ἐμπεριπατέω (emperipateō)
emperipateō
to walk in/among
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The verb emperipateō describes walking within or living among a specific group of people. Unlike general terms for walking, it emphasizes proximity and shared space, conveying the idea of being intimately present with others. The sources note its use in the Septuagint to translate Hebrew phrases about God walking with His people, establishing a pattern of relational closeness.
This word appears only once in the New Testament, in 2 Corinthians 6:16. Paul uses it to describe how believers become the temple of the living God, who dwells and walks among them. The term captures more than physical presence; it implies a covenantal relationship where God shares daily life with His community.
Its etymology combines prepositions meaning "in" and "about," reinforcing the sense of moving within a particular environment or circle. Translators typically render it as "walk among" to preserve this image of intimate, ongoing fellowship between the divine and the faithful.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word emperipateō paints a picture of intimate presence. It describes walking within or among a specific group, suggesting shared space and close fellowship. In 2 Corinthians 6:16, Paul uses this term to remind believers that they are the temple of the living God. This means God does not remain distant but dwells and walks among His people.
This imagery shifts our view of faith from a distant belief to a relational reality. God’s presence is not abstract; it is personal and ongoing. When we gather as a community, we become the place where He chooses to reside. This promise offers comfort, knowing that the Creator shares daily life with those who belong to Him.
Such closeness invites us to live in awareness of His nearness. It reminds us that our gatherings are sacred spaces. We can find peace in the knowledge that we are never alone, for God walks among us, sharing in our joys and burdens as a faithful companion.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- will walk among [them],1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- ἐμπεριπατήσω,1×
Key Verses
-
II Corinthians 6:16
What agreement does a temple of God have with idols? For you are a temple of the living God. Even as God said, “I will dwell in them and walk in them. I will be their God and they will be my people.”
This verse uniquely applies emperipateō to believers, showing that God’s covenantal presence now dwells within the church community rather than a physical building.