"war, Mt. 24:6; Mk. 13:7; battle, engagement, combat, 1 Cor. 14:8; Heb. 11:34; battling, strife, Jas. 4:1"
Definition and meaning
war, Mt. 24:6; Mk. 13:7; battle, engagement, combat, 1 Cor. 14:8; Heb. 11:34; battling, strife, Jas. 4:1
In the original Greek the word is written: πόλεμος
Historical context
Rome had controlled Judea since 63 BC. Herod the Great rebuilt the Temple into one of the most magnificent structures in the ancient world — and simultaneously murdered members of his own family. The common people paid multiple layers of taxation and were politically powerless. Into that world a carpenter from Galilee began teaching that the kingdom of God had arrived.
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 polemos (G4171) across the King James Bible.
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.
And 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.
Or 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?
But 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.
For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle?
Quenched 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.
From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members?
And the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses prepared unto battle; and on their heads were as it were crowns like gold, and their faces were as the faces of men.
And they had breastplates, as it were breastplates of iron; and the sound of their wings was as the sound of chariots of many horses running to battle.
And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them.
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Common questions
Strong's G4171 (polemos) is a Greek word that means: war, Mt. 24:6; Mk. 13:7; battle, engagement, combat, 1 Cor. 14:8; Heb. 11:34; battling, strife, Jas. 4:1 It appears 16 times in the King James Bible.
The word polemos (G4171) appears 16 times in the original Greek text.
Strong's G4171 is polemos, a Greek word defined as: war, Mt. 24:6; Mk. 13:7; battle, engagement, combat, 1 Cor. 14:8; Heb. 11:34; battling, strife, Jas. 4:1. James Strong catalogued this in his 1890 concordance to help English readers study the original languages of the Bible.
polemos is a Greek word found in the New Testament.