Lexical Summary epidémeó: To stay, to reside, to be present Original Word: ἐπιδημέω Strong's Exhaustive Concordance dwelling as a stranger. From a compound of epi and demos; to make oneself at home, i.e. (by extension) to reside (in a foreign country) -- (be) dwelling (which were) there, stranger. see GREEK epi see GREEK demos NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom epi and démos Definition to be at home NASB Translation visiting (1), visitors (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 1927: ἐπιδημέωἐπιδημέω, ἐπιδήμω; (ἐπίδημος); 1. to be present among one's people, in one's city or in one's native loud (cf. ἐπί D. 1) (Thucydides, Plato, others; opposed to ἀποδήμειν, Xenophon, Cyril 7, 5, 69; ἐπιδήμειν ἐν τῷ δέ τῷ βίῳ, Theophilus ad Autol. 2, 12 (p. 88, Otto edition)). 2. to be a sojourner, a foreign resident, among any people, in any country: Acts 2:10; οἱ ἐπιδημοῦντες ξένοι, Acts 17:21; (Xenophon, Plato, Theophrastus, Lucian, Aelian, others). Topical Lexicon Biblical Usage Strong’s Greek 1927 appears twice, both times rendered “visitors” or “foreigners staying there” (Acts 2:10; Acts 17:21). The term points to people away from their homeland but present in a city for an extended visit—long enough to share in its civic life, worship, and intellectual exchange. Pentecost Context (Acts 2:10) Luke lists “visitors from Rome” among the multinational crowd gathered in Jerusalem. These sojourners, already drawn to the feasts of the Lord, became eyewitnesses to the outpouring of the Spirit. Their temporary residence positioned them to carry the gospel back to the capital of the empire. Thus, the word highlights how God used transient guests to seed the church in Rome long before any apostolic missionary reached the city. Areopagus Context (Acts 17:21) In Athens the same word describes non-Athenian dwellers absorbed in “telling or hearing something new.” These curious expatriates provided Paul a ready audience for the proclamation of the “unknown God.” The term therefore frames the evangelistic moment, showing how God employs cultural centers where itinerant thinkers gather to spread saving truth. Cultural and Historical Background The Greco-Roman world teemed with traders, students, pilgrims, and diplomats who maintained citizenship elsewhere yet resided temporarily in major cities. Such mobility created natural conduits for ideas and faith. Scripture records that the gospel advanced along these very arteries (see Acts 8:27; Acts 18:2), fulfilling prophetic promises that “all nations” would hear (Isaiah 2:2–3). Theological Insights 1. Divine Sovereignty in Movement: God orchestrates the travels of people groups so that they encounter revelation (Acts 17:26–27). Implications for Mission and Ministry • Strategic Cities: Urban hubs attract modern “visitors” (students, refugees, business travelers). Churches that reach these groups may influence distant regions without crossing borders themselves. Contemporary Reflection Migration, study-abroad programs, and global commerce place ἐπιδημοῦντες on every campus and in every metropolis. The early church’s experience urges believers to see transient populations not as peripheral but as strategic partners in the Great Commission. Forms and Transliterations επιδημουντες επιδημούντες ἐπιδημοῦντες epidemountes epidemoûntes epidēmountes epidēmoûntesLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Acts 2:10 V-PPA-NMPGRK: καὶ οἱ ἐπιδημοῦντες Ῥωμαῖοι NAS: Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, KJV: Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, INT: and those visiting [here] from Rome Acts 17:21 V-PPA-NMP |
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