ἀρετή

G0703 G:N-F

virtue

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)