ἀδυνατέω (adunateō)
adunateō
be impossible
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 2 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The verb adunateō describes a state of being impossible or lacking the power to act. Derived from the root meaning "without strength," it appears in only two New Testament passages, yet carries significant weight. In both instances, it underscores the absolute inability of human capacity to achieve what God accomplishes.
Jesus uses this term in Matthew 17:20 when discussing faith, stating that with enough trust, even moving mountains would not be impossible. Similarly, the angel Gabriel employs it in Luke 1:37 to assure Mary that nothing is beyond God’s power. The word highlights a boundary where human effort ends and divine intervention begins.
Its rarity in Scripture makes its usage deliberate. It serves as a theological marker, distinguishing between natural limitations and supernatural possibility. Translators consistently render it as "impossible," capturing the definitive nature of the constraint it describes.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word ἀδυνατέω points to a hard limit in human ability, marking where our strength runs out and God’s power begins. It reminds us that some things are simply beyond our reach, not because we lack effort, but because the task requires divine intervention. This realization can be freeing, shifting our focus from self-reliance to trust in what God can do.
In Matthew 17:20, Jesus uses this term to show that even small faith can overcome seemingly impossible barriers. Similarly, Luke 1:37 assures us that nothing spoken by God is beyond His power. These verses invite us to rest in the truth that our limitations do not define what is possible for God.
When you face situations that feel too heavy or too difficult, remember that this word highlights a boundary where human effort ends and divine intervention begins. It is an invitation to lean on God’s strength rather than your own, finding peace in the knowledge that He can accomplish what seems impossible to us.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 2 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- will be impossible2×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- ἀδυνατήσει2×
Key Verses
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Matthew 17:20
He said to them, “Because of your unbelief. For most certainly I tell you, if you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you will tell this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.
Jesus uses this term to illustrate that even minimal faith can achieve what appears unattainable through human strength alone.
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Luke 1:37
For nothing spoken by God is impossible.”
The angel Gabriel employs this word to reassure Mary that God’s promises are not constrained by natural limitations.