Word Study for G2478 (ἰσχυρός)

ischyrós /is-khoo-ros'/ Ask about this word

Meaningforcible (literally or figuratively)

KJV usageboisterous, mighty(-ier), powerful, strong(-er, man), valiant.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of ischyrós — the range of meaning it carries, how Scripture actually uses it, and where it points. Written for readers who don’t know the original language.

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Greek word ischyrós, represented by G2478, is a term for what is forcible, whether literally or figuratively. It appears 27 times across 25 unique verses in the Bible. Based on its root, ἰσχύς, it conveys concepts of being mighty, powerful, strong, or valiant.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In biblical usage, G2478 describes different kinds of power. John the Baptist uses it to declare that the one coming after him is mightier than I Matthew 3:11. The word is central to Jesus's parable of the strong man, whose house cannot be plundered unless someone first binds the strong man Mark 3:27. It also depicts the power of celestial beings, such as a mighty angel coming down from heaven Revelation 10:1 or the voice of mighty thunderings Revelation 19:6. On a literal level, it describes a boisterous wind Matthew 14:30.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words clarify the nature of strength and power:

G772 asthenḗs (weak): As the direct opposite of G2478, this term highlights a key theological contrast. God chooses the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty 1 Corinthians 1:27.
G1210 déō (to bind): This word is directly linked to overcoming strength, as seen in the command to first bind the strong man (ischyrós) before spoiling his house Matthew 12:29.
G1411 dýnamis (power, strength): This term for force or miraculous power is used alongside G2478, such as when the faithful quenched the violence (dýnamis) of fire and waxed valiant (ischyrós) in fight Hebrews 11:34.
G1743 endynamóō (to empower): This verb signifies the act of making strong. In Hebrews, it is by this empowering that the weak were made strong and became valiant (ischyrós) in battle Hebrews 11:34.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of G2478 is significant, often illustrating the source and application of true power.

Christ's Authority: The word establishes Christ's supreme power. He is the one who is mightier than John Mark 1:7 and the one stronger who can overcome the strong man (Satan) and divide his spoils Luke 11:22.
Divine Paradox: Scripture reveals that God's power is often displayed in opposition to worldly strength. The weakness of God is described as stronger than men 1 Corinthians 1:25, and He chooses the weak things of the world to confound the mighty 1 Corinthians 1:27.
Strength in Believers: Believers are called strong because the word of God abides in them, enabling them to overcome the wicked one 1 John 2:14. This strength is a gift, as seen when the faithful were made valiant (ischyrós) out of weakness Hebrews 11:34.
Power in Judgment: The term is associated with divine judgment. The Lord God who judges Babylon is strong Revelation 18:8, and mighty (ischyrós) angels are agents of divine proclamations and actions (Revelation 5:2, Revelation 18:21).

Summary

In summary, ischyrós G2478 provides a rich vocabulary for power in the New Testament. It moves beyond simple physical force to describe the comparative strength of ministries, the authority of Christ over evil, the power of God and His angels, and the spiritual fortitude of believers. It uniquely captures the biblical paradox where divine strength is perfected in weakness, ultimately showing that all true might, whether for salvation or judgment, originates with God.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists the renderings but not their weight. These are counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the bar under each is how often the translators actually reached for it. Select one to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Greek New Testament, this word appears as an adjective across 29 occurrences, inflected in 16 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form. Select any form to read what each part of its name means, and to filter the occurrence list to it.

ἰσχυρὸν
ἰσχυροὶ
ἰσχυρότερός
ἰσχυρὸς
ἰσχυροῦ
ἰσχυρά
ἰσχυρὰν
ἰσχυρᾷ
ἰσχυρῶν
ἰσχυρῶν
ἰσχυρᾶς
ἰσχυραί
ἰσχυρότεροι
ἰσχυρὰ
ἰσχυρότερον
ἰσχυρά

Theographic Context

Context

The people, places, and span of history the verses containing this word touch on — drawn from the theographic tagging of Scripture. Select any name to isolate its verses in the occurrence list.

Biblical Distribution

Distribution

Appears in 25 verses across 8 of the 27 books. Most frequent in Revelation (7 verses); never once in the other 19.

Matthew

Mark

Luke

1 Corinthians

2 Corinthians

Hebrews

1 John

Revelation

Every Occurrence

Concordance

Every verse where the word is tagged in the King James text. Filter by book, by the English word the translators chose, by grammatical form, or search within the verses.

Sources. Definition and numbering: James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890). Morphology: STEPBible / Tyndale House (CC BY). Verse tagging: the King James text keyed to Strong’s numbers. Every count on this page is computed from the tagged corpus, not estimated.