consciousness of sin

συνείδησις, εως, ἡ (συνεῖδον)

① awareness of information about someth., consciousness (Democr., Fgm. 297 ς. τῆς κακοπραγμοσύνης; Chrysipp. in Diog. L. 7, 85 τὴν ταύτης συνείδησιν; Eccl 10:20; Sir 42:18 v.l.; Jos., Ant. 16, 212; Just.; Theoph. Ant. 2, 4 [p. 102, 8]) w. obj. gen. συνείδησις ἁμαρτιῶν consciousness of sin Hb 10:2 (Diod S 4, 65, 7 διὰ τὴν συνείδησιν τοῦ μύσους; Philo, Det. Pot. Ins. 146 οἱ συνειδήσει τῶν οἰκείων ἀδικημάτων ἐλεγχόμενοι, Virt. 124 ς. ἁμαρτημάτων). συνείδησις θεοῦ consciousness, awareness of God 1 Pt 2:19 (s. ESelwyn, 1 Pt ’46, 176–78). Opp. ς. τοῦ εἰδώλου in awareness that this is an idol 1 Cor 8:7a v.l. (for συνηθείᾳ).

② the inward faculty of distinguishing right and wrong, moral consciousness, conscience (Menand., Monost. 597 ἅπασιν ἡμῖν ἡ συνείδησις θεός comes close to this mng.; cp. 654; Dionys. Hal., De Thuc. 8 μιαίνειν τὴν ἑαυτοῦ συνείδησιν; Heraclit. Sto., 37 p. 54, 8 ς. ἁμαρτόντος ἀνθρώπου; Ps.-Lucian, Amor. 49 οὐδεμιᾶς ἀπρεποῦς συνειδήσεως παροικούσης; Hierocles 14, 451; Stob., Flor. 3, 24 [I 601ff H.] quotes sayings of Bias and Periander on ὀρθὴ or ἀγαθὴ συνείδησις; PRyl 116, 9 [II A.D.] θλιβομένη τῇ συνειδήσει περὶ ὧν ἐνοσφίσατο; Mitt-Wilck. II/2, 88 I, 35 [II A.D.]; BGU 1024 III, 7; PFlor 338, 17 [III A.D.] συνειδήσει=‘conscientiously’, also s. 3, below; Wsd 17:10; Jos., Ant. 16, 103 κατὰ συνείδησιν ἀτοπωτέραν; TestReub 4:3; TestJud 20:2 v.l.; συνείδησιν μολύνειν Hippol., Ref. 9, 23, 4) w. subj. gen. Ro 2:15; 9:1; 1 Cor 10:29a; 2 Cor 1:12; 4:2; 5:11; Hb 9:14 al.; ἡ ἰδία ς. 1 Ti 4:2. Opp. ἄλλη ς. another’s scruples 1 Cor 10:29b; διὰ τὴν ς. for conscience’ sake (cp. OGI 484, 37 διὰ τὸ συνειδός; Ps.-Dio Chrys. 20 [37], 35) Ro 13:5; 1 Cor 10:25, 27f; τὸ μαρτύριον τῆς ς. 2 Cor 1:12, cp. ς. as the subj. of μαρτυρεῖν Ro 9:1; cp. 2:15, or of ἐλέγχειν J 8:9 v.l. (s. ἐλέγχω 2). W. attributes: ς. ἀγαθή a good conscience (cp. Herodian 6, 3, 4; PRein s.v. καλός 2b) Ac 23:1; 1 Ti 1:5; 1 Pt 3:21 (on the topic cp. FSokolowski, Lois sacrées des cités grecques, Supplément ’62 no. 108, 4–7 ‘one who enters the temple … must be pure, not through bathing but in mind’); ἔχειν ἀγαθὴν ς. (cp. ἐλευθέραν ἐχ. τὴν ς. Did., Gen. 89, 11) 1 Ti 1:19; 1 Pt 3:16. Also ἐν ἀγαθῇ ς. ὑπάρχειν 1 Cl 41:1. ἐν ἀμώμῳ καὶ ἁγνῇ συνειδήσει περιπατεῖν Pol 5:3 (μετὰ συνειδήσεως ἀγαθῆς τελευτᾶν Hippol., Ref. 9, 26, 4); cp. 1 Cl 1:3. ς. ἀσθενής a weak conscience, indecisive because of being bound to old ways 1 Cor 8:7; cp. vss. 10, 12. ς. ἀπρόσκοπος Ac 24:16; καθαρὰ ς. 1 Ti 3:9; 2 Ti 1:3; 1 Cl 45:7; καθαρὸς τῇ ς. ITr 7:2; καλὴ ς. Hb 13:18; 2 Cl 16:4. ς. πονηρά a bad conscience or a consciousness of guilt (s. καρδία 1bδ) Hb 10:22; D 4:14; B 19:12; Hm 3:4. ἡ ς. μολύνεται 1 Cor 8:7. μιαίνεται Tit 1:15 (s. Dionys. Hal. above). καθαριεῖ τ. συνείδησιν ἡμῶν ἀπὸ νεκρῶν ἔργων Hb 9:14. κατὰ συνείδησιν (s. on this Vett. Val. 210, 1) τελειῶσαί τινα vs. 9.

