What does οἰκέω (oikéō) mean in the Bible?
G3611 means to dwell, reside, or make a home. Paul uses it in strikingly different directions.
Greek · G3611
οἰκέω
To dwell
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οἰκέω G3611
Pronunciation oikéō
What does οἰκέω (oikéō) mean in the Bible?
G3611 means to dwell, reside, or make a home. Paul uses it in strikingly different directions.
Reader summary
Full entry for οἰκέω (G3611) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render G3611?
The BSB source-word alignment has 9 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include lives (2), living (2), to live (2), [and] dwells (1), dwells (1).
Where does οἰκέω (oikéō) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Romans 7:17. Its strongest book concentrations include Romans (5), 1 Corinthians (3), 1 Timothy (1).
What This Word Actually Means
G3611 means to dwell, reside, or make a home. Paul uses it in strikingly different directions. In Romans 7, sin is described as dwelling in the person, showing the invasive and personal nature of indwelling sin. In Romans 8, the Spirit of God dwells in believers, marking their identity and belonging to Christ. In First Corinthians 3, the Spirit dwells in the church as God's temple.
The word helps teachers speak about what has taken up residence and what governs the household. It must not be used to excuse sin as if the believer were helpless, nor to reduce the Spirit's indwelling to a private feeling. Paul's use presses toward honest confession, assurance, holiness, and corporate responsibility.
How the Bible Uses It
G3611 names dwelling or residing. Paul uses it for indwelling sin, the Spirit's presence in believers, and the Spirit's presence in the church.
- Rom.7.17
In that case, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.
Paul says sin dwelling in him is at work in the struggle described in Romans 7. The word should not be made to excuse sin, but it does describe an invasive resident power.
- Rom.8.9
You, however, are controlled not by the flesh, but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ.
Paul says the Spirit of God dwells in believers. The word supports identity and assurance under the Spirit's presence.
- 1Cor.3.16
Do you not know that you yourselves are God’s temple, and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?
Paul tells the church that God's Spirit dwells in them. The word carries corporate weight, not only individual experience.
Passage context
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders It lives 2× Romans 7:18, Romans 8:9
living 2× Romans 7:17, Romans 7:20
to live 2× 1 Corinthians 7:12, 1 Corinthians 7:13
[and] dwells 1× 1 Timothy 6:16
dwells 1× 1 Corinthians 3:16
is living 1× Romans 8:11
Show sample aligned rows
Romans 7:17 οἰκοῦσα* to living Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Feminine Singular Romans 7:18 οἰκεῖ to lives Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular Romans 7:20 οἰκοῦσα to living Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Feminine Singular Romans 8:9 οἰκεῖ to lives Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular Romans 8:11 οἰκεῖ to is living Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular 1 Corinthians 3:16 οἰκεῖ to dwells Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular 1 Corinthians 7:12 οἰκεῖν to to live Verb - Present Infinitive Active 1 Corinthians 7:13 οἰκεῖν to to live Verb - Present Infinitive Active 1 Timothy 6:16 οἰκῶν to [and] dwells Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Romans 7:17
Aligned rows 9
Books represented 3
Romans 5 1 Corinthians 3 1 Timothy 1
Source forms
οἰκεῖ 4x oikei Romans 7:18, Romans 8:9, Romans 8:11, 1 Corinthians 3:16
οἰκεῖν 2x oikein 1 Corinthians 7:12, 1 Corinthians 7:13
οἰκοῦσα 1x oikousa Romans 7:20
οἰκοῦσα* 1x oikousa Romans 7:17
οἰκῶν 1x oikōn 1 Timothy 6:16
Parsing patterns
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular 4x Romans 7:18, Romans 8:9, Romans 8:11, 1 Corinthians 3:16
Verb - Present Infinitive Active 2x 1 Corinthians 7:12, 1 Corinthians 7:13
Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Feminine Singular 2x Romans 7:17, Romans 7:20
Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular 1x 1 Timothy 6:16
Using This Word Well
Be careful not to...
- Clarify whether Paul is speaking of sin, the Spirit in believers, or the Spirit in the church.
- Let the Spirit's indwelling produce assurance and holiness, not vague spiritual sentiment.
Avoid claiming...
- Do not use G3611 in Romans 7 to excuse sin or deny responsibility. Paul is describing the conflict, not blessing surrender.
- Do not reduce the Spirit's dwelling to private emotion. First Corinthians 3 applies the word to the gathered church as God's temple.
Passage context
Evidence Summary
Greek word. To inhabit or settle permanently in a space, often metaphorically of spiritual indwelling or habitation.
Strong's G3611
Lexical occurrences 9 verses Greek text appearances 9 times Word forms 3 forms 9 references Verse guides 0 guides
Source Gloss
to dwell
Extended definition Source: STEPBible TBESG + Abbott-Smith
To inhabit or settle permanently in a space, often metaphorically of spiritual indwelling or habitation.
