The words πὀλεμος, and μἀχη are translated ‘fight,' or ‘fighting.' They both occur in Jas. 4:1: "From whence come wars (πό.) and fightings (μά)?" and in the next verse occur the verbs to which these words belong: "Ye fight (μάχομαι) and war (πολεμέω)." These passages show the distinction between the words, and they may be said to correspond to the English words ‘war' (πόλεμος), and actual fighting (μάχη, compare the Hebrew makkah, slaughter), though the war may be moral, and the fighting be by word of mouth, as "strifes of words" (λαγομαχία),
1 Tim. 6:4, and the "strivings (μά.) about the law," Titus 3:9. Besides the above quoted passages the word, μάχη occurs only in 2 Cor. 7:5; 2 Tim. 2:23.
πόλεμος is found nine times in the Revelation: in chap. 9:7, 9; 16:14; 20:8, it is in the A. V. translated ‘battle;' and in 11:7; 12:7, 17; 13:7; 19:19, it is ‘war.' It would be more correct to render it ‘war' in all the places, while μάχν is rather the actual shock of 'battle.'