3823. palé

Lexicon

palé: Struggle, wrestling, conflict

Original Word: πάλη
Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine
Transliteration: palé
Pronunciation: pah'-lay
Phonetic Spelling: (pal'-ay)
Definition: Struggle, wrestling, conflict
Meaning: wrestling, a wrestling bout; hence: a struggle, fight, conflict, contest.

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

struggle

From pallo (to vibrate; another form for ballo); wrestling -- + wrestle.

see GREEK ballo

HELPS Word-studies

3823 pálē – properly, "a wrestling bout; hence, a struggle, a conflict" (Souter).

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
from palló (to sway)
Definition
wrestling, generally fight
NASB Translation
struggle (1).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon

STRONGS NT 3823: πάλη

πάλη, παλης, ἡ (from πάλλω to vibrate, shake), from Homer down, wrestling (a contest between two in which each endeavors to throw the other, and which is decided when the victor is able θλίβειν καί κατέχειν his prostrate antagonist, i. e. hold him down with his hand upon his neck; cf. Plato, legg. 7, p. 796; Aristotle, rhet. 1, 5, 14, p. 1361b, 24; Heliodorus aethiop. 10, 31; (cf. Krause, Gymn. u. Agon. d. Griech. i. 1, p. 400ff; Guhl and Koner, p. 219f; Dict. of Antiq. under the wordlucta)); the term is transferred to the struggle of Christians with the powers of evil: Ephesians 6:12.

Topical Lexicon

Word Origin: Derived from the verb πάλλω (pallō), meaning "to sway" or "to vibrate," which is related to the concept of wrestling or struggling.

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: While there is no direct Hebrew equivalent for πάλη, the concept of struggle or wrestling can be seen in the Hebrew word אָבַק (abaq), which is used in Genesis 32:24 to describe Jacob's wrestling with the angel. This narrative similarly conveys themes of struggle and divine encounter.

Usage: The word πάλη appears in the New Testament in the context of spiritual warfare, emphasizing the nature of the Christian's struggle against spiritual forces.

Context: • πάλη (palē) is a noun that appears in the New Testament, specifically in Ephesians 6:12. In this passage, the Apostle Paul uses the term to describe the nature of the Christian's battle, not against flesh and blood, but against spiritual forces of evil. The imagery of wrestling conveys the intensity and personal nature of the conflict, highlighting the need for spiritual vigilance and the armor of God.
• Ephesians 6:12 (BSB): "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this world's darkness, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms."
• The use of πάλη in this context underscores the reality of spiritual warfare in the life of believers. It suggests a close, hand-to-hand combat, requiring strength, strategy, and perseverance. The passage encourages Christians to be aware of the spiritual dimensions of their struggles and to rely on God's power and protection.
• Historically, wrestling was a well-known sport in ancient Greek culture, often associated with the Olympic Games. This cultural background would have made the metaphor of wrestling particularly vivid and relatable to Paul's audience.

Forms and Transliterations

παλη πάλη pale palē pále pálē

Englishman's Concordance

Ephesians 6:12 N-NFS
GRK: ἡμῖν ἡ πάλη πρὸς αἷμα
NAS: For our struggle is not against flesh
KJV: For we wrestle not against
INT: to us the wrestling against blood

Strong's Greek 3823
1 Occurrence

πάλη — 1 Occ.