ἀγών G0073
A contest, struggle, or race; the arena of exertion whether spiritual combat or athletic competition (ἀγών)
Rooted in the world of Greek athletics, this noun carries the energy of intense striving into the spiritual realm. Paul uses it to describe the believer's ongoing struggle of faith — the 'good fight' of 1 Timothy 6:12 and 2 Timothy 4:7, the conflict endured at Philippi (Phil 1:30), and the unseen battle waged for the Colossians (Col 2:1). In Hebrews 12:1 the metaphor shifts to a footrace, with the 'cloud of witnesses' as spectators. Spanish distinguishes lucha/pelea ('fight/struggle') from carrera ('race'), revealing the two distinct images at work.
1. struggle, conflict — A struggle, fight, or conflict — the general sense of intense exertion or spiritual combat. Paul uses it of the ongoing contest of faith in Phil 1:30, the opposition faced in proclaiming the gospel at Thessalonica (1 Thess 2:2), and the climactic declarations in 1 Tim 6:12 and 2 Tim 4:7 about fighting the good fight. Spanish lucha and pelea, French and German Kampf all converge on the imagery of active combat and perseverance under pressure. 5×
AR["الجِهادَ","الجِهادِ","جِهادًا","جِهادَ","جِهادِ"]·ben["লড়াই","সংগ্রাম","সংগ্রামে"]·DE["Kampf"]·EN["fight","struggle"]·FR["Kampf"]·heb["מַאֲבָק"]·HI["लदअयि","लदऐ","सनघरश"]·ID["pergumulan","perjuangan","pertandingan"]·IT["lotta"]·jav["peprangan","perjuangan","perjuangan.","perjuwangan"]·KO["싸움-을","싸움을","투쟁으로."]·PT["combate","luta"]·RU["бой","борении","подвиг","подвигом"]·ES["conflicto","lucha","pelea"]·SW["mapambano","mengi","vita"]·TR["mucadele","mucadeleyi","mücadele","mücadeleyi"]·urd["جدوجہد","جدوجہد-کو","لڑائی"]
▼ 1 more sense below
Senses
2. race (athletic contest) — A race or athletic contest, specifically the footrace metaphor. In Hebrews 12:1, believers are urged to run the race (ἀγῶνα) set before them with endurance, surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses. Spanish carrera ('race') cleanly separates this sense from the combat imagery, while French and German retain Kampf, suggesting the athletic contest was less lexically distinguished in those traditions. The shift from combat to course foregrounds endurance and forward movement rather than opposition. 1×
AR["سِبَاق"]·ben["দৌড়"]·DE["Kampf"]·EN["race"]·FR["Kampf"]·heb["מֵרוֹץ"]·HI["दौड़-में"]·ID["perlombaan,"]·IT["lotta"]·jav["lomba"]·KO["경주-를"]·PT["carreira"]·RU["поприще"]·ES["carrera"]·SW["mashindano"]·TR["yarışı"]·urd["دوڑ-میں"]
BDB / Lexicon Reference
ἀγών [ᾰ], ῶνος, ὁ, Aeolic dialect ἄγωνος, ου, ὁ, Refs 7th c.BC+; Elean dative plural ἀγώνοιρRefs: (ἄγω):—gathering, assembly, ἵζανεν εὐρὺν ἀ.Refs 8th c.BC+: especially assembly met to see games, frequently in Refs 8th c.BC+; Ὑπερβορέων ἀ. Pi Refs 4th c.BC+ __2 place of contest, lists, course, βήτην ἐς μέσσον ἀ.Refs 8th c.BC+ out of the lists or course, i.e. beside the mark, Refs 8th c.BC+ __II…