③ attentiveness to obligation, conscientiousness (for ins s. New Docs 3, 85; pap.) μετὰ συνειδήσεως conscientiously 1 Cl 2:4; ἐν ὁμονοίᾳ συναχθέντες τῇ ς. assembled in concord, with full consciousness of our duty 1 Cl 34:7.—MKähler, Das Gewissen I 1, 1878, RE VI 1899, 646ff; RSteinmetz, Das Gewissen bei Pls 1911; MPohlenz, GGA 1913, 642ff, Die Stoa ’48; ’49 (index), ZNW 42, ’49, 77–79; HBöhlig, Das Gewissen bei Seneka u. Pls: StKr 87, 1914, 1–24; FTillmam, Zur Geschichte des Begriffs ‘Gewissen’ bis zu den paulin. Briefen: SMerkle Festschr. 1922, 336–47; FZucker, Syneidesis-Conscientia 1928; TSchneider, D. paulin. Begriff d. Gewissens (Syneidesis): Bonner Zeitschr. f. Theol. u. Seelsorge 6, 1929, 193–211, D. Quellen d. paul. Gewissensbegr.: ibid. 7, 1930, 97–112; BSnell, Gnomon 6, 1930, 21ff; MDibelius Hdb.² ’31 exc. on 1 Ti 1:5; HOsborne, Σύνεσις and ς.: ClR 45, ’31, 8–10, Συνείδησις: JTS 32, ’31, 167–79; GRudberg, JAEklund Festschr. ’33, 165ff; GJung, Συνείδησις, Conscientia, Bewusstsein: Archiv f. d. gesamte Psychologie 89, ’34, 525–40; WAalders, Het Geweten, ’35; CSpicq, La conscience dans le NT: RB 47, ’38, 50–80; BReicke, The Disobedient Spirits and Christian Baptism ’46, 174–82; JDupont, Studia Hellenistica 5, ’48, 119–53; HClavier, Συν., une pierre de touche de l’Hellénisme paulinien, announced in Studia Paulina [JdeZwaan Festschr.] ’53, p. 80 n. 1; CPierce, Conscience in the NT, ’55; BReicke, TZ 12, ’56, 157–61, esp. 159; DMariella Jr., The NT Concept of Conscience, diss. Vanderbilt ’59; PDelhaye, Studia Montis Regii (Montreal) 4, ’61, 229–51; JStelzenberger, Syneidesis im NT, ’61; MThrall, NTS 14, ’67/68, 118–25; BHarris, Westminster Theol. Journal 24, ’62, 173–86; RJewett, Paul’s Anthropological Terms, ’71, 402–46; HEckstein, Der Begriff Syneidesis bei Paulus ’83; GSelby, The Meaning and Function of ς. in Hb 9 and 10: Restoration Qtrly 28, ’86, 145–54 (internal awareness of sin); PGooch, Conscience in 1 Cor 8 and 10: NTS 33, ’87, 244–54; PTomson, Paul and the Jewish Law (CRINT III/1) ’90, 208–20 (‘consciousness’); EBorgh, La notion de conscience dans le NT: Filología Neotestamentaria 10, 1997, 85–98.—RAC X 1025–1107; BHHW I 564f.—New Docs 3 no. 69. DELG s.v. οἶδα C. M-M. EDNT. TW. Spicq. Sv.

