Lexical Summary emperipateó: To walk about, to walk among Original Word: ἐμπεριπατέω Strong's Exhaustive Concordance walk aboutFrom en and peripateo; to perambulate on a place, i.e. (figuratively) to be occupied among persons -- walk in. see GREEK en see GREEK peripateo NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom en and peripateó Definition to walk about in or among NASB Translation walk among (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 1704: ἐμπεριπατέωἐμπεριπατέω (T WH ἐνπεριπατέω, see ἐν, III. 3), ἐμπεριπάτω: future ἐμπεριπατήσω; to go about in, walk in: ἐν τισί, among persons, 2 Corinthians 6:16 from Leviticus 26:12. (Job 1:7; Wis. 19:20; (Philo, Plutarch), Lucian, Achilles Tatius, others.) Topical Lexicon Biblical Context and Single New Testament Occurrence Strong’s Greek 1704 appears once in the New Testament, in 2 Corinthians 6:16. Paul cites the divine promise, “I will dwell with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be My people” (Berean Standard Bible). By employing this rare verb, he draws on the rich covenant vocabulary of the Old Testament and re-affirms that the Christian community is now the holy dwelling place of the living God. Old Covenant Foundations The imagery of God “walking among” His people first surfaces in early covenant texts. After the exodus, the Lord reassures Israel, “I will walk among you and be your God, and you will be My people” (Leviticus 26:12). Centuries later, the same pledge anchors prophetic visions of restoration: “My dwelling place will be with them; I will be their God, and they will be My people” (Ezekiel 37:27). In each setting God’s movement within the camp underscores covenant intimacy, holiness, and protection. The tabernacle and later the temple functioned as visible centers of that presence, yet the promise always pointed beyond bricks and curtains to a deeper, personal indwelling. Fulfillment in the New Covenant Church In 2 Corinthians 6:16 Paul applies the promise to the gathered believers at Corinth: they themselves are God’s temple. By merging the verbs “dwell” and “walk” he depicts a continual, communal experience of divine nearness. The Old Testament imagery is not merely preserved; it is intensified. God is no longer restricted to a central sanctuary but resides in and moves about within His redeemed people. The apostle’s quotation forms the heart of an appeal to flee idolatry and maintain moral separation (2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1). Holiness becomes the appropriate response to the God who actively walks in the midst of His church. Theological Themes 1. Presence: The verb conveys movement, not static residence. God is dynamically involved with His people, guiding, correcting, and comforting. Historical and Intertestamental Reflections Second Temple Judaism longed for a renewed manifestation of God’s presence after the exile. Apocryphal writings and Qumran hymns echo the hope that the Lord would “walk” once again among a purified remnant. Paul, trained in these traditions, announces that this hope is realized through Christ and the Spirit in the multinational body of believers. The apostle’s usage thus bridges Israel’s account and the church’s reality. Ministry Implications • Worship: Gatherings are more than religious assemblies; they are arenas where God moves among His people. Reverence and joy should characterize corporate worship. Application for Contemporary Believers Modern Christians can rest in the assurance that the Lord has not abandoned His promise. Whether facing cultural pressure, internal conflict, or personal suffering, the truth that God actively walks among His people sustains faith and motivates holiness. The church is called to cultivate environments—corporate and individual—where His movement is welcomed and unhindered, eagerly anticipating the day when He will dwell with them in unveiled glory (Revelation 21:3). Forms and Transliterations εμπαγήναί εμπαγώ εμπεπηγός εμπεριπατεί εμπεριπατήσας εμπεριπατήσω ἐμπεριπατήσω εμπεριπατών ενεπάγην ενεπάγησαν ενεπάγησάν ενέπηξεν ενπεριπατησω ἐνπεριπατήσω emperipateso emperipatēsō emperipatḗso emperipatḗsōLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts |
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