What does οἰκέω (oikéō) mean in the Bible?
G3611 means to dwell, live, or reside. Its nine governed forms occur in Romans, 1 Corinthians, and 1 Timothy, and the subject changes the claim.
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, live, or reside. Its nine governed forms occur in Romans, 1 Corinthians, and 1 Timothy, and the subject changes the claim.
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, live, or reside. Its nine governed forms occur in Romans, 1 Corinthians, and 1 Timothy, and the subject changes the claim. Romans 7:17, 18, and 20 use the verb in Paul's account of sin living in him and of nothing good living in his flesh. These statements belong to the chapter's disputed first-person argument; the verb alone cannot identify the speaker's redemptive state or excuse wrongdoing.
Romans 8:9 says the Spirit of God lives in believers, and verse 11 speaks of the Spirit of the One who raised Jesus living in them and giving life to mortal bodies. First Corinthians 3:16 addresses the Corinthian congregation as God's temple in whom the Spirit dwells. First Corinthians 7:12-13 uses the same verb ordinarily for an unbelieving wife or husband consenting to live with a believing spouse.
The following verses also address separation, so these forms must never be used to compel unsafe cohabitation, conceal abuse, or block protection and reporting. First Timothy 6:16 says God dwells in unapproachable light within a doxology about His immortality and sovereign appearing; the spatial image should not be expanded into a map of God's location. The verb therefore contributes the idea of residence without deciding whether the resident is sin, the Spirit, a spouse, or God.
The clause supplies the subject, setting, and theological force.
Lexical sourcePassage contextBook contextPastoral application
How the Bible Uses It
G3611 names residence across four distinct settings: sin in Romans 7, the Spirit in Romans 8 and the Corinthian church, spouses living together in 1 Corinthians 7, and God dwelling in unapproachable light in 1 Timothy 6.
- 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, ordinary marital residence, or God in unapproachable light.
- Read 1 Corinthians 7:12-16 as a whole, preserving consent, separation, peace, and safety.
- Let the Spirit's indwelling produce assurance and corporate holiness without making emotion a test of belonging.
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.
- Do not claim that a believer must remain in a dangerous home because an unbelieving spouse once consented to live together.
- Do not claim that G3611 locates God spatially or explains how unapproachable light relates to every doctrine of divine presence.
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
Do not preach G3611 as though every occurrence carried one indwelling theology. Romans 7 uses the verb for sin and for the absence of good in flesh within a contested first-person argument. Romans 8 uses it for the Spirit, joining belonging to Christ with the promise of life for mortal bodies. First Corinthians 3 addresses the congregation as God's temple, so the Spirit's residence cannot be reduced to a private feeling or a claim of individual superiority.
First Corinthians 7 uses the verb for spouses simply living together and immediately requires attention to consent and the possibility that an unbelieving spouse departs. That paragraph cannot be weaponized to force a person to remain in danger. First Timothy 6 turns the verb toward God dwelling in unapproachable light within doxology. The shared lexical idea is residence; the resident, relationship, and consequence come from the sentence.
This range supports careful teaching without fatalism about sin, emotional tests for the Spirit, unsafe marriage counsel, or speculation about divine geography.
Anchor passage
Rom.8.9
Doctrinal connections
- Romans 7:17-20 - sin, flesh, agency, and moral conflict
- Romans 8:9-11 - the indwelling Spirit, belonging to Christ, and resurrection life
- 1 Corinthians 3:16-17 - the congregation as God's temple
- 1 Corinthians 7:12-16 - consent to live together, separation, peace, and uncertain outcomes
- 1 Timothy 6:13-16 - doxology to the unseen Lord who inhabits inaccessible light
The nine forms are all present active: four third-person singular indicatives, two infinitives, two feminine singular participles, and one masculine singular participle. The continuous-looking present forms do not by themselves prove permanence, control, or moral approval. Subject, complement, and paragraph determine what kind of residence is in view.
From Old to New Testament
Temple and divine-presence themes provide canonical context for 1 Corinthians 3, and scriptural light imagery may inform 1 Timothy 6. Those connections come from the passages' own language and argument. They do not make ordinary spousal residence in 1 Corinthians 7 metaphorical or turn every dwelling text into temple theology.
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