ἁμαρτία, ίας, ἡ (w. mngs. ranging fr. involuntary mistake/ error to serious offenses against a deity: Aeschyl., Antiphon, Democr.+; ins fr. Cyzicus JHS 27, 1907, p. 63 [III B.C.] ἁμαρτίαν μετανόει; PLips 119 recto, 3; POxy 1119, 11; LXX; En, TestSol, TestAbr, TestJob, Test12Patr; JosAs 12:14; ParJer, ApcEsdr, ApcSed, ApcMos; EpArist 192; Philo; Jos., Ant. 13, 69 al.; Ar. [Milne 76, 42]; Just., A I, 61, 6; 10; 66, 1, D. 13, 1 al.; Tat. 14, 1f; 20, 1; Mel., P. 50, 359; 55, 400; s. ClR 24, 1910, 88; 234; 25, 1911, 195–97).

① a departure fr. either human or divine standards of uprightness

ⓐ sin (w. context ordinarily suggesting the level of heinousness), the action itself (ἁμάρτησις s. prec.), as well as its result (ἁμάρτημα), πᾶσα ἀδικία ἁ. ἐστίν 1J 5:17 (cp. Eur., Or. 649; Gen 50:17). ἁ. w. ἀνομήματα Hv 1, 3, 1; descr. as ἀνομία (cp. Ps 58:3; TestJob 43:17) 1J 3:4; but one who loves is far from sin Pol 3:3, cp. Js 5:20; 1 Pt 4:8, 1 Cl 49:5; Agr 13. ἀναπληρῶσαι τὰς ἁ. fill up the measure of sins (Gen 15:16) 1 Th 2:16. κοινωνεῖν ἁ. ἀλλοτρίαις 1 Ti 5:22. ποιεῖν ἁ. commit a sin (Tob 12:10; 14:7S; Dt 9:21) 2 Cor 11:7; 1 Pt 2:22; Js 5:15; 1J 3:4, 8. For this ἁμαρτάνειν ἁ. (Ex 32:30; La 1:8) 1J 5:16; ἐργάζεσθαι ἁ. Js 2:9; Hm 4, 1, 2 (LXX oft. ἐργάζ. ἀδικίαν or ἀνομίαν). μεγάλην ἁ. ἐργάζεσθαι commit a great sin m 4, 1, 1; 8:2. Pl. (cp. Pla., Ep. 7, 335a τὰ μεγάλα ἁμαρτήματα κ. ἀδικήματα) Hs 7:2. ἐπιφέρειν ἁ. τινί Hv 1, 2, 4. ἑαυτῷ ἁ. ἐπιφέρειν bring sin upon oneself m 11:4; for this ἁ. ἐπισπᾶσθαί τινι m 4, 1, 8 (cp. Is 5:18). προστιθέναι ταῖς ἁ. add to one’s sins (cp. προσέθηκεν ἁμαρτίας ἐφʼ ἁμαρτίας PsSol 3:10) Hv 5:7; m 4, 3, 7; Hs 6, 2, 3; 8, 11, 3; φέρειν ἁ. 1 Cl 16:4 (Is 53:4). ἀναφέρειν vs. 14 (Is 53:12). γέμειν ἁμαρτιῶν B 11:11. εἶναι ἐν ταῖς ἁμαρτίαις 1 Cor 15:17 (cp. Alex. Aphr., Eth. Probl. 9 II 2 p. 129, 13 ἐν ἁμαρτήμασιν εἶναι).—Sin viewed from the perspective of God’s or Christ’s response: ἀφιέναι τὰς ἁ. let go = forgive sins (Lev 4:20 al.) Mt 9:2, 5f; Mk 2:5, 7, 9f; Lk 5:20ff; Hv 2, 2, 4; 1 Cl 50:5; 53:5 (Ex 32:32) al. (ἀφίημι 2); hence ἄφεσις (τῶν) ἁμαρτιῶν (Iren. 1, 21, 2 [Harv. I 182, 4]) forgiveness of sins Mt 26:28; Mk 1:4; Lk 1:77; 3:3; 24:47; Ac 2:38; 5:31; 10:43; 13:38; Hm 4, 3, 2; B 5:1; 6:11; 8:3; 11:1; 16:8. διδόναι ἄφεσιν