Greek word · G4754

στρατεύω

strateuō

to battle

To serve as a soldier, to be on campaign, to wage war. Figuratively, to wage a moral or spiritual campaign.

Appears 7 times in 7 verses of the Greek New Testament. · Updated October 24, 2026

What it means

στρατεύω and depon., -ομαι, so always in NT

(στρατός, an encamped army), [in LXX for מההּ hith., יָצָא, צָבָא; metaphorically, 4Ma.9:23 ;]

used of the general, to make war, do battle, and (chiefly) of the soldiers serving under him, to serve as a soldier: Luke 3:14, 1 Corinthians 9:7, 2 Timothy 2:4. Metaphorical (cf. MM, ii, xxiii), of spiritual conflict, to war, make war: 2 Corinthians 10:3, 1 Timothy 1:18, James 4:1, 1 Peter 2:11.†

(AS)

From G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament (1922), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

In depth

From the study of James 4:1

Range of meaning: To serve as a soldier, to be on campaign, to wage war. Figuratively, to wage a moral or spiritual campaign.
Against the English: "That war" (KJV, WEB) and "at war" (BSB, ESV) keep the idea. YLT's "that are as soldiers" best keeps the picture of desires as troops in the field. NIV's "battle within you" keeps the image but drops the body.
Used elsewhere in the period: Literal military service: Luke 3:14; 1 Cor 9:7; 2 Tim 2:4. Figurative: 1 Peter 2:11, "fleshly desires, which wage war (strateuontai) against the soul". Compare Paul's "another law in my members waging war against (antistrateuomenon) the law of my mind" (Rom 7:23). The image of desires campaigning inside a person was common in early Christian moral teaching.

From the study of 1 Timothy 1:18

Range of meaning: στρατεύω (strateuō), usually in the middle voice: to serve as a soldier, to be on campaign. στρατεία (strateia): a military expedition or campaign, a tour of military service. Both cover the whole of a soldier's duty (marching, guarding, obeying, enduring hardship), not only combat.
Against the English: KJV has 'war a good warfare'. WEB and ESV have 'wage the good warfare'. BSB and NASB have 'fight the good fight'. NIV has 'fight the battle well'. 'Fight' and 'battle' narrow a long campaign down to a single engagement. 'Fight the good fight' also borrows wording from 1 Tim 6:12 and 2 Tim 4:7, which use a different, athletic image (agōn, a contest in the games).
How it drifted: Because of the famous line in 6:12 and 2 Tim 4:7, English versions often turn 1:18 into the same phrase, and the two pictures (soldier and athlete) merge. The English idiom 'fighting the good fight' now usually means battling bravely for a worthy cause against the odds. It has lost the ideas of serving under orders and staying at one's post.
Used elsewhere in the period: 2 Cor 10:3–4 ('though we walk in the flesh we do not wage war [strateuometha] according to the flesh; the weapons of our warfare [strateia]...'); 2 Tim 2:3–4 ('no one serving as a soldier entangles himself in civilian affairs; he aims to please the one who enlisted him'); 1 Cor 9:7. Moral philosophers of the time used the same picture: Seneca wrote 'to live is to be a soldier' (Letters 96.5), and Epictetus compared a person's life to military service under a commander (Discourses 3.24).

From the study of 1 Peter 2:11

Range of meaning: 'To serve as a soldier, go on campaign, wage war.' In the middle voice it is the ordinary verb for military service (Luke 3:14, soldiers asking John what to do; 2 Tim 2:4). Figuratively it means to fight or carry on a struggle.
Against the English: 'War against' (KJV, BSB) and 'wage war against' (NIV, ESV) are accurate. The present tense suggests an ongoing campaign rather than a single battle. English 'war' can sound abstract, while the Greek pictures troops on the march.
Used elsewhere in the period: James 4:1: 'your pleasures that are at war (strateuomenōn) in your members'. Romans 7:23: 'another law waging war against (antistrateuomenon) the law of my mind'. The picture of passions fighting against the soul or reason is common in Greek moral writing (Plato, Phaedo 83b–d) and in Hellenistic Jewish writers such as Philo and 4 Maccabees.

Similar words

Where it appears

Luke · 1

Luke 3:14 στρατευόμενοι those being soldiers

Then some soldiers asked him, “And what should we do?” “Do not take money by force or false accusation,” he said. “Be content with your wages.”

Here: Present participle, "men on active service". It describes their current job, not their nationality. Luke does not say which army they belonged to.

1 Corinthians · 1

1 Corinthians 9:7 στρατεύεται serves as a soldier

Who serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat of its fruit? Who tends a flock and does not drink of its milk?

Here: In this form (Greek 'middle voice') it means to do military service or be on campaign. It is the ordinary word for a soldier's duty. The present tense states a general truth: this is how soldiering always works.

2 Corinthians · 1

2 Corinthians 10:3 στρατευόμεθα, do we wage war,

For though we live in the flesh, we do not wage war according to the flesh.

Here: 'We are on campaign', 'we do our soldiering'. Paul switches from his accusers' word 'walk' to a military word. This sets up the siege picture of vv. 4–6: weapons, demolishing strongholds, taking prisoners.

1 Timothy · 1

1 Timothy 1:18 στρατεύῃ you may war

Timothy, my child, I entrust you with this command in keeping with the previous prophecies about you, so that by them you may fight the good fight,

Here: Present tense and middle voice: 'keep on serving as a soldier.' It means doing military service, the whole duty of a soldier on campaign, not just one clash.

2 Timothy · 1

2 Timothy 2:4 στρατευόμενος serving as a soldier

A soldier refrains from entangling himself in civilian affairs, in order to please the one who enlisted him.

Here: The present participle means "while serving as a soldier" or "while on active duty". It describes a man in military service, not only one fighting in a battle at that moment.

James · 1

James 4:1 στρατευομένων warring

What causes conflicts and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from the passions at war within you?

Here: A military word for soldiers on active campaign. The present tense pictures desires as troops always on the march inside a person. The war outside in the community starts as a campaign inside.

1 Peter · 1

1 Peter 2:11 στρατεύονται war

Beloved, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from the desires of the flesh, which war against your soul.

Here: A military word: 'they are on campaign, they march as an army'. The desires are pictured as enemy troops on an ongoing offensive. They are not mild urges.

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.