ἀμεταμέλητος

From the study of 2 Corinthians 7:10

Range of meaning

"Not to be regretted," "bringing no after-regret," and so "irrevocable, not taken back." It is formed from a- ("not") and μεταμέλομαι ("to regret, have second thoughts").

Against the English

BSB "without regret," WEB "which brings no regret," and NIV "leaves no regret" all mean the same. KJV's "repentance … not to be repented of" keeps Paul's wordplay, but by using "repent" twice it hides that Paul uses two different roots. NASB places "without regret" directly on "repentance."

Used elsewhere in the period

The only other New Testament use is Romans 11:29: God's gifts and calling are ἀμεταμέλητα, "irrevocable," never taken back. The root verb comes in verse 8, where Paul twice says "even if I regretted it" (μετεμελόμην) about sending the painful letter. Matthew 27:3 uses μεταμεληθείς of Judas, a regret that ended in death.

From the study of Romans 11:29

Range of meaning

Built from a- ('not') and metamelomai, 'to regret, to have second thoughts, to change one's mind about something done'. So the word means 'not to be regretted', 'without regret', and from there 'irrevocable', something the giver will not take back. BDAG gives both 'not to be regretted / without regret' and 'irrevocable'.

Against the English

KJV 'without repentance' and YLT 'unrepented of' keep the root idea but can mislead, because modern readers hear 'repentance' as a sinner turning from sin. Modern versions say 'irrevocable' (BSB, WEB, NIV, ESV, NASB) or 'can never be withdrawn' (NLT). These give the legal result but drop the personal note: God feels no regret over what he gave.

How it drifted

The Latin Vulgate's sine paenitentia ('without repentance/penitence') shaped the early English Bibles that led to the KJV. Over time 'repentance' in English narrowed to a religious word for a sinner's conversion. Its older sense of 'regret, changing one's mind' faded. So the KJV line now sounds as if it is about the person who receives the gift, not about God who gives it.

Used elsewhere in the period

• Classical Greek uses it of things one will not regret, e.g. Plato's 'pleasure not to be regretted' (Timaeus 59d). Later writers such as Polybius use it in the same way. Moulton–Milligan record the related adverb in documentary papyri for arrangements made 'without regret', meaning settled and not to be reversed.
• Its only other New Testament use is 2 Cor 7:10: 'repentance… ametamelēton', a change of heart that leaves no regret. There Paul deliberately sets metanoia (turning) beside ametamelētos (no regret), which shows he keeps the two ideas apart.
• The root verb is used of God in the Greek Old Testament: LXX Ps 109:4 (Hebrew 110:4), 'The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind (ou metamelēthēsetai)', quoted in Heb 7:21. In LXX 1 Sam 15:35, by contrast, the Lord 'regretted' making Saul king. So the Bible can speak of God reversing a course. Paul's point is that these gifts are not that kind. They rest on the oath to the patriarchs.