ἁ. AcPl Ha 2, 30; λαβεῖν ἄφεσιν ἁ. receive forgiveness of sins Ac 26:18 (Just., D. 54 al); καθαρίζειν τὰς ἁ. cleanse the sins (thought of as a stain) Hs 5, 6, 3; καθαρίζειν ἀπὸ ἁ. 1 Cl 18:3 (Ps 50:4; cp. Sir 23:10; PsSol 10:1); also καθαρισμὸν ποιεῖσθαι τῶν ἁ. Hb 1:3; ἀπολούεσθαι τὰς ἁ. Ac 22:16 ([w. βαπτίζειν] Just., D. 13, 1 al.). λύτρον ἁ. ransom for sins B 19:10.—αἴρειν J 1:29; περιελεῖν ἁ. Hb 10:11; ἀφαιρεῖν (Ex 34:9; Is 27; 9) vs. 4; Hs 9, 28, 3; ῥυσθῆναι ἀπὸ ἁ. 1 Cl 60:3; ἀπὸ τῶν ἁ. ἀποσπασθῆναι AcPlCor 2:9. Sin as a burden αἱ ἁ. κατεβάρησαν Hs 9, 28, 6; as a disease ἰᾶσθαι Hs 9, 28, 5 (cp. Dt 30:3); s. also the verbs in question.—Looked upon as an entry in a ledger; hence ἐξαλείφεται ἡ ἁ. wiped away, cancelled (Ps 108:14; Jer 18:23; Is 43:25) Ac 3:19.—Opp. στῆσαι τὴν ἁ. 7:60; λογίζεσθαι ἁ. take account of sin (as a debt; cp. the commercial metaphor Ro 4:6 and s. FDanker, Gingrich Festschr. 104, n. 2) Ro 4:8 (Ps 31:2); 1 Cl 60:2 (Just., D. 141, 3). Pass. ἁ. οὐκ ἐλλογεῖται is not entered in the account Ro 5:13 (GFriedrich, TLZ 77, ’52, 523–28). Of sinners ὀφειλέτης ἁ. Pol 6:1 (cp. SIG 1042, 14–16 [II A.D.] ὸ̔ς ἂν δὲ πολυπραγμονήσῃ τὰ τοῦ θεοῦ ἢ περιεργάσηται, ἁμαρτίαν ὀφιλέτω Μηνὶ Τυράννωι, ἣν οὐ μὴ δύνηται ἐξειλάσασθαι).—γινώσκειν ἁ. (cp. Num 32:23) Ro 7:7; Hm 4, 1, 5. ἐπίγνωσις ἁμαρτίας Ro 3:20; ὁμολογεῖν τὰς ἁ. 1J 1:9; ἐξομολογεῖσθε ἐπὶ ταῖς ἁ. B 19:12; ἐξομολογεῖσθαι τὰς ἁ. Mt 3:6; Mk 1:5; Hv 3, 1, 5f; Hs 9, 23, 4; ἐξομολογεῖσθε ἀλλήλοις τὰς ἁ. confess your sins to each other Js 5:16.—ἐλέγχειν τινὰ περὶ ἁ. convict someone of sin J 8:46; cp. ἵνα σου τὰς ἁ. ἐλέγξω πρὸς τὸν κύριον that I might reveal your sins before the Lord Hv 1, 1, 5.—σεσωρευμένος ἁμαρτίαις loaded down w. sins 2 Ti 3:6; cp. ἐπισωρεύειν ταῖς ἁ. B 4:6; ἔνοχος τῆς ἁ. involved in the sin Hm 2:2; 4, 1, 5. μέτοχος τῆς ἁ. m 4, 1, 9.—In Hb sin is atoned for (ἱλάσκεσθαι τὰς ἁ. 2:17) by sacrifices θυσίαι ὑπὲρ ἁ. 5:1 (cp. 1 Cl 41:2). προσφορὰ περὶ ἁ. sin-offering 10:18; also simply περὶ ἁ. (Lev 5:11; 7:37) vss. 6, 8 (both Ps 39:7; cp. 1 Pt 3:18); προσφέρειν περὶ ἁ. bring a sin-offering Hb 5:3; cp. 10:12; 13:11. Christ has made the perfect sacrifice for sin 9:23ff; συνείδησις ἁ. consciousness of sin 10:2; ἀνάμνησις ἁ. a reminder of sins of the feast of atonement vs. 3.

