War
πόλεμοςStrong’s G4171polemos
Appears in 16 verses of the New Testament
In short
Polemos is the Greek word usually translated “war”, “battle” and “wars”. It appears in 16 verses of the New Testament.
“And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.”
Meaning
Usually translated “war”, “battle” and “wars”. Open the dictionary entry below for the full range of meaning, with the verses it cites.
How it's translated
- war 8
- battle 4
- wars 3
- of wars 2
- disputes 1
Word-by-word English from the STEPBible tagged text.
Where it's used most
- Revelation 9
- Luke 2
- Matthew 1
- Mark 1
- 1 Corinthians 1
- Hebrews 1
7 books in all.
Explore in Scripture
- Mark 13:7And when ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars, be ye not troubled: for such things must needs be; but the end shall not be yet.
- Luke 14:31Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand?
- Luke 21:9But when ye shall hear of wars and commotions, be not terrified: for these things must first come to pass; but the end is not by and by.
- 1 Corinthians 14:8For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle?
- Hebrews 11:34Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.
- James 4:1From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members?
Greek dictionary
πόλεμος polemos · war
πόλεμος, -ον, ό [in LXX chiefly for מִלְחָמָה ;] 1. war: Mat.24:6, Mrk.13:7, Luk.14:31 21:9, Heb.11:34; π. ποιεῖν, before μετά, with genitive (cf. πολεμέω), Rev.11:7 12:17 13:7 19:19. 2. = μάχη, a fight, battle: 1Co.14:8, Rev.9:7, 9 12:7 16:14 20:8; hyperb., of private quarrels (cf. πολεμέω), Jas.4:1.† (AS)
From STEPBible’s Greek lexicon (based on Abbott-Smith).
Webster's 1828 Dictionary
How the English word “war” was understood when the King James Version was still the common Bible of English readers.
WAR, noun
[G., to perplex, embroil, disturb. The primary sense of the root is to strive, struggle, urge, drive, or to turn, to twist.]
- A contest between nations or states, carried on by force, either for defense, or for revenging insults and redressing wrongs, for the extension of commerce or acquisition of territory, or for obtaining and establishing the superiority and dominion of one over the other.
- In poetical language, instruments of war
- Poetically, forces; army.
- The profession of arms; art of war; as a fierce man of war Isaiah 2:4
All definitions and other forms of “war”
- Hostility; state of opposition or contest; act of opposition.
- Enmity; disposition to contention.“The words of his mouth were smoother than butter, but war was in his heart” Psalms 55:21
WAR, verb intransitive
- To make war; to invade or attack a nation or state with force of arms; to carry on hostilities; or to be in a state of contest by violence.“He teacheth my hands to war” 2 Samuel 22:35“And they warred against eh Midianites” Numbers 31:7
- To contend; to strive violently; to be in a state of opposition.“Lusts which war against the soul” 1 Peter 2:11
WAR, verb transitive
- To make war upon; as, to war the Scot. [Not used.]
- To carry on a contest.“That thou mightest war a good warfare” 1 Timothy 1:18
Noah Webster, An American Dictionary of the English Language (1828). Verse references are checked against the KJV. Read the full entry.
Verses are from the King James Version. Word meanings come from the original Greek, not from any one translation.