The Greek verb agōnizomai means to strive, struggle, compete in an athletic contest, or fight. It occurs 8 times in the New Testament and is the verbal counterpart of agōn. The English word 'agonize' derives from this root, capturing the intense effort the word implies.
Agōnizomai depicts the all-out effort of the serious athlete — not casual participation but total commitment. Paul uses it to describe his own ministry: 'To this end I strenuously contend (agōnizomai) with all the energy Christ so powerfully works in me' (Colossians 1:29). Notice the paradox: Paul is striving — but with Christ's energy, not his own. This models the pattern of sanctification: full human effort, fully empowered by divine grace. Jesus uses the word in Luke 13:24: 'Strive (agōnizesthe) to enter through the narrow door.' Paul's final self-evaluation in 2 Timothy 4:7 — 'I have fought the good fight' — uses the cognate noun, suggesting that a life of agōnizomai is a life well-spent.