What does ἐπαγωνίζομαι (epagōnízomai) mean in the Bible?
ἐπαγωνίζομαι (epagōnízomai): Intensified struggle or contention, emphasizing earnest defense of something against opposition or threat.
Greek · G1864
ἐπαγωνίζομαι
ἐπαγωνίζομαι (epagōnízomai): Intensified struggle or contention, emphasizing earnest defense of something against opposition or threat.
Reading a lexicon entry
What this page is: Each lexicon entry shows the original Hebrew or Greek word behind the English translation: its meaning, its range of use, and where it appears in Scripture.
Strong's number: The Strong's code (H- or G-) is the standard reference number for this word. It connects this entry to chapter and passage language tabs.
Where it appears: The witness passages show where this word is used in context. Click any to open the study page for that passage.
This lexicon entry is part of our ongoing editorial review. If you notice missing content, unclear wording, or a possible correction, please send us a note through theConnect page. Screenshots are helpful.
ἐπαγωνίζομαιG1864
Pronunciationepagōnízomai
What does ἐπαγωνίζομαι (epagōnízomai) mean in the Bible?
Full entry for ἐπαγωνίζομαι (G1864) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render G1864?
The BSB source-word alignment has 1 aligned row for this entry. Common renderings include to contend earnestly (1).
Where does ἐπαγωνίζομαι (epagōnízomai) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Jude 1:3. Its strongest book concentrations include Jude (1).
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders Itto contend earnestly1×Jude 1:3
Show sample aligned rows
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned rowJude 1:3
Aligned rows1
Books represented1
Jude1
Source forms
ἐπαγωνίζεσθαι1xepagōnizesthaiJude 1:3
Parsing patterns
Verb - Present Infinitive Middle or Passive1xJude 1:3
Evidence Summary
Greek word. Intensified struggle or contention, emphasizing earnest defense of something against opposition or threat.
Strong'sG1864
Lexical occurrences1 verseGreek text appearances1 timeWord forms1 form1 referenceVerse guides0 guides
Source Gloss
to struggle for
Extended definitionSource: STEPBible TBESG + Abbott-Smith
Intensified struggle or contention, emphasizing earnest defense of something against opposition or threat.
1to contend with (Plut.).
2to contend for (C.I., 2335, 19): with dative of thing(s), Ju 3.
Greek Text Appearances
Textus Receptus witness, full corpusGreek token appearances from Scrivener 1894 Textus Receptus in the full New Testament corpus.
1 Greek text appearance shown. Linked morphology labels have verse guides.
Jude 1:3Verb Present Middle or Passive Deponent Infinitive
ἐπαγωνίζεσθαιepagwnizesqai
I contend earnestly for
Read verseFull New Testament corpus: 260 chapters, 7,957 verses, 140,628 tokens. Data source: honza/textus-receptus (data only), with authority check against byztxt/greektext-textus-receptus.
Grammatical Forms
How mood, tense, and voice shift the force of this verb in context.
This verb appears through different tense, voice, mood, or stem patterns. Those forms help readers see how the action is presented in context.
Form groups1Aligned forms1TensesPresentVoicesMiddle
Verse guides are not available for this word yet, so verse references remain plain evidence markers.
Tenses
Voices
Infinitiveverbal noun — the action in abstract1×
Present MiddleJude 1:31×
Discourse Aspect
How this verb appears across 1 occurrences in the NT discourse index (MACULA Greek SBLGNT).
Aspect
Tense
present1
Voice
middle1
Mood
infinitive1
NT Occurrences
Aspect reflects grammatical form — not authorial emphasis. Participles and infinitives are verbal adjectives and nouns respectively.
Clause data: MACULA Greek (Clear Bible, CC BY 4.0) · SBLGNT (Logos/SBL, CC BY 4.0)
Word Origins
ἐπαγωνίζομαι is built from these roots: