Bible Dictionaries
Dwell, Dwellers, Dwelling

Vine's Expository Dictionary of NT Words

"to dwell" (from oikos, "a house"), "to inhabit as one's abode," is derived from the Sanskrit, vic, "a dwelling place" (the Eng. termination "wick" is connected). It is used (a) of God as "dwelling" in light, 1 Timothy 6:16; (b) of the "indwelling" of the Spirit of God in the believer, Romans 8:9,11 , or in a church, 1 Corinthians 3:16; (c) of the "indwelling" of sin, Romans 7:20; (d) of the absence of any good thing in the flesh of the believer, Romans 7:18; (e) of the "dwelling" together of those who are married, 1 Corinthians 7:12,13 .

kata, "down," and No. 1, the most frequent verb with this meaning, properly signifies "to settle down in a dwelling, to dwell fixedly in a place." Besides its literal sense, it is used of (a) the "indwelling" of the totality of the attributes and powers of the Godhead in Christ, Colossians 1:19; 2:9; (b) the "indwelling" of Christ in the hearts of believers ("may make a home in your hearts"), Ephesians 3:17; (c) the "dwelling" of Satan in a locality, Revelation 2:13; (d) the future "indwelling" of righteousness in the new heavens and earth, 2 Peter 3:13 . It is translated "dwellers" in Acts 1:19; 2:9; "inhabitants" in Revelation 17:2 , AV (RV, "they that dwell"), "inhabiters" in Revelation 8:13; 12:12 , AV (RV, "them that dwell").

Cp. the nouns katoikesis (below), katoikia, "habitation," Acts 17:26; katoiketerion, "a habitation," Ephesians 2:22; Revelation 18:2 . Contrast paroikeo, "to sojourn," the latter being temporary, the former permanent. See HABITATION , INHABITANT.

"to cause to dwell," is said of the act of God concerning the Holy Spirit in James 4:5 , RV (some mss. have No. 2).

lit., "to dwell in" (en, "in," and No. 1), is used, with a spiritual significance only, of (a) the "indwelling" of God in believers, 2 Corinthians 6:16; (b) the "indwelling" of the Holy Spirit, Romans 8:11; 2 Timothy 1:14; (c) the "indwelling" of the Word of Christ, Colossians 3:16; (d) the "indwelling" of faith, 2 Timothy 1:5; (e) the "indwelling" of sin in the believer, Romans 7:17 .

peri, "around," and No. 1, "to dwell around, be a neighbor," is used in Luke 1:65 . Cp. perioikos, "a neighbor," Luke 1:58 .

sun, "with," and No. 1, "to dwell with," is used in 1 Peter 3:7 .

en, "in," and No. 2, "to dwell among," is used in 2 Peter 2:8 .

"to abide, remain," is translated "to dwell," in the AV of John 1:38,39; 6:56; 14:10,17; Acts 28:16 . The RV adheres throughout to the verb "to abide." See ABIDE.

"to pitch a tent" (skene), "to tabernacle," is translated "dwelt," in John 1:14 , AV, RV marg., "tabernacled;" in Revelation 7:15 , AV, "shall dwell," RV, "shall spread (His) tabernacle;" in Revelation 12:12; 13:6; 21:3 , "dwell." See TABERNACLE.

"to pitch one's tent" (kata, "down," skene, "a tent"), is translated "lodge" in Matthew 13:32; Mark 4:32; Luke 13:19; in Acts 2:26 , RV, "dwell," AV, "rest."

primarily, "to step in, or on" (from embaino, "to enter"), hence (a) "to frequent, dwell in," is used metaphorically in Colossians 2:18 , RV, "dwelling in" (marg., "taking his stand upon"); (b) with reference to the same passage, alternatively, "to invade, to enter on;" perhaps used in this passage as a technical term of the mystery religions, denoting the entrance of the initiated into the new life (AV, "intruding into"). A suggested alternative reading involves the rendering "treading on air," i.e., indulging in vain speculations, but evidences in the papyri writings make the emendation unnecessary.

"to sit down," is translated "dwell," in Luke 21:35 . See SET , SIT.

"to sit down," denotes "to dwell," in Acts 18:11 (RV, "dwelt," for AV, "continued").

"to wander about" (a, negative, histemi, "to stand"), "to have no fixed dwelling-place," is used in 1 Corinthians 4:11 . Cp. akatastatos, "unstable," James 1:8; 3:8; akatastasia, "revolution, confusion," e.g., 1 Corinthians 14:33 .

denotes "a sojourning," Acts 13:17 , lit., "in the sojourning," translated "when they sojourned," RV (AV, "dwelt as strangers"); in 1 Peter 1:17 , "sojourning."

akin to A, No. 2, "a dwelling, a habitation," is used in Mark 5:3 .

Note: Cp. oikia, and oikos, "a house," oikema, "a prison," katoikia, "a habitation" (see A, No. 2).

primarily, "a price, a hire" (akin to misthos, "wages, hire," and misthoo, "to let out for hire"), is used in Acts 28:30 to denote "a hired dwelling."