English · KJV
G4758

στρατολογέω

stratologéō /strat-ol-og-eh'-o/ Ask about this word
Rootfrom a compound of the base of στρατιά and λέγω (in its original sense)
Meaningto gather (or select) as a warrior, i.e. enlist in the army
KJV usagechoose to be a soldier.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of stratologéō — the range of meaning it carries, how Scripture actually uses it, and where it points. Written for readers who don’t know the original language.

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Greek word stratologéō, represented by G4758, means to gather (or select) as a warrior, i.e. enlist in the army. It is a highly specific term, appearing only 1 time in 1 unique verse in the entire Bible. Its singular use provides a focused and powerful metaphor for enlistment and service.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

The sole appearance of G4758 is in 2 Timothy 2:4, which states that no one who serves as a soldier gets entangled with civilian affairs, so that he may please the one who hath chosen him to be a soldier. This verse establishes a clear principle: the act of being enlisted demands a singular focus. The soldier's commitment is defined by avoiding the distractions of everyday life in order to remain effective and pleasing to his commanding officer.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words found in its single context clarify the meaning of G4758:

  • G4754 strateúomai (to serve in a military campaign): This word describes the active duty of the one who has been enlisted, highlighting the ongoing nature of the "warfare" mentioned in 2 Timothy 2:4.
  • G1707 emplékō (to entwine, i.e. (figuratively) involve with): This defines the specific action a soldier must avoid. One who is enlisted must not become entangled with other commitments 2 Timothy 2:4.
  • G700 aréskō (to be agreeable (or by implication, to seek to be so)): This word reveals the motivation and ultimate goal of the soldier's dedicated service: to please the one who enlisted him 2 Timothy 2:4.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of G4758 is concentrated in its single use as a metaphor for Christian discipleship.

  • The Call to Service: The act of being "chosen...to be a soldier" establishes that the believer's role is not self-appointed but is the result of a divine enlistment.
  • Undivided Devotion: The core teaching is that this enlistment requires freedom from worldly distractions. A soldier cannot be effective if he "entangleth himself with the affairs of this life" 2 Timothy 2:4.
  • The Purpose of Pleasing: The soldier's singular focus is not for his own glory but to "please him who hath chosen him" 2 Timothy 2:4, framing the Christian life as one of responsive service to God.

Summary

In summary, G4758 stratologéō is a rare but impactful word. Its one appearance in Scripture powerfully illustrates the concept of spiritual enlistment. It establishes the believer's identity as a soldier, chosen for a specific purpose and called to a life of focused devotion. The central theme conveyed is that effective service requires freedom from the entanglements of the world, with the ultimate aim of pleasing the one who enlisted them.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists the renderings but not their weight. These are counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the bar under each is how often the translators actually reached for it. Select one to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Greek New Testament, this word appears as a verb across 1 occurrence, inflected in 1 grammatical form — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form.

  • Aorist Active Participle Dative Singular Masculine 1×
Dative
The indirect object — often "to" or "for".
Singular
One.
Masculine
Masculine grammatical gender.
Aorist
Action viewed as a single whole — usually a simple past event.
Active
The subject performs the action.
Participle
A verbal adjective — describes while carrying the verb's action.

Related Words

Related

Other entries the study above points to — each one is drawn from a reference it makes. Follow the trail to see how the words connect.

G4754 στρατεύομαι middle voice from the base of στρατιά; to serve in a military campaign; figuratively, to execute the apostolate (with it G1707 ἐμπλέκω from ἐν and πλέκω; to entwine, i.e. (figuratively) involve with:--entangle (in, self with). G700 ἀρέσκω probably from αἴρω (through the idea of exciting emotion); to be agreeable (or by implication, to seek to be so):--pleas

Theographic Context

Context

The people, places, and span of history the verses containing this word touch on — drawn from the theographic tagging of Scripture. Select any name to isolate its verses in the occurrence list.

Biblical Distribution

Distribution

1 verse, all in 2 Timothy — and none of the other 26 New Testament books.

Every Occurrence

Concordance

Every verse where the word is tagged in the King James text. Filter by book, by the English word the translators chose, or search within the verses.

Sources. Definition and numbering: James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890). Morphology: STEPBible / Tyndale House (CC BY). Verse tagging: the King James text keyed to Strong’s numbers. Every count on this page is computed from the tagged corpus, not estimated.