μάχη (machē)
machē
quarrel
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 4 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The noun machē denotes a fight or combat, but in the New Testament it almost always refers to verbal strife rather than physical battle. It describes a heated quarrel or contentious dispute between people who are at variance. While its root sense involves armed conflict, the sources indicate that Scripture applies it primarily to the sphere of words and attitudes.
This distinction is clear in how translators handle it. In 2 Corinthians 7:5, Paul mentions "quarrels" among believers, and in James 4:1, he identifies the source of conflicts as passions warring within members. The word captures the energy of a dispute, whether it appears as a singular clash or, as in Titus 3:9, as a plural pattern of contentious behavior.
Its usage highlights that such strife is not merely a difference of opinion but an active engagement in contention. By applying a term rooted in battle to arguments, the text underscores the disruptive and aggressive nature of these verbal fights within the community of faith.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word machē brings to mind a battlefield, yet in the New Testament it is most often used for the sharp words we exchange with one another. It reminds us that verbal fights are not harmless disagreements but active engagements that can wound deeply. When we argue with heat and aggression, we bring the chaos of war into our relationships.
Paul and James both warn against this kind of strife, pointing to inner passions as the root cause. Instead of letting pride fuel our arguments, we can choose peace. This word invites us to examine our hearts before we speak, recognizing that our words have power to build up or tear down.
By avoiding foolish disputes and shunning quarrels, we create space for grace to work in our lives. Let us strive to resolve conflicts with gentleness, trusting that God can heal the divisions caused by our own hands and tongues.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 4 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- quarrels2×
- quarrels;1×
- conflicts,1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- μάχας·1×
- μάχας1×
- μάχαι,1×
- μάχαι1×
Key Verses
-
James 4:1
Where do wars and fightings among you come from? Don’t they come from your pleasures that war in your members?
This verse directly links external fightings to internal desires, showing that machē originates in uncontrolled passions rather than mere disagreement.
-
II Timothy 2:23
But refuse foolish and ignorant questionings, knowing that they generate strife.
Here the word describes how foolish questionings actively generate strife, warning believers to refuse such debates entirely.
-
Titus 3:9
but shun foolish questionings, genealogies, strife, and disputes about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain.
Paul lists machē alongside genealogies and disputes about the law, identifying it as unprofitable behavior that distracts from true faith.