G1849 — ἐξουσία (exousía)¶

Core Data¶

Strong's: G1849
Original: ἐξουσία
Transliteration: exousía
Pronunciation: ex-oo-see'-ah
Part of Speech: Feminine noun
Root: G1832 ἔξεστι (exesti) — "it is lawful/permitted/possible" (in the sense of ability)
Occurrences: 93 unique verses (103 tokens) across 16 NT books
First Occurrence: Mat 7:29 — "For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes."
Hapax Legomenon: No

Lexicon Definition¶

From G1832 (in the sense of ability); privilege, i.e. (subjectively) force, capacity, competency, freedom, or (objectively) mastery; also delegated influence, potentate, token of control.

Semantic Domains¶

Louw-Nida: - Primary Domain: 37 — Control, Rule (subdomains: 37.1 Control/Restrain; 37.3 Exercise Authority) - Secondary Domain: 12 — Supernatural Beings and Powers (subdomain: 12.2 Supernatural Powers) - Also in Domain: 76 — Power, Force - Key domain neighbors: ἀρχή G746, ἄρχων G758, δύναμις G1411, θρόνος G2362

UBS Semantic Domains: - [037] Control, Rule - [076] Power, Force - [012] Supernatural Beings and Powers - [030] Think

Translation Distribution (KJV)¶

Translation	Verses	%
power	55	59.1%
authority	23	24.7%
powers	7	7.5%
right	2	2.2%
liberty	1	1.1%
jurisdiction	1	1.1%
strength	1	1.1%
Other (and authority, thou authority, power over, the powers)	3	3.2%

KJV splits almost 3:1 between "power" and "authority." Modern translations (ESV, NASB) more often render it "authority" since English "power" now primarily connotes force (δύναμις) rather than vested right.

Distribution by Book¶

Book	Count	Per 100 Verses
Revelation	19	4.7
Colossians	4	4.2
Ephesians	4	2.6
Titus	1	2.2
1 Corinthians	9	2.1
2 Thessalonians	1	2.1
Mark	9	1.3
Luke	15	1.3
1 Peter	1	1.0
Romans	4	0.9
Matthew	9	0.8
2 Corinthians	2	0.8
Acts	7	0.7
John	6	0.7
Hebrews	1	0.3
Jude	1	—

Highest density in Revelation (eschatological authority) and Pauline cosmic-hierarchy letters (Colossians, Ephesians). Gospels + Acts account for 46/93 (49%), with Luke having the most occurrences of any single book (15).

Semantic Categories¶

1. Divine / Delegated Authority¶

Exousia explicitly granted from a higher source — God, the Father, or ordained structures.

Mat 28:18 — "All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth."
John 17:2 — "As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life"
John 19:11 — "Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above"
Rom 13:1 — "there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God"

2. Personal Capacity / Right / Liberty¶

Exousia as one's own sphere of legitimate freedom — what one is entitled or permitted to do.

Acts 5:4 — "Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power?"
1 Cor 7:37 — "having no necessity, but hath power over his own will"
1 Cor 8:9 — "take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock"
John 10:18 — "I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again"

3. Governmental / Judicial / Institutional Authority¶

Exousia exercised through official roles — legal, civic, priestly, or military command.

Mat 8:9 — "I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me"
Luke 23:7 — "he belonged unto Herod's jurisdiction"
Acts 9:14 — "here he hath authority from the chief priests to bind all that call on thy name"
Mat 21:23 — "By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this authority?"

4. Cosmic / Angelic Authorities¶

Exousia applied to supernatural hierarchical powers — heavenly and demonic ranks.

Eph 1:21 — "Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion"
Eph 6:12 — "against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world"
Col 1:16 — "whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers"
1 Pet 3:22 — "angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him"

5. Apocalyptic / Beast's Authority (Revelation)¶

Exousia granted to the beast and eschatological powers; also promised to overcomers.

Rev 13:2 — "the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority"
Rev 13:7 — "power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations"
Rev 2:26 — "to him will I give power over the nations"
Rev 12:10 — "Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ"

Common Collocations¶

Word	Strong's	Co-occurrences	Typical Pattern
ἔχω (echō)	G2192	32x (34%)	"has/having authority" — exousia as possessed attribute
δίδωμι (didōmi)	G1325	28x (30%)	"give/given authority" — the act of delegating exousia
πᾶς (pas)	G3956	19x (20%)	"all power/authority" — universality of scope
θεός (theós)	G2316	13x (14%)	authority originating in or subject to God
ἀρχή (archē)	G746	10x (11%)	"principalities and powers" — paired in cosmic-hierarchy lists
δύναμις (dýnamis)	G1411	9x (10%)	"power and authority" — often paired (Luke 9:1; Rev 12:10)
θηρίον (thērion)	G2342	6x (6%)	beast receiving or exercising authority (Revelation)

Word Family / Cognates¶

G1832 ἔξεστι (exesti) — root verb: "it is lawful / permitted / possible"
G1850 ἐξουσιάζω (exousiazō) — denominal verb: to exercise authority over (1 Cor 6:12; 7:4)
G2715 κατεξουσιάζω (katexousiazō) — intensified: to lord it over, dominate (Mat 20:25; Mark 10:42)

Synonyms¶

G1411 δύναμις (dynamis) — power, might; nearest overlap when ἐξουσία is rendered "power," though δύναμις stresses force more than delegated right

Antonyms¶

No direct antonyms identified from search_relationships.py. For ἐξουσία, the opposite is usually contextual (lack of authority, subjection, restraint) rather than a single lexical counterpart.

Easily Confused Words¶

Word	Strong's	Shared KJV Translation	Key Difference
δύναμις (dýnamis)	G1411	"power", "powers"	dýnamis = inherent force, miraculous ability, might; exousía = vested right, delegated authority
κράτος (krátos)	G2904	"power"	krátos = sovereign strength, almighty dominion (used almost exclusively of God); exousía = privilege/right to act
ἰσχύς (ischýs)	G2479	"power"	ischýs = raw physical or muscular strength; exousía = legal/relational authority

Domain Neighbors (Louw-Nida 12.2 — Supernatural Powers)¶

Word	Strong's	Total vv	Primary KJV Translation
ἀρχή (archē)	G746	40	beginning, principality
ἄρχων (archōn)	G758	24	prince, ruler
δύναμις (dýnamis)	G1411	72	power
θρόνος (thrónos)	G2362	47	throne
ᾅδης (hadēs)	G86	10	hell
κόσμος (kósmos)	G2889	151	world

Hebrew Source¶

Hebrew/Aramaic Source	Strong's	Co-occ	PMI Score	Notes
שׇׁלְטָן (sholṭân)	H7985	5	9.71	Aramaic: empire, dominion (Daniel)
מֶמְשָׁלָה (memshâlâh)	H4475	4	8.86	rule, realm (Hebrew)
מַלְכוּ (malkûw)	H4437	5	7.46	Aramaic: kingdom, dominion (Daniel)

No dominant Hebrew equivalent (all co-occurrences < 20); cross-testament trace not generated.