Word Study for G3611 (οἰκέω)

oikéō /oy-keh'-o/ Ask about this word

Rootfrom οἶκος

Meaningto occupy a house, i.e. reside (figuratively, inhabit, remain, inhere); by implication, to cohabit

KJV usagedwell. See also οἰκουμένη.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of oikéō — the range of meaning it carries, how Scripture actually uses it, and where it points. Written for readers who don’t know the original language.

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Greek word oikéō, represented by G3611, is a term for to dwell or reside. It appears 9 times across 9 unique verses in the Bible. Based on the root word for "house," its definition is to occupy a house, but it is often used figuratively to mean inhabit, remain, or inhere, and by implication, to cohabit.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In the biblical narrative, G3611 is used in two primary contexts: the theological concept of indwelling and the practical matter of cohabitation. The apostle Paul uses it to describe the Spirit G4151 of God who dwells in believers, making their bodies a temple G3485 (1 Corinthians 3:16, Romans 8:9). This indwelling is presented as the guarantee of future resurrection life Romans 8:11. In a contrasting use, Paul also describes sin as a force that dwelleth in his flesh, creating an internal struggle (Romans 7:17, Romans 7:20). In a different context, the term is used for the marital relationship, where spouses are encouraged to dwell with one another if they are pleased to do so 1 Corinthians 7:12-13.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words expand upon the concept of dwelling and residence:

G1774 enoikéō (to inhabit (figuratively):--dwell in): This is a very similar term, often used to describe the indwelling of the Holy Ghost or the word of Christ in believers (2 Timothy 1:14, Colossians 3:16).
G4151 pneûma (a current of air... a spirit... the Holy Spirit): This word identifies the divine person who dwells in the believer. The presence of the Spirit of God is what defines the indwelling Romans 8:9.
G3485 naós (a fane, shrine, temple): This describes the location of the indwelling. Believers are the temple of God precisely because the Spirit dwelleth in them 1 Corinthians 3:16.
G4909 syneudokéō (to think well of in common... assent to, be pleased, have pleasure): This term qualifies the act of cohabitation in marriage, indicating that spouses should dwell together by mutual consent 1 Corinthians 7:12-13.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of G3611 is immense, particularly concerning the Christian life.

The Indwelling Spirit: The concept is central to a believer's identity in Christ. The Spirit of God dwelling in a person signifies a new relationship with God G2316 and is the source of spiritual life (Romans 8:9, Romans 8:11).
The Believer as a Temple: Because the Spirit dwelleth in them, believers are described as the temple G3485 of God, a sacred space for God's presence 1 Corinthians 3:16.
The Reality of Indwelling Sin: The term is also used to articulate the ongoing struggle with the flesh. Paul explains that "in my flesh, dwelleth no good thing," highlighting the conflict between the new creation and the old nature Romans 7:18.
The Transcendence of God: In contrast to the intimate indwelling of the Spirit, the word is also used to describe God's majestic otherness, dwelling in a light which no man can approach 1 Timothy 6:16.

Summary

In summary, G3611 is far more than a simple term for living in a place. It is a cornerstone of New Testament theology, defining the profound reality of the Spirit's presence in a believer's life, the ongoing battle with sin, and the nature of God's transcendence. It illustrates how a single word can convey both practical instruction for human relationships and the deepest truths of the relationship between God and humanity.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists the renderings but not their weight. These are counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the bar under each is how often the translators actually reached for it. Select one to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Greek New Testament, this word appears as a verb across 9 occurrences, inflected in 4 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form.

Present Active Indicative 3rd Singular 4×
Present Active Infinitive 2×
Present Active Participle Nominative Singular Feminine 2×
Present Active Participle Nominative Singular Masculine 1×

Nominative: The subject of the verb.
Singular: One.
Masculine: Masculine grammatical gender.
Feminine: Feminine grammatical gender.
3rd: Third person — the one spoken about ("he"/"they").
Present: Action in progress or repeated — happening now or continually.
Active: The subject performs the action.
Indicative: A plain statement of fact.
Infinitive: The verb as a noun — "to do".
Participle: A verbal adjective — describes while carrying the verb's action.

Theographic Context

Context

The people, places, and span of history the verses containing this word touch on — drawn from the theographic tagging of Scripture. Select any name to isolate its verses in the occurrence list.

Biblical Distribution

Distribution

Appears in 9 verses across 3 of the 27 books. Most frequent in Romans (5 verses); never once in the other 24.

Romans

1 Corinthians

1 Timothy

Every Occurrence

Concordance

Every verse where the word is tagged in the King James text. Filter by book, by the English word the translators chose, or search within the verses.

Sources. Definition and numbering: James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890). Morphology: STEPBible / Tyndale House (CC BY). Verse tagging: the King James text keyed to Strong’s numbers. Every count on this page is computed from the tagged corpus, not estimated.