(οἶκος), [in LXX chiefly for יָשַׁב ;]
atrans., to inhabit: with accusative, 1Ti.6:16;
bintrans., to dwell: before μετά (of married life), 1Co.7:12-13; metaphorically, before ἐν: ἀγαθόν, Rom.7:18; ἁμαρτία, Rom.7:20; πνεῦμα θεοῦ, Rom.8:9, 11, 1Co.3:16 (cf. ἐν-, κατ-, ἐν-κατ-, παρ-, περι-, συν-οικέω).
Greek Text Appearances
Textus Receptus witness, full corpus Greek token appearances from Scrivener 1894 Textus Receptus in the full New Testament corpus.
9 Greek text appearances shown. Linked morphology labels have verse guides.
Romans 7:17 Verb Present Active Participle Nominative Singular Feminine
οἰκοῦσα oikousa
I inhabit, dwell
Read verse Romans 7:18 Verb Third Person Singular Present Active Indicative
οἰκεῖ oikei
I inhabit, dwell
Read verse Romans 7:20 Verb Present Active Participle Nominative Singular Feminine
οἰκοῦσα oikousa
I inhabit, dwell
Read verse Romans 8:9 Verb Third Person Singular Present Active Indicative
οἰκεῖ oikei
I inhabit, dwell
Read verse Romans 8:11 Verb Third Person Singular Present Active Indicative
οἰκεῖ oikei
I inhabit, dwell
Read verse 1 Corinthians 3:16 Verb Third Person Singular Present Active Indicative
οἰκεῖ oikei
I inhabit, dwell
Read verse 1 Corinthians 7:12 Verb Present Active Infinitive
οἰκεῖν oikein
I inhabit, dwell
Read verse 1 Corinthians 7:13 Verb Present Active Infinitive
οἰκεῖν oikein
I inhabit, dwell
Read verse 1 Timothy 6:16 Verb Present Active Participle Nominative Singular Masculine
οἰκῶν oikwn
I inhabit, dwell
Read verseFull New Testament corpus: 260 chapters, 7,957 verses, 140,628 tokens. Data source: honza/textus-receptus (data only), with authority check against byztxt/greektext-textus-receptus.
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 3 Aligned forms 9 Tenses Present Voices Active
Verse guides are not available for this word yet, so verse references remain plain evidence markers.
Tenses
Voices
Indicative states a fact or reality 4×
Present Active Rom 7:18 · Rom 8:9 · Rom 8:11 · 1 Cor 3:16 4×
Participle verbal adjective — the action as a modifying quality 3×
Present Active Rom 7:17 · Rom 7:20 · 1 Tim 6:16 3×
Infinitive verbal noun — the action in abstract 2×
Present Active 1 Cor 7:12 · 1 Cor 7:13 2×
Discourse Aspect
How this verb appears across 9 occurrences in the NT discourse index (MACULA Greek SBLGNT).
Aspect
Tense
present 9
Voice
active 9
Mood
indicative 4 participle 3 infinitive 2
NT Occurrences
Romans 7:17 οἰκοῦσα present active participle participle Romans 7:18 οἰκεῖ present active indicative ongoing Romans 7:20 οἰκοῦσα present active participle participle Romans 8:11 οἰκεῖ present active indicative ongoing Romans 8:9 οἰκεῖ present active indicative ongoing 1 Corinthians 3:16 οἰκεῖ present active indicative ongoing 1 Corinthians 7:12 οἰκεῖν present active infinitive infinitive 1 Corinthians 7:13 οἰκεῖν present active infinitive infinitive 1 Timothy 6:16 οἰκῶν present active participle participle
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
οἰκέω is built from this root:
Part of These Phrases
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.
For the Preacher and Teacher
G3611 gives teachers a concrete way to speak about spiritual residence. Romans 7 treats sin as an intrusive resident power that must not be confused with the believer's renewed desire. Romans 8 announces the Spirit's indwelling as the mark of belonging to Christ. First Corinthians 3 applies the same temple logic corporately, reminding the church that God's Spirit dwells among them.
The word therefore carries both realism and hope. It tells the truth about sin's nearness without surrendering the home to sin. It tells the truth about the Spirit's presence without shrinking that presence into private emotion. What dwells in the house shapes the life of the house.
Anchor passage
Rom.8.9
Doctrinal connections
- Rom.7.17 - Paul says sin dwelling in him is at work in the struggle described in Romans 7. The word should not be made to excuse sin, but it does describe an invasive resident power.
- Rom.8.9 - Paul says the Spirit of God dwells in believers. The word supports identity and assurance under the Spirit's presence.
- 1Cor.3.16 - Paul tells the church that God's Spirit dwells in them. The word carries corporate weight, not only individual experience.
To dwell, reside, or make a home is the reviewed display gloss for G3611. In this Pauline-focused companion, local STEP TAGNT evidence shows about 9 Pauline use(s), with common forms including V-PAI-3S 4, V-PAN 2, V-PAP-NSF 2, V-PAP-NSM 1. Treat these form signals as support for reading the passage, not as a replacement for context.
From Old to New Testament
The Pauline trajectory moves from honest diagnosis of indwelling sin to assurance under the indwelling Spirit and corporate holiness in God's temple.
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