"altercation, strife, Rom. 13:13; contentious disposition, Rom. 1:29; Phil. 1:15"
Definition and meaning
altercation, strife, Rom. 13:13; contentious disposition, Rom. 1:29; Phil. 1:15
In the original Greek the word is written: ἔρις
Historical context
Paul wrote Romans from Corinth, one of the most important commercial cities in the empire. Rome had a Jewish population of around 50,000. The letter addresses real tensions between Jewish believers with centuries of Torah tradition and Gentile believers with no such background. Emperor Nero was on the throne. Within ten years he would execute both Paul and Peter.
The people who first heard this word were not reading a book — they were living through empires, oppression, exile, and covenant. Every word carried the weight of that reality. Understanding it changes how you read Scripture.
Scripture references
These are the most notable occurrences of eris (G2054) across the King James Bible.
Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,
Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.
For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you.
For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?
For I fear, lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I would, and that I shall be found unto you such as ye would not: lest there be debates, envyings, wraths, strifes, backbitings, whisperings, swellings, tumults:
Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some also of good will:
He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings,
But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain.
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Common questions
Strong's G2054 (eris) is a Greek word that means: altercation, strife, Rom. 13:13; contentious disposition, Rom. 1:29; Phil. 1:15 It appears 9 times in the King James Bible.
The word eris (G2054) appears 9 times in the original Greek text.
Strong's G2054 is eris, a Greek word defined as: altercation, strife, Rom. 13:13; contentious disposition, Rom. 1:29; Phil. 1:15. James Strong catalogued this in his 1890 concordance to help English readers study the original languages of the Bible.
eris is a Greek word found in the New Testament.