The World (oikoumené) in the New Testament

The World (oikoumené) 

Below are all of the uses of the Greek word oikoumené in the New Testament. Verses are quoted from the Berean Standard Bible. 

Matthew 24:14

And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world (oikoumené) as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

Luke 2:1

In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that a census should be taken of all the world (oikoumené).

Luke 4:5

The devil led Him up to a high place and showed Him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world (oikoumené).

Luke 21:26

Men will faint from fear and anxiety over what is coming upon the world (oikoumené), for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.

Acts 11:28

One of them named Agabus stood up and prophesied by the Spirit that a great famine would overtake all the world (oikoumené). This happened during the reign of Claudius.

Acts 17:6

 …These men who have turned the world (oikoumené) upside down have now come here…

Acts 17:31

For He has set a day when He will judge the world (oikoumené) with justice by the Man He has appointed.

Acts 19:27 

…Not only is this trade of ours in danger of falling into disrepute, but also the temple of the great goddess Artemis may be discredited and she may be deprived of her majesty that brought all Asia and the world (oikoumené) to worship her.

Acts 24:5

For we have found this man to be a pestilence, stirring up dissension among all the Jews throughout the world (oikoumené). He is a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes.

Romans 10:18

But I ask, did they not hear? Indeed they did: “Their voice has gone out into all the world (oikoumené), and their words to the ends of the earth.”

Hebrews 1:6

And again, when God brings His firstborn into the world (oikoumené), He says: “Let all God’s angels worship Him.”

Hebrews 2:5

For it is not to angels that He has subjected the world (oikoumené) to come, which we are discussing.

Revelation 3:10

Because you have kept My command to endure with patience, I will also keep you from the hour of testing that is about to come upon the whole world (oikoumené), to test those who dwell on the earth.

Revelation 12:9

And the great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world (oikoumené). He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.

Revelation 16:14

For they are spirits of demons performing signs, and they go out to the kings of the whole world (oikoumené), to gather them for battle on the great day of God the Almighty.

Strong’s Entry for oikoumené

Here is the basic Strong’s entry for ο οἰκουμένη (oikoumené).

• Strong’s Number: G3625
• Transliteration: oikoumené
• Phonetic Spelling: oy-kou-men’-ay
• Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine
• Definition: The inhabited world; the Roman world; the land that is inhabited and cultivated; the portion of the world inhabited by the Greeks, then by the Roman Empire.
• Etymology: Feminine present passive participle of G3611 (oikeō, “to dwell”). Literally meaning “the inhabited (earth)”.
• Usage: In the New Testament, it typically refers to the known, civilized world of the Roman Empire, not the entire globe.

Was the Gospel preached in all the world?

Given the context of the use of the word oikoumené by multiple New Testament authors (Matthew, Luke, John, Paul, and the writer of Hebrews), how did they understand the Gospel being preached before the end would come? In particular, what was Paul’s understanding when he wrote the following? 

Romans 10:11-18

It is just as the Scripture says: “Anyone who believes in Him will never be put to shame.” For there is no difference between Jew and Greek: The same Lord is Lord of all, and gives richly to all who call on Him, for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

How then can they call on the One in whom they have not believed? And how can they believe in the One of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone to preach? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”

But not all of them welcomed the good news. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our message?” Consequently, faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.

But I ask, did they not hear? Indeed they did:
“Their voice has gone out into all the earth,
their words to the ends of the world.”

Colossians 1:3-6

We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, because we have heard about your faith in Christ Jesus and your love for all the saints— the faith and love proceeding from the hope stored up for you in heaven, of which you have already heard in the word of truth, the gospel that has come to you.

All over the world this gospel is bearing fruit and growing, just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and truly understood the grace of God. 

Colossians 1:17-23

He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. And He is the head of the body, the church; He is the beginning and firstborn from among the dead, so that in all things He may have preeminence. For God was pleased to have all His fullness dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through the blood of His cross.

Once you were alienated from God and were hostile in your minds, engaging in evil deeds. But now He has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy, unblemished, and blameless in His presence— if indeed you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope of the gospel you heard, which has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant.

What Did Jesus Mean?

What did Jesus teach in Matthew 24? The end of what? 

Matthew 24:14

And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world (oikoumené) as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.