verb
agōnizemō
Greekἀγωνίζομαι (agōnizomai)
Strong’sG75
I strive, contend
stem agōniz-7 times in the New Testamentin 6 of 27 books5 forms occur
Translated as
What it means
ἀγωνίζομαι
(< ἀγών), [in LXX: Da TH 6:14 (שׂוּם בָּל), Si 4:28, I, II, IV Mac5*;]
G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament, 1922 — public domain. References open in the reader.
Strong’s G75 — the 1890 definition, and where the word comes from
Saidag-o-nid'-zom-ahee
to struggle, literally (to compete for a prize), figuratively (to contend with an adversary), or genitive case (to endeavor to accomplish something)
Fromfrom G73;
King Jamesfight, labor fervently, strive.
James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, 1890 — public domain. The numbers in it link to the entries here.
Forms in the New Testament
| Form and the Greek behind it | What it is | Usually | Times |
|---|---|---|---|
| agōnizeleἠγωνίζοντο | was happening · theyimperfect middle indicative 3rd person plural | fighting | 1× |
| agōnizemēἠγώνισμαι | has happened · Iperfect middle indicative 1st person singular | fought | 1× |
| agōnizesōrἀγωνίζου | happening now · youpresent middle imperative 2nd person singular | fight | 1× |
| agōnizevōrἈγωνίζεσθε | happening now · yepresent middle imperative 2nd person plural | strive | 1× |
| agōnizerōtosἀγωνιζόμενος | happening now · subjectpresent middle participle nominative singular masculine | competes | 3× |
Every form the New Testament uses, in paradigm order. What the system can build beyond them — the whole of this verb, whether the text happens to use it or not — is in the tables below.
Every form the system can build — all 86, by mood, including the ones the New Testament never uses
Statements — indicative mood, 2 occurrences
| Who person | happening now present | was happening imperfect | will happen future | happened aorist | has happened perfect | had happened pluperfect |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | agōnizemō | agōnizeme | agōnizemi | agōnizema | agōnizemē1×ἠγώνισμαι | agōnizemelē |
| you 2nd person singular | agōnizesō | agōnizese | agōnizesi | agōnizesa | agōnizesē | agōnizeselē |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | agōnizetō | agōnizete | agōnizeti | agōnizeta | agōnizetē | agōnizetelē |
| we 1st person plural | agōnizenō | agōnizene | agōnizeni | agōnizena | agōnizenē | agōnizenelē |
| ye 2nd person plural | agōnizevō | agōnizeve | agōnizevi | agōnizeva | agōnizevē | agōnizevelē |
| they 3rd person plural | agōnizelō | agōnizele1×ἠγωνίζοντο | agōnizeli | agōnizela | agōnizelē | agōnizelelē |
May, might — subjunctive mood, no occurrences
| Who person | happening now present | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | agōnizemeiō | agōnizemeia | agōnizemeiē |
| you 2nd person singular | agōnizeseiō | agōnizeseia | agōnizeseiē |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | agōnizeteiō | agōnizeteia | agōnizeteiē |
| we 1st person plural | agōnizeneiō | agōnizeneia | agōnizeneiē |
| ye 2nd person plural | agōnizeveiō | agōnizeveia | agōnizeveiē |
| they 3rd person plural | agōnizeleiō | agōnizeleia | agōnizeleiē |
Commands — imperative mood, 2 occurrences
| Who person | happening now present | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|
| you 2nd person singular | agōnizesōr1×ἀγωνίζου | agōnizesar | agōnizesēr |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | agōnizetōr | agōnizetar | agōnizetēr |
| ye 2nd person plural | agōnizevōr1×Ἀγωνίζεσθε | agōnizevar | agōnizevēr |
| they 3rd person plural | agōnizelōr | agōnizelar | agōnizelēr |
Wishes — optative mood, no occurrences
| Who person | happening now present | happened aorist |
|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | agōnizemoiō | agōnizemoia |
| you 2nd person singular | agōnizesoiō | agōnizesoia |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | agōnizetoiō | agōnizetoia |
| we 1st person plural | agōnizenoiō | agōnizenoia |
| ye 2nd person plural | agōnizevoiō | agōnizevoia |
| they 3rd person plural | agōnizeloiō | agōnizeloia |
The “to …” form — infinitive, no occurrences
| Who is acting voice | happening now present | will happen future | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| acts on or for itself middle voice | agōnizerō | agōnizeri | agōnizera | agōnizerē |
Used as an adjective — participle, 3 occurrences
| Who is acting voice | happening now present | will happen future | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| acts on or for itself middle voice | agōnizerōtos3×ἀγωνιζόμενος | agōnizeritos | agōnizeratos | agōnizerētos |
Each is given in the form it takes as a subject. From there a participle carries the ordinary noun endings, in every case, number and gender — so these four columns are the whole of what the verb contributes.
How every form is built — the slots that make them
agōniz is this word in every one of its forms. The slots after it make all the rest.
same in every form varies — every value shown
Where it appears
7 occurrences, every one of them listed
agōnizele“fighting”was happening · theyimperfect middle indicative 3rd person plural1×
John 18:36“fighting”apokrinita Iēsus; Tas basileias tas ēmas ouk atō ek tou kosmou houtou; ei ek tou kosmou houtou ate tas basileias tas ēmas, tois hupēretois tois ēmois agōnizele an, hina mē paradōimeia toi Ioudaioi; nun de tas basileias tas ēmas ouk atō enteuthen.Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world; if it were, My servants would fight to prevent My arrest by the Jews. But now My kingdom is not of this realm.”
agōnizemē“fought”has happened · Iperfect middle indicative 1st person singular1×
2 Timothy 4:7“fought”ton kalon agōnon agōnizemē, ton dromon telamē, tan pistian tēramē;I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
agōnizesōr“fight”happening now · youpresent middle imperative 2nd person singular1×
1 Timothy 6:12“fight”agōnizesōr ton kalon agōnon tau pistiau, epilambesar tau aiōniau zōau, eis han kalisa kai homologasa tan kalan homologian enōpion polloiu marturoiu.Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made the good confession before many witnesses.
agōnizevōr“strive”happening now · yepresent middle imperative 2nd person plural1×
Luke 13:24“strive”Agōnizevōr eiserchara dia tau stenau thurau, hoti pollois, legamō vi, zētali eiserchara kai ouk ischuali,“Make every effort to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able.
agōnizerōtos“competes”happening now · subjectpresent middle participle nominative singular masculine3×
1 Corinthians 9:25“competes”pantos de tos agōnizerōtos panteim enkrateuetō, ekeinois men oun hina ftharton stefanon lambaleia, nis de aftharton.Everyone who competes in the games trains with strict discipline. They do it for a crown that is perishable, but we do it for a crown that is imperishable.
Colossians 1:29“striving”eis hem kai kopiamō agōnizerōtos kata tan energeian autou tan energerōtan en mi en dunamia.To this end I also labor, striving with all His energy working powerfully within me.
Colossians 4:12“wrestling”aspazetō vin Epafros tos ek vu, doulos Christou, pantote agōnizerōtos huper vu en tai proseuchai, hina histaniveia teleiois kai plēroforirētois en pante thelēme tou theou.Epaphras, who is one of you and a servant of Christ Jesus, sends you greetings. He is always wrestling in prayer for you, so that you may stand mature and fully assured in the full will of God.