ⓑ special sins (ἁ. τῆς ἀποστασίας Iren. 5, 26, 2 [Harv. II 397, 4]): πρὸς θάνατον that leads to death 1J 5:16b (ἁμαρτάνω e); opp. οὐ πρὸς θάνατον vs. 17. μεγάλη ἁ. a great sin Hv 1, 1, 8 al. (Gen 20:9; Ex 32:30 al.; cp. Schol. on Pla., Tht. 189d ἁμαρτήματα μεγάλα). μείζων ἁ. m 11:4; ἥττων 1 Cl 47:4. μεγάλη κ. ἀνίατος Hm 5, 2, 4; τέλειαι ἁ. Hv 1, 2, 1; B 8:1, cp. τὸ τέλειον τῶν ἁ. 5:11 (Philo, Mos. 1, 96 κατὰ τῶν τέλεια ἡμαρτηκότων); ἡ προτέρα ἁ. (Arrian, Anab. 7, 23, 8 εἴ τι πρότερον ἡμάρτηκας) sin committed before baptism Hm 4, 1, 11; 4, 3, 3; Hs 8, 11, 3; cp. v 2, 1, 2.

② a state of being sinful, sinfulness, a prominent feature in Johannine thought, and opposed to ἀλήθεια; hence ἁ. ἔχειν J 9:41; 15:24; 1J 1:8. μείζονα ἁ. ἔχειν J 19:11; ἁ. μένει 9:41. γεννᾶσθαι ἐν ἁμαρτίαις be born in sin 9:34 (ἐν ἁμαρτίᾳ v.l).; opp. ἐν ἁ. ἀποθανεῖν die in sin 8:21, 24; AcPl Ha 1, 16. ἁ. ἐν αὐτῷ οὐκ ἔστιν 1J 3:5.

③ a destructive evil power, sin

ⓐ Paul thinks of sin almost in pers. terms (cp. Sir 27:10; Mel., P. 50, 359; PGM 4, 1448 w. other divinities of the nether world, also Ἁμαρτίαι χθόνιαι; Dibelius, Geisterwelt 119ff) as a ruling power that invades the world. Sin came into the world Ro 5:12 (JFreundorfer, Erbsünde u. Erbtod b. Ap. Pls 1927; ELohmeyer, ZNW 29, 1930, 1–59; JSchnitzer, D. Erbsünde im Lichte d. Religionsgesch. ’31; ROtto, Sünde u. Urschuld ’32; FDanker, Ro 5:12: Sin under Law: NTS 14, ’67/68, 424–39), reigns there vs. 21; 6:14; everything was subject to it Gal 3:22; people serve it Ro 6:6; are its slaves vss. 17, 20; are sold into its service 7:14 or set free from it 6:22; it has its law 7:23; 8:2; it revives (ἀνέζησεν) Ro 7:9 or is dead vs. 8; it pays its wages, viz., death 6:23, cp. 5:12 (see lit. s.v. ἐπί 6c). As a pers. principle it dwells in humans Ro 7:17, 20, viz., in the flesh (s. σάρξ 2cα) 8:3; cp. vs. 2; 7:25. The earthly body is hence a σῶμα τῆς ἁ. 6:6 (Col 2:11 v.l.).—As abstr. for concr. τὸν μὴ γνόντα ἁ. ὑπέρ ἡμῶν ἁμαρτίαν ἐποίησεν (God) made him, who never sinned, to be sin (i.e. the guilty one) for our sakes 2 Cor 5:21.

ⓑ In Hb (as in OT) sin appears as the power that deceives humanity and leads it to destruction, whose influence and activity can be ended only by sacrifices (s. 1a end): ἀπάτη τῆς ἁ. Hb 3:13.—On the whole word s. ἁμαρτάνω, end. GMoore, Judaism I 445–52; ABüchler, Studies in Sin and Atonement in the Rabb. Lit. of the I Cent. 1928; WKnuth, D. Begriff der Sünde b. Philon v. Alex., diss. Jena ’34; EThomas, The Problem of Sin in the NT 1927; Dodd 76–81; DDaube, Sin, Ignorance and Forgiveness in the Bible, ’61; AGelin and ADescamps, Sin in the Bible, ’65.—On the special question ‘The Christian and Sin’ see PWernle 1897; HWindisch 1908; EHedström 1911; RBultmann, ZNW 23, 1924, 123–40; Windisch, ibid. 265–81; RSchulz, D. Frage nach der Selbsttätigkt. d. Menschen im sittl. Leben b. Pls., diss. Hdlb. ’40.—JAddison, ATR 33, ’51, 137–48; KKuhn, πειρασμός ἁμαρτία σάρξ im NT: ZTK 49, ’52, 200–222; JBremer, Hamartia ’69 (Gk. views).—B. 1182. EDNT. DELG s.v. ἁμαρτάνω. M-M. TW.

