Fight - Vine's Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words
Fight
[ A-1,Noun,G73, agon ]akin to ago, to lead," primarily "a gathering," then, "a place of assembly," and hence, "a contest, conflict," is translated "fight" in 1 Timothy 6:12; 2 Timothy 4:7. See CONFLICT.
[ A-2,Noun,G119, athlesis ]
is translated "fight" in Hebrews 10:32, AV. See CONFLICT.
Note: In Hebrews 11:34, polemos, "war," is translated "fight," AV (RV, "war"); it is misrendered "battle" in the AV of 1 Corinthians 14:8; Revelation 9:7, Revelation 9:9; Revelation 16:14; Revelation 20:8.
[ B-1,Verb,G75, agonizomai ]
from A, No. 1, denotes
(a) "to contend" in the public games, 1 Corinthians 9:25 ("striveth in the games," RV);
(b) "to fight, engage in conflict," John 18:36;
(c) metaphorically, "to contend" perseveringly against opposition and temptation, 1 Timothy 6:12; 2 Timothy 4:7 (cp. A, No. 1; in regard to the meaning there, the evidence of Koine inscriptions is against the idea of games-contests); to strive as in a contest for a prize, straining every nerve to attain to the object, Luke 13:24; to put forth every effort, involving toil, Colossians 1:29; 1 Timothy 4:10 (some mss. have oneidizomai here, "to suffer reproach"); to wrestle earnestly in prayer, Colossians 4:12 (cp. sunagonizomai, Romans 15:30). See LABOR, STRIVE.
[ B-2,Verb,G4438, pukteuo ]
"to box" (from puktes, "a pugilist"), one of the events in the Olympic games, is translated "fight" in 1 Corinthians 9:26.
[ B-3,Verb,G3164, machomai ]
"to fight," is so rendered in James 4:2 (cp. "fightings," James 4:1, See below), and translated "strive" in 2 Timothy 2:24; "strove" in John 6:52; Acts 7:26, See STRIVE.
[ B-4,Verb,G2341, theriomacheo ]
signifies "to fight with wild beasts" (therion, "a beast," and No. 3), 1 Corinthians 15:32. Some think that the Apostle was condemned to fight with wild beasts; if so, he would scarcely have omitted it from 2 Corinthians 11:23-33. Moreover, he would have lost his status as a Roman citizen. Probably he uses the word figuratively of contending with ferocious men. Ignatius so uses it in his Ep. to the Romans.
Notes:
(1) In Revelation 2:16; Revelation 12:7, AV, polemeo, "to war," is translated "to fight," RV, "will make war," "going forth to war," and "warred."
(2) In Acts 23:9 some mss. have the verb theomacheo, "to fight against God." Cp. the corresponding adjective, below, under FIGHTING.