noun · feminine

aretas

Greekἀρετή (aretē)

Strong’sG703

virtue, moral excellence, perfection

stem aret-5 times in the New Testamentin 3 of 27 books4 of 10 forms occur

Translated as

goodness3×excellence1×praises1×

What it means

ἀρετή, -ῆς, ἡ,

[in LXX, in sing.: Hb 3:3, Za 6:13 (הוֹד), in pl.: Is 42:8, 12 43:21 63:7 (תְּהִלָּה), Es 14:10, Wi 4:1 5:13 8:7, II-IV Mac22*;]

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: II Pe 1:3;

(b) of men: Phl 4:8, II Pe 1:5; pl. (Is 42:8, 12 43:21 63:7, Es 14:10), excellencies: I Pe 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; v. Hort, I Pe., 129. Deiss., BS, 95 f., thinks it means manifestations of divine power, as in current Gk. speech; cf. also MM, s.v.)†

G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament, 1922 — public domain. References open in the reader.

Strong’s G703 — the 1890 definition, and where the word comes from

Saidar-et'-ay

properly, manliness (valor), i.e. excellence (intrinsic or attributed)

Fromfrom the same as G730;

King Jamespraise, virtue.

James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, 1890 — public domain. The numbers in it link to the entries here.

Every form

Job in the sentence case	one singular	more than one plural
subject nominative	aretas1×ἀρετὴ	aretais
object accusative	aretan1×ἀρετήν	aretain1×ἀρετὰς
direct address vocative	aretar	aretair
of, belonging to genitive	aretau	aretaiu
to, for dative	areta2×ἀρετῇ	aretai

Tinted cells are forms the New Testament never uses, so there is no Greek to show against them — but they are still correct Biblang, built from the slots below like any other.

Why these forms, and no others — the slots that make them

aretstem+agender+snru—its job in the sentence case+—ione · more than one number

areta is this word in every one of its forms. The slots after it make all the rest.

same in every form varies — every value shown

Where it appears

5 occurrences, every one of them listed

aretas“excellence”subjectnominative singular1×

Philippians 4:8“excellence”Tem loipem, adelfoir, hoseim atō alētheim, hoseim semneim, hoseim dikaieim, hoseim hagneim, hoseim prosfileim, hoseim eufēmeim, ei tinas aretas kai ei tinos epainos, houteim logizevōr;Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable — if anything is excellent or praiseworthy — think on these things.

aretan“goodness”objectaccusative singular1×

2 Peter 1:5“goodness”kai autem houtem de spoudan pantan pareisferaratois epichorēgavar en ta pistia vu tan aretan, en de ta areta tan gnōsian,For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith virtue; and to virtue, knowledge;

areta“goodness”to, fordative singular2×

2 Peter 1:3“goodness”Hōs panteim ni tau theiau dunamiau autou teim pros zōan kai eusebeian dōrerētau dia tau epignōsiau tou kalaratou nin idia doxa kai areta,His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through the knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.

2 Peter 1:5“goodness”kai autem houtem de spoudan pantan pareisferaratois epichorēgavar en ta pistia vu tan aretan, en de ta areta tan gnōsian,For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith virtue; and to virtue, knowledge;

aretain“praises”objectaccusative plural1×

1 Peter 2:9“praises”Vis de genem eklektem, basileiem hierateumem, ethnem hagiem, laos eis peripoiēsian, hopōs tain aretain exangellaveia tou ek skoteu vin kalaratou eis tem thaumastem autou fōtem;But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, to proclaim the virtues of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.