ἐπίγνωσις, εως, ἡ (s. γνῶσις and prec. entry; Philo Mech. 59, 2; Polyb. 3, 7, 6; 3, 31, 4; Diod S 3, 38, 2; Epict. 2, 20, 21; Plut., Mor. 1145a; Herodian 7, 6, 7; pap [Mayser 438; UPZ 118, 16: 136 B.C.?; BGU 1873, 20f; PTebt 28, 11: c. 114 B.C.]; LXX, EpArist, Philo, Just., Tat.; καιρῶν ἐ. Did., Gen. 195, 28) knowledge, recognition in our lit. limited to transcendent and moral matters (Hierocles 22 p. 467). W. gen. of the thing known (Diod S 3, 56, 5 τῶν ἄστρων ἐ.) δόξης ὀνόματος αὐτοῦ 1 Cl 59:2 (here ἀγνωσία as contrast to ἐπίγν.). (τῆς) ἀληθείας a knowledge of the truth (Epict. 2, 20, 21; Philo, Omn. Pr. L. 74; τοῦ ἀληθοῦς Just., D. 3, 4.—MDibelius, Ἐπίγνωσις ἀληθείας: GHeinrici Festschr. 1914, 178–89) 1 Ti 2:4; 2 Ti 2:25; 3:7; Tit 1:1; Hb 10:26 (for the expr. εἰς ἐπίγνωσιν ἔρχεσθαι in 1 Ti 2:4; 2 Ti 3:7 cp. 2 Macc 9:11). ἁμαρτίας consciousness of sin Ro 3:20. τοῦ μυστηρίου τ. θεοῦ Col 2:2. τοῦ θελήματος αὐτοῦ 1:9. παντὸς ἀγαθοῦ Phlm 6 (cp. Herm. Wr. 3, 3b ἀγαθῶν ἐ.; EpArist 139; ἐ. τοῦ καλοῦ Did., Gen. 72, 17). W. gen. of the pers. known ἐ. τοῦ θεοῦ knowledge of God (Pr 2:5; Hos 4:1; Just., A II, 10, 6; Tat. 13, 1) Col 1:10; 2 Pt 1:2; cp. Eph 1:17; 2 Pt 1:3; Dg 10:1. Also ἡ περί σου ἐ. MPol 14:1; ἐ. τοῦ υἱοῦ τοῦ θεοῦ Eph 4:13; cp. 2 Pt 1:8; 2:20. Knowledge of God and Christ 2 Pt 1:2; but legal terminology may be reflected here (=cognitio, cp. PTebt 28, 11 πρὸς τὸ μὴ ἕκαστα ὑπʼ ἐπίγνωσιν ἀχθῆναι [114 B.C.]; SIG 826d, 16f). Abs. (cp. Hos 4:6) θεὸν ἔχειν ἐν ἐ. to recognize God Ro 1:28; (w. αἴσθησις) Phil 1:9; ἀνακαινούμενος εἰς ἐ. renewed in knowledge Col 3:10. κατʼ ἐπίγνωσιν in accordance w. (real) knowledge Ro 10:2.—DELG s.v. γιγνώσκω. M-M. TW.

οἰκοδομέω (οἰκοδόμος; Hdt.; ins, pap, LXX, En, EpArist, Philo, Joseph., Test12Patr) impf. ᾠκοδόμουν; fut. οἰκοδομήσω; 1 aor. ᾠκοδόμησα also without augment οἰκοδόμησα (ApcMos 40; on the augment s. W-S. §12, 5a; Mlt-H. 191); pf. ᾠκοδόμηκα LXX; plpf. 3 sg. ᾠκοδομήκει (Just., D. 127, 3). Pass.: impf. 3 sg. ᾠκοδομεῖτο; 1 fut. οἰκοδομηθήσομαι; 1 aor. ᾠκοδομήθην (v.l.) or οἰκοδομήθην (other edd., J 2:20); perf. inf. ᾠκοδομῆσθαι (οἰ-Lk 6:48b); ptc. οἰκοδομημένος (Ox 1 recto, 15f [GTh 32]); ᾠκοδομημένος Hv 3, 2, 6; plpf. 3 sg. ᾠκοδόμητο.

