ἐκδημ-έω G1553
to be away from home, be absent, be in exile; specifically absence from the body as sojourn from heavenly home
The verb ἐκδημέω (from ἐκ + δῆμος 'away from home/people') means to be abroad, away from one's homeland, or in exile. Classical usage referred to foreign travel or banishment. Paul employs it for the Christian's present earthly existence as temporary exile from the true home with the Lord. The word creates a poignant contrast: while 'at home in the body' believers are simultaneously 'away from the Lord,' making present life a kind of foreign residence awaiting repatriation.
Senses
1. sense 1 — All three occurrences cluster in 2 Corinthians 5:6-9, Paul's meditation on mortality and hope. Verse 6: 'So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord.' Verse 8: 'we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord.' Verse 9: 'whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him.' The Spanish verbs (estamos-fuera-de-casa, estando-fuera-de-casa, estar-fuera-de-casa) and French (être-absent) literalize the away-from-home imagery. Paul inverts usual perspective: earthly life is the exile, and death means going home. The verb establishes a spatial metaphor for eschatological longing—believers are resident aliens awaiting return to their true country. 3×
AR["غُرَباءَ", "غُرَباءُ", "نَغتَرِبَ"]·ben["আমরা-বাস-করি", "বাস-করতে", "বাস-করতে,"]·DE["abwesend-sein"]·EN["being-away-from-home", "to-be-away-from-home", "we-are-away-from-home"]·FR["être-absent"]·heb["לָצֵאת", "רְחוֹקִים"]·HI["परदेस-में-जाते-हुए", "परदेस-में-जाना", "परदेस-में-रहते-हैं-हम"]·ID["kami-jauh", "pergi"]·IT["essere-assente"]·jav["kawula-ngumbara", "ngumbara", "ngumbara,"]·KO["떠나-있다", "떠나기를", "떠나든"]·PT["ausentes", "estamos-ausentes", "estar-ausentes"]·RU["выйти", "удалены", "удаляющиеся"]·ES["estamos-fuera-de-casa", "estando-fuera-de-casa", "estar-fuera-de-casa"]·SW["kuondoka", "tukiwa-mbali,", "tuko-mbali"]·TR["evden uzak", "evden uzak olmak", "o-"]·urd["جدا-ہوتے-ہوئے", "جدا-ہوتے-ہیں", "جدا-ہونا"]
Related Senses
H0935 1. come, arrive (Qal) (2413×)G1473 1. first person singular pronoun (2084×)H3318 1. Qal: go out, depart, come forth (891×)H7725 1. to return, come/go back (Qal) (874×)H5927 1. go up, ascend (Qal) (779×)H7971 1. to send, dispatch (Qal) (701×)G2064 1. come / arrive (physical movement toward) (588×)H5307 1. Qal: fall down physically (339×)H5375 1. Qal: to lift up, raise (330×)H5975 1. to stand, stand up (310×)H5674a 1. Qal: pass by, pass through (256×)H3381 1. Qal: to go down, descend (physical movement) (242×)G1831 1. go/come out physically (193×)H5337 1. deliver, rescue, save (Hifil) (188×)H7901 1. lie down, rest, sleep (183×)G1525 1. enter a place physically (179×)H7812 1. prostrate oneself, bow down, worship (173×)H3318 2. Hifil: bring out, lead out, take out (persons) (172×)H7725 2. to bring back, restore (Hifil) (151×)H5674a 2. Qal: cross over (134×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
ἐκδημ-έω, to be abroad, to be on one's travels, Refs 5th c.BC+; to be in exile, Refs 5th c.BC+ __II with accusative, travel through, δύσιν καὶ ἀνατολήν Refs