χωρέω

I make room, go, receive

Definition

The Greek verb χωρέω (chōreō) carries two primary meanings in the New Testament. First, in a literal sense, it means 'to have room for' or 'to contain,' as seen when the water jars at Cana could 'hold' two or three measures (John 2:6) or when a house could not 'contain' the crowd (Mark 2:2). Second, it takes on a more figurative meaning of 'to make room for' in the sense of accepting or receiving something, such as not being able to 'receive' Jesus's word (John 8:37) or urging others to 'make room' in their hearts (2 Corinthians 7:2). In Matthew 19:11-12, it describes the capacity to 'accept' or 'make room for' a challenging teaching about celibacy.

Biblical Usage

χωρέω is used nine times across the Gospels and Paul's letters. Its literal, spatial meaning ('contain') appears in narratives about physical capacity (Mark 2:2, John 2:6, John 21:25). Its figurative, receptive meaning is found in ethical and theological contexts: accepting teachings (Matthew 19:11-12), receiving divine words (John 8:37), and opening one's heart in relationships (2 Corinthians 7:2). The word in Matthew 15:17, about food not 'entering' the heart, blends physical and metaphorical senses.

Etymology

Derived from the noun χῶρος (chōros, G5564), meaning 'place' or 'space.' The verb χωρέω literally means 'to make space' or 'to give way,' from which its core ideas of 'containing' (having space within) and 'going' (making space by moving) naturally develop. This connection to physical space underlies its metaphorical extension to mean 'receive' or 'accept'—making intellectual or emotional room for something.

Semantic Range

This word is theologically significant as it describes the human capacity to receive divine truth. In John 8:37, Jesus states that some lack the 'room' to receive His word, highlighting the spiritual condition of the heart. Paul uses it to appeal for relational and spiritual openness (2 Corinthians 7:2). Understanding χωρέω enriches reading by emphasizing that receiving God's word or making room for others is not passive but an active, internal making of space.

In the ancient world, space and hospitality were vital concepts. 'Making room' for someone, whether physically in a home (Mark 2:2) or metaphorically in one's heart (2 Corinthians 7:2), was a serious social and ethical act. The jars in John 2:6 were for Jewish purification rites, so their capacity to 'contain' also subtly points to the old order being filled by the new wine of Christ.

λαμβάνω (lambanō, G2983) — more general 'to take' or 'receive,' without the nuance of making internal space; δέχομαι (dechomai, G1209) — 'to welcome' or 'accept,' often with a sense of hospitality, closer to χωρέω's receptive sense but less spatial.

Word Details

Scripture References