ἐριθεία

From the study of Philippians 2:3

Range of meaning

Self-seeking, selfish ambition, partisan factionalism: pursuing your own advancement or your party's at others' expense. The word comes from erithos, a hired worker or day-laborer, and seems first to have meant working for pay. It then came to mean working the system for your own gain, especially electioneering and party intrigue.

Against the English

KJV "strife" and WEB/YLT "rivalry" stress the conflict. BSB/NIV "selfish ambition" and NASB "selfishness" stress the motive. The word covers both, but its center is self-interest that produces faction, not quarrelling as such.

How it drifted

Early interpreters linked eritheia with the similar-sounding eris ("strife, quarrel"). That link is behind the KJV's "strife", and Paul does put the two words next to each other (Gal 5:20; 2 Cor 12:20). Modern lexicons (BDAG; Büchsel in TDNT) trace the word to erithos instead and prefer "selfish ambition."

Used elsewhere in the period

Before the New Testament it survives almost only in Aristotle (Politics 5.3, 1302b4; 1303a14). There it names self-seeking canvassing for public office by unfair means, a cause of civil faction. In the New Testament it appears in Rom 2:8; 2 Cor 12:20; Gal 5:20; Phil 1:17; 2:3; Jas 3:14, 16, always among vices that break up a community.

From the study of James 3:14

Range of meaning

Rare before the New Testament. It comes from ἔριθος, 'a hired day-labourer', so originally it meant working for wages. In Aristotle it describes self-seeking in politics: canvassing and intriguing for office, forming factions for personal gain. BDAG gives 'selfishness, selfish ambition', and notes the possible sense 'strife, contentiousness', which comes from a popular association with ἔρις ('strife').

Against the English

KJV 'strife' follows the old association with ἔρις. Modern 'selfish ambition' (BSB, WEB, NIV, ESV, NASB) is closer to the Aristotelian sense. YLT 'rivalry' highlights the competitive side. Modern 'ambition' can sound like healthy drive or career goals; the Greek points to factional self-promotion that divides a community.

How it drifted

Older translators linked the word by sound to ἔρις, 'strife'. Later lexical work (following the Aristotle evidence) shifted renderings to 'selfish ambition'. Both overlap here, since self-seeking factions produce strife.

Used elsewhere in the period

Aristotle, Politics 5.1302b4 and 1303a14, of corrupt electioneering. In the NT: Rom 2:8; 2 Cor 12:20; Gal 5:20; Phil 1:17 (preaching Christ 'out of ἐριθεία'); Phil 2:3 ('do nothing from ἐριθεία'); James 3:14, 16. It is almost always paired with jealousy or strife.

From the study of 2 Corinthians 12:20

Range of meaning

Self-seeking, selfish ambition, partisan intrigue: pushing one's own interest or faction. Its root sense comes from ἔριθος, a hired day-labourer or 'one who works for pay'. From there it came to mean acting from self-interest, and in politics, canvassing and scheming for office.

Against the English

KJV has 'strifes', ESV 'hostility', NASB 'disputes', WEB 'factions', BSB 'rivalry', NIV and NLT 'selfish ambition'/'selfishness', and YLT the odd 'revelries'. Versions that render it 'strife' fold it into ἔρις, the word it sounds like, and lose its own idea of self-promotion.

How it drifted

Because ἐριθεία sounds like ἔρις ('strife'), ancient and early modern readers often took it as a synonym meaning 'contention'. The KJV tradition followed this. Modern lexicons (BDAG) separate the two words and favour 'selfish ambition' or 'self-seeking'.

Used elsewhere in the period

Before the New Testament the word is rare. Aristotle (Politics 5.3, 1303a) uses it of seeking office by intrigue and canvassing. In the New Testament it appears in Rom 2:8, Gal 5:20 (in a list very like this one), Phil 1:17 and 2:3 ('do nothing from ἐριθεία or empty glory'), and James 3:14, 16, where it is paired with ζῆλος and leads to ἀκαταστασία, as here.