στρατ-εύω G4754
To serve as a soldier or wage war; used both literally of military service and metaphorically of spiritual and moral conflict.
Strateuomai captures the full arc of soldiering — from literal enlistment to metaphorical warfare. When soldiers approach John the Baptist (Luke 3:14), the participial form 'the ones soldiering' simply describes their profession. Paul likewise treats military service as a familiar analogy: who serves as a soldier at his own expense? (1 Cor 9:7). Yet the word's most theologically charged uses are metaphorical. In 2 Corinthians 10:3 Paul insists 'we do not wage war according to the flesh,' while James 4:1 traces conflict to passions that 'wage war' within. Spanish toggles revealingly between 'soldados' (literal soldiers) and 'militan' (wage campaign), mirroring the sense split.
1. to wage war, fight (metaphorical) — To wage war or carry on a campaign in a figurative or spiritual sense, describing the inner battle of desires or the struggle of Christian life. James 4:1 asks what causes wars among believers and answers: the pleasures that 'wage war' (strateuontai) in your members. Paul deploys the same metaphor in 2 Cor 10:3 and 1 Tim 1:18 ('wage the good warfare'), while 1 Pet 2:11 urges abstaining from fleshly desires that 'wage war against the soul.' Spanish 'militan' and German 'kaempfen' reinforce the combative tone. 4×
AR["المُحارِبَةِ","تُحارِبَ","تُحارِبُ","نُحارِبُ"]·ben["তুমি-যুদ্ধ-কর","যুদ্ধ-করি।","যুদ্ধ-করে","যুদ্ধরত"]·DE["kaempfen"]·EN["war","warring","we-wage-war","you-might-wage"]·FR["servir-comme-soldat","servir-dans-l'armée"]·heb["נִלְחָמִים","נִלְחָמוֹת","שֶׁתִּלָּחֵם"]·HI["युद्ध-करती-हैं","लड़ते-हैं","लदे","हम-लड़ते-हैं"]·ID["berperang","engkau-berperang","kami-berperang"]·IT["fare-il-soldato","strateuomenōn","strateuontai","strateuē"]·jav["kang-perang","kita-perang","panjenengan-perang","perang"]·KO["싸우기를","싸우느니라","싸우는","싸우지-않는다"]·PT["guerreiam","militamos","milites","que-guerreiam"]·RU["воевал-ты","воюем","воюют","воюющих"]·ES["militamos","militan","milites","que-combaten"]·SW["ili","tunapigana-vita.","zinapigana","zinazopigana"]·TR["savaşanların","savaşasın","savaşır","savaşırız"]·urd["تو-لڑے","جنگ-کرتی-ہیں","لڑتی-ہیں","لڑتے-ہیں"]
▼ 1 more sense below
Senses
2. to serve as a soldier — To serve as a soldier, to perform military duty in a literal or analogical sense. In Luke 3:14 soldiers (hoi strateuomenoi) ask John the Baptist for ethical counsel — here the word simply denotes professional military service. Paul extends it analogically in 1 Cor 9:7 (who soldiers at his own expense?) and 2 Tim 2:4 (no soldier entangles himself in civilian affairs). Spanish 'soldados' and 'sirve-como-soldado' capture the occupational meaning cleanly. 3×
AR["جُنُودٌ","يُجَنَّدُ","يُجَنِّدُ"]·ben["যুদ্ধ-করতে-গিয়ে","যুদ্ধ-করে","সৈনিকেরা"]·DE["kaempfen","στρατευόμενοι"]·EN["serves-as-soldier","serving-as-soldier","soldiers"]·FR["servir-comme-soldat","servir-dans-l'armée"]·heb["חַיָּלִים","מְשָׁרֵת-בַּצָּבָא","מִתְגַיֵּס"]·HI["सैनिक","सैनिक-सेवा-करता-है","सैनिक-होकर"]·ID["berperang","prajurit-prajurit","yang-berperang"]·IT["fare-il-soldato","strateuomenoi","strateuomenos"]·jav["dados-prajurit","ingkang-perang","prajurit,"]·KO["군사로-복무하는-자가","군인들-이","복무한다"]·PT["que-serve-como-soldado","serve-como-soldado","soldados"]·RU["воюет","воюющий","служащие-войске"]·ES["sirve-como-soldado","sirviendo-como-soldado","soldados"]·SW["anayepigana-vita","askari"]·TR["askerler","askerlik yapar","askerlik-yapan"]·urd["سپاہیوں-نے","لڑتا-ہے","لڑنے-والا"]
BDB / Lexicon Reference
στρατ-εύω, (στρατός) advance with an army or fleet, wage war, or rulers, offcers, or men, Κροῖσος ἐνένωτο -εύειν ἐπὶ τοὺς Πέρσας Refs 5th c.BC+; οἱ Ἀθηναῖοι -εύσαντες ἐς Πλάταιαν Refs 5th c.BC+; ἐστράτευσαν πρὸς ἌβυδονRefs 5th c.BC+; metaphorically, ἑνὸς δ᾽ ἐπ᾽ ἀνδρὸς δώματα στρατεύομεν (Iris et Lyssa loq.) Refs 5th c.BC+:—so in middle, στρατεύομαι Refs 5th c.BC+future -εύσομαιRefs 4th c.BC+:…