θειότης
theiótēs
G2305 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
The quality or state of being divine; divinity in the abstract sense, referring to the essential characteristics, nature, or qualities that pertain to a deity. In context, the term expresses the mode of being that belongs to the divine, rather than designating a specific deity or person. The sense often emphasizes the manifest attributes or qualities evidencing divinity, such as power, majesty, or nature associated with a god.
Semantic Range
divinity, the state of being divine, divine qualities or attributes, manifestation or evidence of divinity, abstract divine nature
Root / Etymology
Derived from θεῖος (divine), itself from the root θε- (of or pertaining to a god/theos), with the abstract noun suffix -της indicating a state or quality. The formation refers to 'divineness' or 'that which is divine.'
Historical & Contextual Notes
θειότης appears rarely in Greek literature and is a later formation, with earliest clear attestation in Hellenistic writers and especially in philosophical and religious discourse. In the Septuagint and extra-biblical Greek, it denotes the quality or property that makes something divine, as opposed to a being who is divine. In Romans 1:20, Paul uses θειότης to refer to the visible manifestations or attributes of divine nature as perceptible through creation, not to the personhood or specific identity of deity. English renderings such as 'godhead' are traditional but can be ambiguous—in Koine sources, θειότης is not a circumlocution for 'God' or a proper name but a philosophical or descriptive term denoting divinity as a category or state. It contrasts with related terms such as θεότης (G2320), which can refer more directly to 'deity' as the state or being of a god. In philosophical contexts, θειότης might be used to discuss divine attributes or an abstract principle of divinity, aligning with Platonic and Stoic concepts of the divine essence or power. In New Testament usage, it refers specifically to perceived divine qualities rather than the divine person or essence itself.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from θεῖος; divinity (abstractly):--godhead.
Root Family
θειότης (theiotēs) — divinity, divine quality, divine nature
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G2305-01 |
θειότης | theiotes | N NOM F SG |
divine nature | divinity | divinity | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G2305-01 |
Romans 1:20 | θειότης | theiotes | N NOM F SG |
divine nature | divinity | divinity |