① to construct a building, build

ⓐ w. obj. acc. build, erect (oft. pap [Mayser II/2 p. 315, 30ff]; Jos., Ant. 15, 403 al.; Did., Gen 29, 7) οἰκίαν (Diod S 14, 116, 8; Lucian, Charon 17) Lk 6:48a. τὰς οἰκοδομάς GJs 9:3; pass. (Sb 5104, 2 [163 B.C.] οἰκία ᾠκοδομημένη; PAmh 51, 11; 23) Lk 6:48b. πύργον (Is 5:2) Mt 21:33; Mk 12:1; Lk 14:28; Hs 9, 3, 1; 4; 9, 12, 6; pass. Hv 3, 2, 4ff; 3, 3, 3; 3, 5, 5; 3, 8, 9; Hs 9, 3, 2; 9, 5, 2; 9, 9, 7; cp. 9, 9, 4. ναόν Mk 14:58; 16:3 (Is 49:17); pass. J 2:20 (Heliodorus Periegeta of Athens [II B.C.]: 373 Fgm. 1 Jac. says of the Acropolis: ἐν ἔτεσι ε̄ παντελῶς ἐξεποιήθη; Orig., C. Cels. 5, 33, 13); 16:6 (cp. below; the ‘scripture’ pass. is interpreted spiritually). ἀποθήκας Lk 12:18 (opp. καθαιρεῖν; s. this 2aα). τοὺς τάφους τῶν προφητῶν the tombs of the prophets Mt 23:29 (s. EKlosterman² ad loc.). τὰ μνημεῖα τῶν προφητῶν the monuments for the prophets Lk 11:47 (μνημεῖον 1).—οἰκ. τινί τι build someth. for someone (Gen 8:20; Ex 1:11; Ezk 16:24) συναγωγὴν οἰκ. τινί Lk 7:5. οἰκ. τινὶ οἶκον Ac 7:47, 49; 16:2 (the last two Is 66:1).—W. the obj. acc. and foll. by ἐπί w. acc. or w. gen: τὴν οἰκίαν ἐπὶ τὴν πέτραν build the house on the rock Mt 7:24. ἐπὶ τὴν ἄμμον on the sand vs. 26 (proverbial: Plut. VII p. 463, 10 Bern. εἰς ψάμμον οἰκοδομεῖς). πόλις ἐπὶ τ. ὄρους Lk 4:29 (cp. Jos., Ant. 8, 97). ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν 6:49. πόλις οἰκοδομημένη ἐπʼ ἄκρον ὄρους ὑψηλοῦ a city that is built on the top of a high mountain Ox 1 recto, 15f (GTh 32). πύργος ἐπὶ ὑδάτων Hv 3, 3, 5; ἐπὶ τὴν πέτραν Hs 9, 14, 4 (opp. χαμαὶ οὐκ ᾠκοδόμηται).

ⓑ abs.

α. when the obj. can be supplied fr. the context (Did., Gen. 33, 27) Lk 11:48; 14:30.—Cp. Hv 3, 1, 7; 3, 4, 1a; 3, 10, 1; Hs 9, 4, 1.

β. but also entirely without an obj. (Theoph. Ant. 2, 13 [p. 132, 4f]) ᾠκοδόμουν they erected buildings Lk 17:28. οἱ οἰκοδομοῦντες the builders, the masons (after Ps 117:22) Mt 21:42; Mk 12:10; Lk 20:17; Ac 4:11 v.l.; 1 Pt 2:7; 6:4. Also with no ref. to the Ps passage: Hs 9, 4, 4; 9, 6, 6.

γ. οἱ λίθοι οἱ ἤδη ᾠκοδομημένοι the stones already used in the building Hv 3, 5, 2; cp. Hs 9, 6, 3.

ⓒ build up again, restore, a sense that οἰκ. can receive fr. the context (Josh 6:26; Ps 50:20; 68:36) Mt 26:61; 27:40; Mk 15:29; 16:3 (Is 49:17).—S. also 2.

