things, as land, [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Herodotus Historicus 4.198, 7.5, 5th c.BC: Thucydides Historicus 1.2)]; ἡ ἐν ἀρετῇ κειμένη γῆ productive land, [Refs 2nd c.BC+ (“PTeb.” 5.165 (2nd c.BC))]; ἵππου[Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Herodotus Historicus 3.88)]; κυνῶν, ἵππων, [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Respublica” 335b; σκεύους [prev. work] 601d)]; [ἀστακοῦ] [Refs 5th c.BC+ (4th c.BC: Archestratus Epicus “fragment” 24; ἀ. βίου 5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Respublica” 618c; πολιτείας “Lg.” 886b, etc.)]
3 prosperity, [Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Odyssea Homerus Epicus “Odyssey” 13.45.)]
II ἀ. εἴς τινα active merit, good service done him, ἐς τοὺς Ἕλληνας[Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Thucydides Historicus 3.58, compare 2.40; ἀ. περί τινα 5th-6th c.BC: Xenophon Historicus “Anabasis” 1.4.8; ἀνταποδοῦναι ἀ. 5th c.BC: Thucydides Historicus 4.19; ἀρετὰς παρασχέσθαι ὑπέρ τινος 4th c.BC: Demosthenes Orator 19.312)]; ἀρετῆς ἕνεκα, frequently in honorary Inscrr., [Refs (“IG” 22.107.14, etc.)]
III reward of excellence, distinction, fame, πλούτῳ δ᾽ ἀρετὴ καὶ κῦδος ὀπηδεῖ[Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th-7th c.BC: Hesiodus Epicus “Opera et Dies” 313, compare 7th-6th c.BC: Sappho Lyrica 80, 5th c.BC: Pindarus Lyricus “N.” 5.53, +others; ἀθάνατος ἀ. 5th c.BC: Sophocles Tragicus “Philoctetes” 1420, 5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Symposium” 208d; ἃ ἆθλα τοῦ πολέμου τοῖς ἀνδράσιν ἐστίν, ἐλευθερία καὶ ἀ. 4th c.BC: Lycurgus Orator 49)]; of God, δόξα καὶ ἀ.[NT (NT.2Pet.1.3)]: in plural, glories, [LXX+6th c.BC+ (6th c.BC: Theognis Elegiacus 30, 5th c.BC: Pindarus Lyricus “N.” 10.2, +others; πλοῦτος ἀρεταῖς δεδαιδαλμένος [prev. author] “O.” 2.53; γενναίων ἀ. πόνων 5th c.BC: Euripides Tragicus “Hercules Furens” 357 (Lyric poetry), compare 5th c.BC: Lysias Orator 2.26; προγόνων ἀ. 5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Respublica” 618b; in LXX)] frequently of the praises of God, [Refs 4th c.BC+ (4th c.BC: Isaeus Orator 42.8, +others)]
IV Ἀρετή personified, [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Prodicus Philosophus 1, 4th c.BC: Aristoteles Philosophus “Fragmenta” 675, 3rd c.BC(?): Callixinus Historicus 2, “CIG” “Corpus Inscriptionum Graecarum” “Corpus Inscriptionum Graecarum” 2786, “SIG” 985.10, etc.)]
V ἡ ἀ. σου as a title, Your worship, [Refs (PLips. 13 ii 20, etc.)]
VI an engine of war, [Refs 2nd c.BC+ (2nd c.BC: Athenaeus Mechanicus 38.11.)]
VII a plaster, [Refs 1st c.AD+ (1st c.AD: Andromachus Poeta Medicus cited in 2nd c.AD: Galenus Medicus 13.531.)]