3-17-21 THOUGHTS

I offer you this morning a study just as it unfolded to me.  I was working on the word VIRTUE.  It is, in Greek,  ar-et’-ay ( strong’s #703) meaning a virtuous course of thought, feeling and action, virtue, moral goodness,  any particular moral excellence, as modesty and purity.  As I searched in the KJV then moved to the NASB, I saw an oddity in the KJV.  In the first three verses below, the KJV took the Greek word  doo’-nam-is (Strong’s #1411) and translated it VIRTUE.   We get our word dynamite from doo’-nam-is. Doo’-nam-is means power.   It is a bad translation.  And while this is not as focused as I’d like, those were indeed my THOUGHTS for the morning.    
Mark 5:30  Immediately Jesus, perceiving in Himself that the power proceeding [virtue KJV] from Him had gone forth, turned around in the crowd and said, "Who touched My garments?"
Luke  6:19  And all the people were trying to touch Him, for power [virtue KJV] was coming from Him and healing them all.
Luke 8:46   But Jesus said, "Someone did touch Me, for I was aware that power [virtue KJV]  had gone out of Me."              Forgive the side-bar.

Back to our VIRTUE thoughts.
Php 4:8  Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence <703> and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.
Barclay says of “Virtue”...   “The odd fact is that, although arete (Greek #703) was one of the great classical words, Paul usually seems deliberately to avoid it and this is the only time it occurs in his writings. In classical thought it described every kind of excellence. It could describe the excellence of the ground in a field, the excellence of a tool for its purpose, the physical excellence of an animal, the excellence of the courage of a soldier, and the virtue of a man.”
2Pet 1:3-8   seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence <703>. 4  For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust. 5 Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence <703>, and in your moral excellence <703>,  knowledge, 6  and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, 7  and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love. 8  For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Related is 1Pet 2:9   But you are A CHOSEN RACE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR [God’s] OWN POSSESSION, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;

My Prayer:
O Lord God of heaven, thank you for making us a people for your own possession.  It could not be except you make it so.  We are humbled by your calling us holy.  May we ever be a people of moral excellence.  Help us to please you in mind and behavior.  In the name of Jesus      Amen