Greek word · G1529

εἴσοδος

eisodos

entry

Entrance: either the act of entering (arrival, coming in) or the place of entry (a gate or doorway). Used of a person's arrival, a visit, or an official entry into a city.

Appears 5 times in 5 verses of the Greek New Testament. ·

What it means

εἴσ-οδος, -ου, ὁ

(ὁδός) [in LXX chiefly for בּוֹא ;]

1. a means of entering, place of entrance: Hebrews 10:19, 2 Peter 1:11 (cf. Westc., He., l.with; MM, Exp., xii; but see infr.).

2. a going in, entrance: Acts 13:24; with genitive loc., Hebrews 10:19 (Thayer, see word; but see supr.); before εἰς, 2 Peter 1:11 (Mayor, in l.; Thayer; but see supr.); πρός, 2 Thessalonians 1:9 2:1.†

(AS)

From G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament (1922), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

In depth

From the study of Acts 13:24

Range of meaning

Entrance: either the act of entering (arrival, coming in) or the place of entry (a gate or doorway). Used of a person's arrival, a visit, or an official entry into a city.

Against the English

"Coming" (KJV, WEB, YLT, ESV, NASB, NIV) or "arrival" (BSB). Both are fair. "Entrance" keeps a little more of the picture of someone stepping onto the stage of Israel's history.

Used elsewhere in the period

In the Greek Old Testament (Septuagint), Malachi 3:2 asks "who will endure the day of his entrance (eisodou autou)?", directly after 3:1, "I send my messenger... before my face (pro prosōpou mou)." Paul uses the same word in 1 Thessalonians 1:9 and 2:1 for his own arrival among the Thessalonians.

From the study of Hebrews 10:19

Range of meaning

The act of entering (arrival, coming in); the means or place of entering (entrance, doorway, approach); in a few contexts, the right to enter.

Against the English

Most English versions turn the noun into a verb, 'to enter'. YLT keeps the noun: 'for the entrance'. The verb form is good English, but it loses the hint that what is given is an entry-way, which v. 20 goes on to call a 'way'.

Used elsewhere in the period

Common in classical and Koine Greek for entries into cities, houses and temples. The Septuagint uses it for entrances to the tabernacle and temple (e.g. 1 Chr 9:19 area; Ezek 44:5 'the entrance of the house'). 1 Thess 1:9; 2:1 use it for an arrival or 'welcome'.

From the study of 1 Thessalonians 1:9

Range of meaning

Entrance, a way in or a doorway. The act of entering, an arrival or visit. By extension, access, reception or welcome (BDAG s.v. εἴσοδος).

Against the English

BSB and NIV shift the focus to the Thessalonians ('welcome you gave us'). KJV, YLT and WEB keep the missionaries as subject ('entering in we had', 'reception we had'), which is closer to the Greek 'we had'.

Used elsewhere in the period

The same word in 2:1 ('our eisodos to you was not in vain') opens Paul's long defense of how the missionaries behaved during the visit (2:1–12). Also Acts 13:24 (John's preaching 'before his coming').

Where it appears

Acts · 1

  1. Acts 13:24 εἰσόδου coming

    Before the arrival of Jesus, John preached a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel.

    Here: Literally "way in, entry". Here it means Jesus coming onto the scene, his public appearance in Israel. In the Greek Old Testament the same word appears in Malachi 3:2 ("who can endure the day of his entrance?"), right after the messenger verse.

1 Thessalonians · 2

  1. 1 Thessalonians 1:9 εἴσοδον reception

    For they themselves report what kind of welcome you gave us, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God

    Here: Literally 'a way in'. Here it means the missionaries' arrival and how it went: the welcome they got, and possibly their own conduct too (compare 2:1, where the same word comes back).

  2. 1 Thessalonians 2:1 εἴσοδον coming

    You yourselves know, brothers, that our visit to you was not in vain.

    Here: Literally 'a way in' or 'an entry.' Here it means the mission team's arrival in Thessalonica and how they carried themselves while they were there. The word repeats 1:9 ('what sort of entrance we had among you'), so Paul is picking up a theme he just introduced.

Hebrews · 1

  1. Hebrews 10:19 εἴσοδον entering

    Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus,

    Here: Either the act of going in or the way in itself (doorway, access). Verse 20 goes on to describe this as a 'way' (hodos), so both ideas are present.

2 Peter · 1

  1. 2 Peter 1:11 εἴσοδος entrance

    and you will receive a lavish reception into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

    Here: The act of going in, or the way in. Here it is the subject of the passive verb, so the entrance itself is what is furnished. It can carry the sense of a welcome (compare 1 Thess 1:9).

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.