The Greek verb enoikeō means to dwell in, inhabit, or live within a space. The prefix en- (in) intensifies the spatial idea of oikeō (to dwell/inhabit), emphasizing interior residence — dwelling within something or someone.
Enoikeō is Paul's preferred word for the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and the word of Christ in believers. 'The Spirit of God lives (enoikei) in you' (Romans 8:9). 'The Spirit who lives (enoikeō) in you' raised Jesus from the dead (Romans 8:11). 'Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly' (Colossians 3:16). 'Guard the good deposit... with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives (enoikeō) in us' (2 Timothy 1:14). This pattern reveals Paul's ecclesiology of presence: the same Spirit who raised Christ from the dead now inhabits individual believers and the gathered community. The body is not just where we do ministry — it is the temple of the living God.