Divine (2304) (theios) describes an attribute of God such as His power and not His character in its essence and totality.
Theios is used five times in the Septuagint (LXX) (Ex. 31:3; 35:31; Job 27:3; 33:4; Pr 2:17) three times in the NT (Acts 17:29; 2Pe 1:3, 4) and is translated divine, 2; divine nature, 1. The KJV translates theios once as "Godhead".
Theios pertains to having the nature of God or as related to God by nature. In the next verse theios is used to refer to believers, not to be God or "gods" but to be a "partaker of the divine nature." Some teach a "modern theology" that believers are now "little gods" which is a lie. We are complete in Christ but we are not little gods. He Alone is God. The "Source" however does assure the efficacy and reliability of the gift to follow. The idea is that this is power which belongs to deity, here specifically to Jesus Christ Who is God. Christ’s power is the source of the believer’s sufficiency and perseverance. Just as His power saves us in the first place, so His power energizes us to live holy lives from then on. As Lenski has said "The deity of Jesus is the foundation of this entire epistle. Cancel it and a jumbled ruin is left."
In Acts Paul used theios in his famous sermon on the Areopagus refuting the thought that God was an idol (cf the altar inscription under an object of worship "TO AN UNKNOWN GOD" Acts 17:23) declaring that God
"made from one, every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times, and the boundaries of their habitation, that they should seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; for in Him we live and move and exist, as even some of your own poets have said, 'For we also are His offspring.' "Being then the offspring of God (as even the pagan poets acknowledged), we ought not to think that the Divine Nature (theios - "the Godhead") is like gold or silver or stone (the logic is that God must be more than a man-made idol), an image formed by the art and thought of man. "Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all everywhere should repent." (Acts 17:26-30 notes)
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Greek Word Studies ( - )
Read freely Greek Word Studies from the Austin Precept text commentary of the Bible in text and pdf format. Precept Austin is an online free dynamic bible commentary similar to wikipedia with updated content and many links to excellent biblical resources around the world. You can browse the entire collection of Commentaries by Verse on the Precept Austin website.We have been "bought with a price" to be "ambassadors for Christ" and our "salvation is nearer to us than when we believed" so let us "cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God" "so that when He appears, we may have confidence and not shrink away from Him in shame at His coming." (1Cor 6:20, 2Cor 5:20, Ro 13:11, 2Cor 7:1, 1Jn 2:28)