"a dwelling; used in various conventional senses, and among them, a prison, cell, Acts 12:7*"
Definition and meaning
a dwelling; used in various conventional senses, and among them, a prison, cell, Acts 12:7*
In the original Greek the word is written: οἴκημα
Historical context
The Roman Empire provided infrastructure no previous civilization had built — roads, sea routes, a common language in Greek, and relative peace across the Mediterranean. Jewish synagogues existed in every major city, giving Paul a starting point everywhere he traveled. The early church had no buildings, no political power, no social standing — and spread faster than any movement in ancient history.
The people who first heard this word were not reading a book — they were living through empires, oppression, exile, and covenant. Every word carried the weight of that reality. Understanding it changes how you read Scripture.
Scripture references
These are the most notable occurrences of oikema (G3612) across the King James Bible.
And, behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison: and he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands.
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Common questions
Strong's G3612 (oikema) is a Greek word that means: a dwelling; used in various conventional senses, and among them, a prison, cell, Acts 12:7* It appears 1 times in the King James Bible.
The word oikema (G3612) appears 1 times in the original Greek text.
Strong's G3612 is oikema, a Greek word defined as: a dwelling; used in various conventional senses, and among them, a prison, cell, Acts 12:7*. James Strong catalogued this in his 1890 concordance to help English readers study the original languages of the Bible.
oikema is a Greek word found in the New Testament.