What does θέλω · πύργος · οἰκοδομέω mean in the Bible?
θέλω · πύργος · οἰκοδομέω is a Greek phrase meaning "wanting to build a tower".
Greek · G2309, G4444, G3618
θέλων πύργον οἰκοδομῆσαι
To will/desire · a tower or castle · to build
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 the Connect page. Screenshots are helpful.
Words in this compound — expand to study each participant
θέλω G2309 to will/desire
Pronunciation thélō
Immediate willing or desire, more emotional and practical than the deliberative choice of βούλομαι.
Open lexicon entry →
πύργος G4444 a tower or castle
Pronunciation pýrgos
Fortified structure serving defensive or observational functions, often integrated into agricultural or military contexts.
Open lexicon entry →
οἰκοδομέω G3618 to build
Pronunciation oikodoméō
To build up spiritually or morally, strengthening Christian character and community maturity
Open lexicon entry →
What does θέλων πύργον οἰκοδομῆσαι (thelōn pyrgon oikodomēsai) mean in the Bible?
θέλω · πύργος · οἰκοδομέω is a Greek phrase meaning "wanting to build a tower".
Full entry for θέλων πύργον οἰκοδομῆσαι (G2309, G4444, G3618) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How many biblical occurrences are listed for G2309, G4444, G3618?
G2309, G4444, G3618 is connected to 208 lexical occurrence verses in the lexicon data.
Evidence Summary
Greek phrase. wanting to build a tower
Source Gloss
wanting to build a tower
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 groups 5 Aligned forms 208 Tenses Present, Imperfect, Aorist Voices Active
Tenses
Voices
Indicative states a fact or reality 146×
Present Active Matt 8:3 · Matt 9:13 · Matt 12:7 · Matt 15:32 · Matt 20:14 · Matt 20:15 · Matt 21:29 · Matt 26:39 · Mark 1:41 · Mark 6:25 · Mark 14:36 · Luke 5:13 · Luke 12:49 · John 17:24 · Rom 1:13 · Rom 7:15 103×
Imperfect Active Matt 2:18 · Matt 18:30 · Mark 3:13 · Mark 6:19 · Mark 6:48 · Mark 7:24 · Mark 9:30 · Luke 15:28 · Luke 18:4 · Luke 18:13 · John 7:1 · Acts 10:10 · Acts 14:13 · Acts 19:33 · Matt 22:3 · Matt 27:15 23×
Aorist Active Matt 18:23 · Matt 27:34 · Mark 6:26 · John 1:43 · Acts 16:3 · 1 Cor 12:18 · 1 Cor 15:38 · Col 1:27 · Matt 17:12 · Luke 10:24 · Acts 7:39 · Matt 23:37 · Luke 13:34 · Phlm 1:14 · John 5:35 · Heb 10:5 20×
Participle verbal adjective — the action as a modifying quality 30×
Present Active Matt 1:19 · Matt 14:5 · Luke 10:29 · Luke 14:28 · Luke 23:8 · Luke 23:20 · Acts 24:27 · Acts 25:9 · Rom 9:22 · Col 2:18 · Heb 12:17 · 1 Pet 3:10 · Rev 22:17 · Luke 8:20 · Luke 16:26 · Gal 1:7 29×
Aorist Active Luke 19:27 1×
Subjunctive possibility, probability, or purpose 25×
Present Active Matt 16:25 · Matt 20:26 · Matt 20:27 · Mark 8:35 · Mark 10:43 · Mark 10:44 · Luke 9:24 · John 7:17 · Matt 7:12 · Mark 14:7 · John 15:7 · Gal 5:17 · Matt 8:2 · Mark 1:40 · Mark 6:22 · Luke 5:12 20×
Aorist Active 1 Cor 4:19 · Jas 4:15 · Rev 11:5 · 2 Cor 12:6 · Rev 11:6 5×
Infinitive verbal noun — the action in abstract 4×
Present Active Rom 7:18 · 2 Cor 8:10 · 2 Cor 8:11 · Phil 2:13 4×
Optative wish or remote possibility 3×
Present Active Luke 1:62 · Acts 17:18 · 1 Pet 3:17 3×
Discourse Aspect
How this verb appears across 206 occurrences in the NT discourse index (MACULA Greek SBLGNT).
Aspect
Tense
present 158 aorist 25 imperfect 23
Voice
active 206
Mood
indicative 145 participle 29 subjunctive 25 infinitive 4 optative 3
NT Occurrences
Matthew 1:19 θέλων present active participle participle Matthew 2:18 ἤθελεν imperfect active indicative background Matthew 5:40 θέλοντί present active participle participle Matthew 5:42 θέλοντα present active participle participle Matthew 7:12 θέλητε present active subjunctive subjunctive Matthew 8:2 θέλῃς present active subjunctive subjunctive Matthew 8:3 Θέλω present active indicative ongoing Matthew 9:13 θέλω present active indicative ongoing Matthew 11:14 θέλετε present active indicative ongoing Matthew 12:38 θέλομεν present active indicative ongoing Matthew 12:7 θέλω present active indicative ongoing Matthew 13:28 Θέλεις present active indicative ongoing Matthew 14:5 θέλων present active participle participle Matthew 15:28 θέλεις present active indicative ongoing Matthew 15:32 θέλω present active indicative ongoing Matthew 16:24 θέλει present active indicative ongoing Matthew 16:25 θέλῃ present active subjunctive subjunctive Matthew 17:12 ἠθέλησαν aorist active indicative completed Matthew 17:4 θέλεις present active indicative ongoing Matthew 18:23 ἠθέλησεν aorist active indicative completed Matthew 18:30 ἤθελεν imperfect active indicative background Matthew 19:17 θέλεις present active indicative ongoing Matthew 19:21 θέλεις present active indicative ongoing Matthew 20:14 θέλω present active indicative ongoing Matthew 20:15 θέλω present active indicative ongoing Matthew 20:21 θέλεις present active indicative ongoing Matthew 20:26 θέλῃ present active subjunctive subjunctive Matthew 20:27 θέλῃ present active subjunctive subjunctive Matthew 20:32 θέλετε present active indicative ongoing Matthew 21:29 θέλω present active indicative ongoing Matthew 22:3 ἤθελον imperfect active indicative background Matthew 23:37 ἠθέλησα aorist active indicative completed Matthew 23:37 ἠθελήσατε aorist active indicative completed Matthew 23:4 θέλουσιν present active indicative ongoing Matthew 26:15 θέλετέ present active indicative ongoing Matthew 26:17 θέλεις present active indicative ongoing Matthew 26:39 θέλω present active indicative ongoing Matthew 27:15 ἤθελον imperfect active indicative background Matthew 27:17 θέλετε present active indicative ongoing Matthew 27:21 θέλετε present active indicative ongoing
+166 more 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
θέλων πύργον οἰκοδομῆσαι is built from this root:
Sources
MorphGNT Strong's Dictionary XML — CC0 1.0 Public Domain
Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (morphhb/OSHB) — CC BY 4.0
Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon — CC BY 4.0
Berean Standard Bible (BSB) source-word alignment - CC0 Public Domain