OlivePress
Pressing the Word of God for Deeper Understanding.
Greek · G2730 · unreviewed

κατοικέω

To dwell

These lexicon entries are being actively developed. If you notice missing content, incorrect definitions, or have suggestions, we'd love to hear from you. Share a note on our Connect page and include a screenshot if helpful.

κατοικέω G2730
Pronunciation katoikéō

What does κατοικέω (katoikéō) mean in the Bible?

κατοικέω (katoikéō) is a Greek word meaning "to dwell". κατ-οικέω, -ῶ [in LXX very frequently and nearly always for יָשַׁב ;] __1.

Full entry for κατοικέω (G2730) · Browse the biblical lexicon

Meaning

to dwell
Extended definition

To settle permanently and establish residence, not merely passing through; divine indwelling emphasis.

1trans., to inhabit, dwell in: with accusative, Luk.13:4, Act.1:10 2:9, 14 4:16 9:32, 35 19:10, 17. Rev.17:2; of God, Mat.23:21.
2Intrans., to settle, dwell: Act.22:12; before ἐν (cl.), Act.1:20 (LXX) Act.2:5 7:2, 4 7:48 9:22 11:29 13:27 17:24, Heb.11:9, Rev.13:12; before εἰς (B1., § 39, 3; M, Pr., 62 f., 234 f.), Mat.2:23 4:13, Act.7:4; ἐπὶ τ. γῆς (Num.13:33, al.), Rev.3:10 6:10 8:13 11:10 13:8, 14 17:8; ἐπὶ παντὸς προσώπου τ. γ., Act.17:26; ὅπου, Rev.2:13; ἐκεῖ (of demons), Mat.12:45, Luk.11:26. Metaphorical, of divine indwelling: ὁ Χριστός, Eph.3:17; τ. πνεῦμα, Jas.4:5 (κατῴκισεν, T, WH, R, txt.); τ. πλήωρμα (τ. θεότητος), Col.1:19 2:9; δικαιοσύνη (cf. Wis.1:4), 2Pe.3:13 (cf. ἐν-κατοικέω). κατοικίζω, [in LXX for יָשַׁב hi., etc. ;] to cause to dwell: metaphorically, with accusative, τὸ πνεῦμα, Jas.4:5 (Rec., R, mg., κατῴκησεν).
Source: STEPBible TBESG + Abbott-Smith
Grammatical Forms

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

Tenses
Present Aorist
Voices
Active
Participle verbal adjective — the action as a modifying quality 28×
Present Active Luke 13:4 · Acts 9:22 · Acts 9:32 · Acts 19:10 · Rev 3:10 · Rev 8:13 · Rev 11:10 · Rev 13:12 · Rev 13:14 · Acts 2:5 · Acts 2:9 · Acts 2:14 · Acts 9:35 · Acts 13:27 · Rev 13:8 · Rev 17:2 27×
Aorist Active Heb 11:9 1×
Indicative states a fact or reality 12×
Present Active Matt 12:45 · Luke 11:26 · Acts 7:48 · Acts 17:24 · Col 2:9 · 2 Pet 3:13 · Rev 2:13 · Acts 7:4 9×
Aorist Active Matt 2:23 · Matt 4:13 · Acts 7:4 3×
Infinitive verbal noun — the action in abstract 4×
Aorist Active Acts 7:2 · Eph 3:17 · Col 1:19 3×
Present Active Acts 17:26 1×
44 total occurrences across all forms in the biblical text Morphology: MorphGNT SBLGNT — CC BY-SA 3.0
Discourse Aspect

How this verb appears across 44 occurrences in the NT discourse index (MACULA Greek SBLGNT).

Aspect
completed 4 ongoing 9 infinitive 4 participle 27
Tense
present 36 aorist 8
Voice
active 44
Mood
participle 27 indicative 13 infinitive 4
NT Occurrences
Matthew 2:23 κατῴκησεν aorist active indicative completed Matthew 4:13 κατῴκησεν aorist active indicative completed Matthew 12:45 κατοικεῖ present active indicative ongoing Matthew 23:21 κατοικοῦντι present active participle participle Luke 11:26 κατοικεῖ present active indicative ongoing Luke 13:4 κατοικοῦντας present active participle participle Acts 1:19 κατοικοῦσιν present active participle participle Acts 1:20 κατοικῶν present active participle participle Acts 2:14 κατοικοῦντες present active participle participle Acts 2:9 κατοικοῦντες present active participle participle Acts 4:16 κατοικοῦσιν present active participle participle Acts 7:2 κατοικῆσαι aorist active infinitive infinitive Acts 7:4 κατῴκησεν aorist active indicative completed Acts 7:4 κατοικεῖτε present active indicative ongoing Acts 7:48 κατοικεῖ present active indicative ongoing Acts 9:22 κατοικοῦντας present active participle participle Acts 9:32 κατοικοῦντας present active participle participle Acts 9:35 κατοικοῦντες present active participle participle Acts 11:29 κατοικοῦσιν present active participle participle Acts 13:27 κατοικοῦντες present active participle participle Acts 17:24 κατοικεῖ present active indicative ongoing Acts 17:26 κατοικεῖν present active infinitive infinitive Acts 19:10 κατοικοῦντας present active participle participle Acts 19:17 κατοικοῦσιν present active participle participle Acts 22:12 κατοικούντων present active participle participle Ephesians 3:17 κατοικῆσαι aorist active infinitive infinitive Colossians 1:19 κατοικῆσαι aorist active infinitive infinitive Colossians 2:9 κατοικεῖ present active indicative ongoing Hebrews 11:9 κατοικήσας aorist active participle participle James 4:5 κατῴκισεν aorist active indicative completed 2 Peter 3:13 κατοικεῖ present active indicative ongoing Revelation 2:13 κατοικεῖς present active indicative ongoing Revelation 2:13 κατοικεῖ present active indicative ongoing Revelation 3:10 κατοικοῦντας present active participle participle Revelation 6:10 κατοικούντων present active participle participle Revelation 8:13 κατοικοῦντας present active participle participle Revelation 11:10 κατοικοῦντες present active participle participle Revelation 11:10 κατοικοῦντας present active participle participle Revelation 13:12 κατοικοῦντας present active participle participle Revelation 13:14 κατοικοῦντας present active participle participle +4 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)

Biblical Occurrences

Each occurrence shows the passage reference, the original language term as it appears in that context, its transliteration, and the contextual sense.

Biblical Witnesses
Ephesians 3:14-21 dwell katoikéō Infinitive · Aorist Active
Metaphorical indwelling of Christ in believers' hearts through faith
Jeremiah 10:17-18 dwell katoikéō
Physical habitation or settlement of people in a land or dwelling place
Proverbs 10:30 dwell katoikéō
Permanent or stable residence, describing security and permanence in a place
Proverbs 21:9 dwell katoikéō
Habitation or residence in a particular location or dwelling
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.

Ephesians 3 — The Mystery Revealed and the Church Strengthened in Christ’s Love Matthew 12 — The Lord of the Sabbath, the Servant of the Lord, and the Crisis of Unbelief

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

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

STEPBible Data — CC BY 4.0

Full license details