ἐπιδημέω (epidēmeō)
epidēmeō
to sojourn
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 2 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The verb epidēmeō describes the state of being a temporary resident or sojourner in a place that is not one’s permanent home. Its components suggest staying within a community (demos) for a time, distinguishing this from permanent settlement. In the New Testament, it captures the experience of living among foreigners while maintaining a distinct identity.
This word appears only twice in Acts, highlighting the transient nature of early Christian ministry and travel. Paul uses it to describe his own situation in Athens (Acts 17:21), where he was a visitor sharing new ideas with locals. It also describes believers from other regions visiting Jerusalem for the festival (Acts 2:10), emphasizing their status as guests in a foreign land.
Translators typically render epideō as "sojourn" or "stay," reflecting its nuance of temporary presence. The term carries no negative connotation but simply marks a period of residence away from one’s native place, a common reality for many biblical figures and early church members navigating diverse cultural landscapes.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
Living as a sojourner means carrying your identity with you wherever you go, even when you are just passing through. In Acts 2:10, we see visitors from distant lands like Phrygia and Egypt staying in Jerusalem for a festival. They were temporary residents, yet they found themselves part of a shared moment that united people from every corner of the known world.
This sense of temporary residence reminds us that our time on earth is a journey rather than a permanent settlement. Paul notes in Acts 17:21 that even those living as strangers in Athens were eager to hear something new. Your faith travels with you, offering hope and connection no matter where life takes you.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 2 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- visiting [here]1×
- visiting1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- ἐπιδημοῦντες2×
Key Verses
-
Acts 2:10
Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt, the parts of Libya around Cyrene, visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes,
This verse lists specific regions like Phrygia and Pamphylia to show that the crowd included many temporary residents who had traveled far for a religious gathering.
-
Acts 17:21
Now all the Athenians and the strangers living there spent their time in nothing else, but either to tell or to hear some new thing.
Paul observes that strangers living in Athens were so engaged with new ideas that it defined their daily routine while they were away from home.