Walk

Pronunciation: stoi-KAY-oh
Strong’s Number: 4748
Goodrich/Kohlenberger Number: 5123
Key Verse: “If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.” -- Galatians 5:25

In the New Testament, stoicheo is a synonym with peripateo, and both are usually translated as to walk. Peripateo is used 95 times and means literally “to walk around.” It is used in the normal sense of walking physically. It is also used figuratively, signifying the whole round of activities of the individual life, whether of the unregenerate (Ephesians 4:17) or of the believer (1 Corinthians 7:17; Colossians 2:16). The Christian is to walk in newness of life (Romans 6:4), after the Spirit (Romans 8:4), in honesty (Romans 13:13), by faith (2 Corinthians 5:7), in good works (Ephesians 2:10), in love (Ephesians 5:2), in wisdom (Colossians 4:5), in truth (2 John 4), and after the commandments of the Lord (2 John 6).

The less-common verb, stoicheo, is used only 6 times in the New Testament and is used only by Paul. It is from a word that means “a row” and is a military term meaning “a rank of series,” “to march in battle order,” and is used metaphorically of “walking” in relation to others: Acts 21:24, "... you yourself walk orderly (live in obedience) and guard the law.” Romans 4:12, “... you also follow (walk) in the steps” of faith like Abraham. Philippians 3:16, “... only let us keep living (live up to) what we have attained,” i.e., keeping our lives in the same path.

Galatians 4:25, “Hagar is Mount Sinai ... and corresponds to Jerusalem …” Here, the word is a compound, sunstoicheo, meaning “stands in the same row with,” or “belongs to the same category.”

Galatians 6:16, "... as for those who will walk (follow) this rule, peace and mercy be upon them.” This is used of walking by the rule previously expressed in verses 14 and 15.

GALATIANS 5:25, “If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk [keep in step] with the Holy Spirit.” The Holy Spirit made the believer alive by regeneration, so the believer is exhorted to keep in step with the Spirit. Step by step, one’s Christian walk should conform to the Spirit’s direction and enablement.