ἐποικοδομέω

ἐποικοδομέω — epoikodoméō

ἐποικοδομέω, ἐποικοδόμω; 1 aorist ἐπωκοδόμησα, and without augment ἐποικοδόμησα (1Co 3:14 T Tr WH; cf. Tdf.'s note on Act 7:47 (see οἰκοδομέω)); passive, present ἐποικοδομοῦμαι; 1 aorist participle ἐποικοδομηθέντες; in the N. T. only in the figurative which likens a company of Christian believers to an edifice or temple; to build upon, build up (Vulg.superaedifico); absolutely (like our English build up) viz. 'to finish the structure of which the foundation has already been laid,' i. e. in plain language, to give constant increase in Christian knowledge and in a life conformed thereto: Act 20:32 (where L T Tr WH οἰκοδομῆσαι (Vulg.aedifico)); 1Co 3:10; (l Pet. 2:5 Tdf.); ἐπί τόν θεμέλιον, 1Co 3:12; τί, 1Co 3:14; ἐν Χριστῷ, with the passive, in fellowship with Christ to grow in spiritual life, Col 2:7; ἐποικοδομηθέντες ἐπί τῷ θεμελίῳ τῶν ἀποστόλων, on the foundation laid by the apostles, i. e. (dropping the figurative) gathered together into a church by the apostles' preaching of the gospel, Eph 2:20; ἐποικοδόμειν ἑαυτόν τῇ πίστει, Jud 1:20, where the sense is, 'resting on your most holy faith as a foundation, make progress, rise like an edifice higher and higher.' (Thucydides, Xenophon, Plato, others.)