verb
polemamō
Greekπολεμέω (polemeō)
Strong’sG4170
I make war, contend
stem polem-7 times in the New Testamentin 2 of 27 books6 forms occur
Translated as
What it means
πολεμέω, -ῶ
(< πόλεμος), [in LXX chiefly for לחם ni.;]
G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament, 1922 — public domain. References open in the reader.
Strong’s G4170 — the 1890 definition, and where the word comes from
Saidpol-em-eh'-o
to be (engaged) in warfare, i.e. to battle (literally or figuratively)
Fromfrom G4171;
King Jamesfight, (make) war.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| polematōπολεμεῖ | happening now · he/she/itpresent active indicative 3rd person singular | makes war | 1× |
| polemavōπολεμεῖτε | happening now · yepresent active indicative 2nd person plural | quarrel | 1× |
| polemamiπολεμήσω | will happen · Ifuture active indicative 1st person singular | fight | 1× |
| polemaliπολεμήσουσιν | will happen · theyfuture active indicative 3rd person plural | make war | 1× |
| polemataἐπολέμησεν | happened · he/she/itaorist active indicative 3rd person singular | fought back | 1× |
| polemaraπολεμῆσαι | happened · the “to …” formaorist active infinitive | fought | 2× |
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, 5 occurrences
| Who person | happening now present | was happening imperfect | will happen future | happened aorist | has happened perfect | had happened pluperfect |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | polemamō | polemame | polemami1×πολεμήσω | polemama | polemamē | polemamelē |
| you 2nd person singular | polemasō | polemase | polemasi | polemasa | polemasē | polemaselē |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | polematō1×πολεμεῖ | polemate | polemati | polemata1×ἐπολέμησεν | polematē | polematelē |
| we 1st person plural | polemanō | polemane | polemani | polemana | polemanē | polemanelē |
| ye 2nd person plural | polemavō1×πολεμεῖτε | polemave | polemavi | polemava | polemavē | polemavelē |
| they 3rd person plural | polemalō | polemale | polemali1×πολεμήσουσιν | polemala | polemalē | polemalelē |
May, might — subjunctive mood, no occurrences
| Who person | happening now present | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | polemameiō | polemameia | polemameiē |
| you 2nd person singular | polemaseiō | polemaseia | polemaseiē |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | polemateiō | polemateia | polemateiē |
| we 1st person plural | polemaneiō | polemaneia | polemaneiē |
| ye 2nd person plural | polemaveiō | polemaveia | polemaveiē |
| they 3rd person plural | polemaleiō | polemaleia | polemaleiē |
Commands — imperative mood, no occurrences
| Who person | happening now present | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|
| you 2nd person singular | polemasōr | polemasar | polemasēr |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | polematōr | polematar | polematēr |
| ye 2nd person plural | polemavōr | polemavar | polemavēr |
| they 3rd person plural | polemalōr | polemalar | polemalēr |
Wishes — optative mood, no occurrences
| Who person | happening now present | happened aorist |
|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | polemamoiō | polemamoia |
| you 2nd person singular | polemasoiō | polemasoia |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | polematoiō | polematoia |
| we 1st person plural | polemanoiō | polemanoia |
| ye 2nd person plural | polemavoiō | polemavoia |
| they 3rd person plural | polemaloiō | polemaloia |
The “to …” form — infinitive, 2 occurrences
| Who is acting voice | happening now present | will happen future | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| the subject acts active voice | polemarō | polemari | polemara2×πολεμῆσαι | polemarē |
Used as an adjective — participle, no occurrences
| Who is acting voice | happening now present | will happen future | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| the subject acts active voice | polemarōtos | polemaritos | polemaratos | polemarētos |
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
polem 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
Words built on the same stem
Where it appears
7 occurrences, every one of them listed
polematō“makes war”happening now · he/she/itpresent active indicative 3rd person singular1×
Revelation 19:11“makes war”Kai horama ton ouranon anoigirēton, kai idou hippos leukos, kai tos katherōtos epi auton pistos kalirōtos kai alēthinos, kai en dikaiosuna krinatō kai polematō.Then I saw heaven standing open, and there before me was a white horse. And its rider is called Faithful and True. With righteousness He judges and wages war.
polemavō“quarrel”happening now · yepresent active indicative 2nd person plural1×
James 4:2“quarrel”epithumavō, kai ouk echavō; foneuavō kai zēlavō, kai ouk dunevō epitunchanara; machevō kai polemavō. ouk echavō dia tem mē aiterō vin;You crave what you do not have; you kill and covet, but are unable to obtain it. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask.
polemami“fight”will happen · Ifuture active indicative 1st person singular1×
Revelation 2:16“fight”metanoasar oun; ei de mē, erchemō si tachu, kai polemami meta autoiu en ta romfaia teu stomeu mu.Therefore repent! Otherwise I will come to you shortly and wage war against them with the sword of My mouth.
polemali“make war”will happen · theyfuture active indicative 3rd person plural1×
Revelation 17:14“make war”houtois meta teu arnieu polemali, kai tem arniem nikati autoin, hoti kurios kurioiu atō kai basilevos basilevoiu, kai tois meta autou klētois kai eklektois kai pistois.They will make war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will triumph over them, because He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and He will be accompanied by His called and chosen and faithful ones.”
polemata“fought back”happened · he/she/itaorist active indicative 3rd person singular1×
Revelation 12:7“fought back”Kai gineta polemos en to ourano, tos Michaēl kai tois angelois autou teu polemara meta tou drakōnou. kai tos drakōnos polemata kai tois angelois autou,Then a war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back.
polemara“fought”happened · the “to …” formaorist active infinitive2×
Revelation 12:7“fought”Kai gineta polemos en to ourano, tos Michaēl kai tois angelois autou teu polemara meta tou drakōnou. kai tos drakōnos polemata kai tois angelois autou,Then a war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back.
Revelation 13:4“make war”kai proskunala to drakōno hoti dōata tan exousian te thēre, kai proskunala te thēre legarōtois; Tinos homoios te thēre, kai tinos dunetō polemara meta auteu?They worshiped the dragon who had given authority to the beast, and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast, and who can wage war against it?”