Greek · G2309, G4444, G3618 · unreviewed

θέλων πύργον οἰκοδομῆσαι

To will/desire · a tower or castle · to build

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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.
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πύργος G4444 a tower or castle
Pronunciation pýrgos
Fortified structure serving defensive or observational functions, often integrated into agricultural or military contexts.
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οἰκοδομέω G3618 to build
Pronunciation oikodoméō
To build up spiritually or morally, strengthening Christian character and community maturity
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What does θέλων πύργον οἰκοδομῆσαι (thelōn pyrgon oikodomēsai) mean in the Bible?

θέλω · πύργος · οἰκοδομέω is a Greek word meaning "wanting to build a tower".

Full entry for θέλων πύργον οἰκοδομῆσαι (G2309, G4444, G3618) · Browse the biblical lexicon

Meaning

wanting to build a tower
Grammatical Forms

How mood, tense, and voice shift the force of this verb in context.

Tenses
Present Imperfect Aorist
Voices
Active
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
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
Infinitive verbal noun — the action in abstract
Present Active Rom 7:18 · 2 Cor 8:10 · 2 Cor 8:11 · Phil 2:13
Optative wish or remote possibility
Present Active Luke 1:62 · Acts 17:18 · 1 Pet 3:17
Discourse Aspect

How this verb appears across 206 occurrences in the NT discourse index (MACULA Greek SBLGNT).

Aspect
completed 19 ongoing 103 background 23 subjunctive 25 infinitive 4 participle 29 optative 3
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 Pictures (Robertson)

A.T. Robertson's Word Pictures in the New Testament (1930–31) discusses this term in the following chapters. Open any chapter and go to the Word Pictures tab to read his verse-by-verse commentary.

1 Corinthians 10 — Learn from Israel, Flee Idolatry, and Seek the Good of Others for God’s Glory 1 Corinthians 14 — Pursue Love, Desire Gifts, and Let All Things Be Done for Edification and Order 1 Corinthians 8 — Knowledge, Love, and the Weak Brother in a World of Idols Acts 18 — The Lord Strengthens the Mission in Corinth and Beyond Acts 20 — Paul’s Farewell Charge to Shepherd the Church of God Acts 7 — Stephen Testifies to Israel’s Resistance and Christ’s Glory Acts 9 — The Risen Christ Converts His Fiercest Persecutor John 15 — The True Vine, Abiding Fruitfulness, Christlike Love, and the World’s Hatred John 17 — The Son’s High Priestly Prayer: Glory, Preservation, Sanctification, Unity, Mission, and Love John 21 — The Risen Lord Restores, Commissions, Shepherds, and Testifies through His Witness Luke 5 — The Authority of Jesus to Call, Cleanse, Forgive, and Make New Mark 1 — The Beginning of the Gospel: The Servant-King Appears with Authority Mark 12 — The Rejected Son, the Greatest Commandment, the Lord of David, and the Widow’s Offering Mark 14 — The Son of Man Handed Over: Anointing, Supper, Gethsemane, Betrayal, Trial, and Denial Mark 3 — The Servant-King Confronted: Sabbath Mercy, Demonic Accusation, and the Family of God Matthew 14 — The Death of John, the Compassion of Jesus, and the Son of God over Bread, Sea, and Fear Matthew 16 — The Confession of the Christ, the Church Christ Builds, and the Cross-Shaped Way of Discipleship Matthew 18 — Kingdom Humility, Care for the Little Ones, Discipline, and Forgiveness in Christ’s Community Matthew 20 — The First-Last Kingdom, the Ransom-Giving Son of Man, and Mercy for the Blind Matthew 21 — The King Enters Jerusalem, Judges Fruitless Religion, and Exposes Rejected-Son Leadership Matthew 22 — The Wedding Banquet, the King’s Invitation, and the Messiah Who Is David’s Lord Matthew 23 — Woes upon Hypocritical Leadership and the Lament over Jerusalem Matthew 8 — The Authority of Jesus over Uncleanness, Sickness, Discipleship, Storms, and Demons Philippians 2 — The Mind of Christ and the Humility of Gospel Witness Romans 9 — God’s Faithfulness, Sovereign Mercy, and Israel’s Stumbling Over Christ

A.T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament (1930–31) — public domain

Sources