στρᾰτεία G4752
Warfare, military campaign; metaphorically, spiritual warfare and disciplined conflict
Στρατεία refers to a military expedition, campaign, or warfare more broadly. Paul uses this military metaphor to describe Christian life and ministry as spiritual warfare. In 2 Corinthians 10:4, he declares that 'the weapons of our warfare are not fleshly but divinely powerful'—Christian conflict uses spiritual weapons, not worldly ones. In 1 Timothy 1:18, Paul charges Timothy to 'wage the good warfare' according to prophetic words spoken over him. The imagery emphasizes discipline, strategy, conflict, and the reality of spiritual opposition, while insisting on distinctly spiritual weapons (truth, prayer, righteousness) rather than worldly power.
Senses
1. sense 1 — 2 Corinthians 10:4 uses στρατείας in the genitive ('of our warfare') to describe the Christian's campaign, contrasting divine weapons with fleshly ones. 1 Timothy 1:18 uses the accusative (στρατείαν, 'wage the warfare') commanding Timothy's active engagement in spiritual battle. Classical Greek used the term for military expeditions, foreign service, and campaigns, with rich history from Herodotus onward describing specific military operations. 2×
AR["الحَرْبَ", "حَربِنا"]·ben["যুদ্ধ,", "যুদ্ধের"]·DE["Kriegsdienst"]·EN["of-warfare", "warfare"]·FR["guerre", "στρατείαν"]·heb["מִלְחַמְתֵּנוּ", "מִלְחָמָה"]·HI["युद्ध-के", "लदऐ"]·ID["peperangan"]·IT["soldato", "strateian"]·jav["peperangan", "perang,"]·KO["싸움을,", "전투의"]·PT["militância", "milícia"]·RU["войну", "войны"]·ES["milicia"]·SW["vita", "vita-vizuri"]·TR["savaşı", "savaşımızın"]·urd["جنگ", "لڑائی۔"]
Related Senses
H4421 1. war, battle, armed conflict (319×)H0341 1. enemy, adversary, foe (284×)H3898a 1. Nifal: to fight, wage war (167×)H2026 1. kill, slay (active) (146×)H2451 1. wisdom, discernment (146×)H5483b 1. horse (the animal) (138×)H0006 1. to perish, be destroyed (105×)H7843 1. Hifil: destroy, annihilate (83×)H2491a 1. slain, fatally pierced (74×)H6862c 1. adversary, enemy, foe (69×)H8045 1. destroy, exterminate (69×)G0615 1. kill, put to death (60×)H6571b 1. horseman, cavalryman (52×)H8077a 1. desolation, waste (abstract state) (52×)G4678 1. of wisdom (51×)G4717 1. crucify, fasten to a cross (46×)H2763a 1. utterly destroy (Hifil active) (44×)G0622 1. perish, be destroyed (intransitive) (41×)H0006 2. to destroy, annihilate (Piel) (38×)H8074 1. be desolate, lie waste (36×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
στρᾰτεία, Ionic dialect -ηΐη, ἡ, (στρατεύω) expedition, campaign, στρατηΐην ποιεῖσθαι ἐς.., ἐπὶ.., Refs 5th c.BC+; ἀπὸ στρατείας coming from war, after service done, Refs 4th c.BC+; κατὰ τὴν Σιτάλκου σ. about the time of his expedition, Refs 5th c.BC+; ἐπὶ στρατείας εἶναι to be on foreign service, Refs 5th c.BC+; so ἐν στρατείᾳ ὄντας Refs 5th c.BC+; ἐν τῇ σ. Refs 3rd c.BC+; παραγγέλλειν τινὶ σ.…