Greek word · G1902

ἐπενδύω

ependyō

be clothed

To put on an additional garment over another; to clothe on top of. Formed from epi ('upon') + endyō ('put on, clothe').

Appears 2 times in 2 verses of the Greek New Testament. ·

What it means

ἐπ-εν-δύω

= -δύνω (Hdt.),

to put on over; pass. (Plut., al.), to have on over, be clothed upon: 2 Corinthians 5:2-4.†

(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 2 Corinthians 5:2

Range of meaning

To put on an additional garment over another; to clothe on top of. Formed from epi ('upon') + endyō ('put on, clothe').

Against the English

KJV 'clothed upon' and the Vulgate's superindui ('to be clothed over') keep the 'over' sense. BSB/WEB 'clothed with' and ESV 'put on' lose it. The NIV's 'clothed instead with' reverses it, since 'instead' implies replacement, while the prefix implies putting on over without first taking off.

How it drifted

Most English versions flatten the double compound into plain 'clothe'. The image then becomes swapping one outfit for another, so the reader loses Paul's point that he hopes to avoid being stripped at all.

Used elsewhere in the period

In the NT only here and v.4 ('not that we want to be unclothed, but to be further clothed'). Rare in Greek generally; BDAG cites a few Hellenistic examples. The related noun ependytēs means an outer garment: LXX 1 Sam 18:4 (Jonathan's robe given to David) and John 21:7 (Peter's outer garment). The simple verb endyō is Paul's resurrection word in 1 Cor 15:53–54: 'this mortal must put on immortality.'

Similar words

Where it appears

2 Corinthians · 2

  1. 2 Corinthians 5:2 ἐπενδύσασθαι to be clothed with

    For in this tent we groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling,

    Here: A double compound: 'on top of' + 'into' + 'put on'. It pictures pulling an outer garment over what you already wear, not undressing first. The middle voice means 'put on ourselves'. The single act is in view.

  2. 2 Corinthians 5:4 ἐπενδύσασθαι, to be clothed,

    For while we are in this tent, we groan under our burdens, because we do not wish to be unclothed but clothed, so that our mortality may be swallowed up by life.

    Here: A double compound: epi ('upon') + en ('in') + dyō ('dress'). It means putting a garment on over what one is already wearing. The new body goes on top of the old, with no gap of nakedness in between.

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