② to construct in a transcendent sense (as in Hermas passages given under 1, where the tower is a symbol of the church) build: of the building up of the Christian congregation/church (cp. Ruth 4:11; θεμελιώσαντες καὶ οἰκοδομήσαντες οἱ μακάριοι ἀπόστολοι τὴν ἐκκλησίαν Iren. 3, 3, 3 [Harv. II 10, 1]) ἐπὶ ταύτῃ τῇ πέτρᾳ οἰκοδομήσω μου τὴν ἐκκλησίαν on this rock I will build my congregation/church Mt 16:18. ὡς λίθοι ζῶντες οἰκοδομεῖσθε οἶκος πνευματικός like living stones let yourselves be built up (pass.) or build yourselves up (mid., so Goodsp., Probs. 194f) into a spiritual house 1 Pt 2:5. Paul refers to missionary work where another Christian has begun activities as ἐπʼ ἀλλότριον θεμέλιον οἰκ. building on another’s foundation Ro 15:20. He also refers to his negative view of law in relation to the Christ-event as a building, and speaks of its refutation as a tearing down (καταλύειν), and of returning to it as a rebuilding (s. 1c above) Gal 2:18. This is prob. where 11:1 belongs, where (followed by citations of Scripture) it is said of the Israelites that they do not accept the baptism that removes sin, but ἑαυτοῖς οἰκοδομήσουσιν will build up someth. for themselves. In another pass. B calls the believer a πνευματικὸς ναὸς οἰκοδομούμενος τῷ κυρίῳ a spiritual temple built for the Lord 16:10; cp. vs. 6f.—Hermas’ temple-building discourse mentions angels entrusted by God with οἰκοδομεῖν building up or completion of his whole creation Hv 3, 4, 1b.—(In this connection cp. Orig., C. Cels. 4, 38, 16 γυνὴ οἰκοδομηθεῖσα ὑπὸ τοῦ θεοῦ [of Eve]).

③ to help improve ability to function in living responsibly and effectively, strengthen, build up, make more able. οἰκ. is thus used in a nonliteral sense and oft. without consciousness of its basic mng. (Straub p. 27), somewhat like edify in our moral parlance (this extended use is found as early as X., Cyr. 8, 7, 15 and in LXX: Ps 27:5; Jer 40:7. Also TestBenj 8:3.—JWeiss on 1 Cor 8:1). Of the Lord, who is able to strengthen the believers Ac 20:32. Of the congregation, which was being built up 9:31.—Esp. in Paul: ἡ ἀγάπη οἰκοδομεῖ love builds up (in contrast to γνῶσις, which ‘puffs up’) 1 Cor 8:1 (=Dg 12:5). πάντα ἔξεστιν, ἀλλʼ οὐ πάντα οἰκοδομεῖ everything is permitted, but not everything is beneficial 10:23. ὁ λαλῶν γλώσσῃ ἑαυτὸν οἰκοδομεῖ• ὁ δὲ προφητεύων ἐκκλησίαν οἰκοδομεῖ 14:4; cp. vs. 17. οἰκοδομεῖτε εἷς τὸν ἕνα strengthen one another 1 Th 5:11. In 1 Cor 8:10 the apostle is prob. speaking ironically, w. ref. to the ‘strong’ party at Corinth, who declare that by their example they are benefiting the ‘weak’: οὐχὶ ἡ συνείδησις αὐτοῦ οἰκοδομηθήσεται εἰς τὸ τὰ εἰδωλόθυτα ἐσθίειν; will not his conscience be ‘strengthened’ so that he will eat meat offered to idols? (difft. MargaretThrall, TU 102, ’68, 468–72).—Of Paul’s letters, by which δυνηθήσεσθε οἰκοδομεῖσθαι εἰς τὴν δοθεῖσαν ὑμῖν πίστιν you will be able to build yourselves up in the faith that has been given you Pol 3:2.—HCremer, Über den bibl. Begriff der Erbauung 1863; HScott, The Place of οἰκοδομή in the NT: PT 2, 1904, 402–24; HBassermann, Über den Begriff ‘Erbauung’: Zeitschr. für prakt. Theol. 4 1882, 1–22; CTrossen, Erbauen: ThGl 6, 1914, 804ff; PVielhauer, Oikodome (d. Bild vom Bau vom NT bis Clem. Alex.), diss. Hdlbg. ’39; PBonnard, Jésus-Christ édifiant son Église ’48.—B. 590. DELG s.v. δέμω. M-M. TW. Sv.