ἀρετή

ἀρετή, -ῆς, ἡ

[in LXX, in sing.: Hab 3,3, Zak 6,13 (הוֹד), in pl.: Es 42,8, 12; 43,21; 63,7 (תְּהִלָּה), Wis 4,1; 5,13; 8,7; 2,1-24; 4Ma 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: 2 Pet 1,3

(b) of men: Fil 4,8, 2 Pet 1,5; pl. (Isa, Es, ll. with), excellencies: 1 Pet 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)†