μάχομαι (machomai)
machomai
to quarrel
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 4 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The verb machomai describes a heated struggle, whether physical or verbal. In the New Testament, it appears only four times, often highlighting conflicts that arise from misunderstanding or selfish ambition. It captures the energy of a dispute where parties are locked in contention, striving to assert their position against an opponent.
Its usage ranges from literal combat to sharp disagreement. For instance, in John 6:52, it depicts the Jews quarreling over Jesus’ words about eating his flesh, showing how theological claims can spark intense wrangling. Similarly, James 4:2 and 2 Timothy 2:24 use it to describe internal strife or disputes among believers, urging that God’s servants should avoid such contentious behavior.
The word carries a sense of active engagement rather than passive disagreement. It implies a back-and-forth exchange, often with an edge of hostility. Translators typically render it as "quarrel" or "dispute," emphasizing the relational friction it causes. This term reminds readers that even spiritual matters can become arenas for conflict if not handled with care.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word machomai describes a heated struggle that can be physical or verbal. It captures the energy of a dispute where parties are locked in contention. In John 6:52, it depicts people quarreling over Jesus’ words about eating his flesh. This shows how theological claims can spark intense wrangling when handled without care.
Similarly, James 4:2 uses this term to describe internal strife among believers. It urges that God’s servants should avoid such contentious behavior. The Lord’s servant must not quarrel but be gentle toward all. This reminder helps us see that even spiritual matters can become arenas for conflict if we let selfish ambition drive the conversation.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 4 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- were quarreling1×
- to quarrel1×
- You quarrel1×
- Were arguing1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- Ἐμάχοντο1×
- μάχεσθε1×
- μάχεσθαι1×
- μαχομένοις1×
Key Verses
-
John 6:52
The Jews therefore contended with one another, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?”
This verse shows how theological claims about Jesus' identity can spark intense wrangling when misunderstood.
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James 4:2
You lust, and don’t have. You murder and covet, and can’t obtain. You fight and make war. You don’t have, because you don’t ask.
Here the word links internal strife directly to unmet desires and a failure to ask God in prayer.
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II Timothy 2:24
The Lord’s servant must not quarrel, but be gentle toward all, able to teach, patient,
Paul uses this term to define what a servant of the Lord must avoid, contrasting quarreling with gentleness.