Word studies · Greek · Strong's G3306
μένω · ménō · appears 119 times in the New Testament
In one line: To stay connected to Christ, and not leave.
Remain in Me, and I will remain in you. Just as no branch can bear fruit by itself unless it remains in the vine, neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in Me.
John 15:4
Menō is to remain, stay, abide — continuing in a place or a relationship rather than passing through it.
John's Gospel and letters use menō for the mutual indwelling of Christ and His people: “abide in me, and I in you.” It also carries ordinary senses of staying somewhere or lasting, and John plays on both — what abides is what proves permanent.
Menō is a primary Greek verb meaning to stay put, whether in a house, a condition or an agreement. Its very plainness is part of the point: the vocabulary of the deepest union in John's Gospel is a word you would use for lodging overnight.
Older translations chose “abide,” which now sounds archaic and mystical; “stay” or “remain” is closer to how the word actually sounded. That deflates the idea that abiding is a special spiritual technique — it means not leaving.
Menō (G3306) appears 119 times in the New Testament, 40 of them in John's Gospel and 11 in the vine passage of John 15 alone.
The vine image makes fruitfulness a matter of connection rather than effort: branches do not strain to produce, they stay attached. It also makes perseverance relational — remaining in Christ, in His word, and in His love — rather than a matter of gritted teeth.
Instead of resolving to do more for God this week, ask what would help you simply stay close to Him. Keep one small practice unbroken for seven days and notice what grows from it.
to stay (in a given place, state, relation or expectancy)
Whatever town or village you enter, find out who is worthy there and stay at his house until you move on.
Matthew 10:11And He told them, “When you enter a house, stay there until you leave that area.
Mark 6:10Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home.
Luke 1:56Then John testified, “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove and resting on Him.
John 1:32Did it not belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? How could you conceive such a deed in your heart? You have not lied to men, but to God!
Acts 5:4Yet before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad, in order that God’s plan of election might stand,
Romans 9:11Press and hold abide in any chapter and this study opens on the verse you are reading, with the lexicons, every occurrence and the commentaries beside it. The Bible is free to read.
Scripture quoted from the Berean Standard Bible, public domain. Strong's definitions are public domain. Counts come from The Pillar's own tagged text.