Greek word · G594

ἀποδοχή

apodochē

acceptance

Reception, welcome, approval, favourable acceptance. Used of receiving a person or an idea with approval, and of the esteem in which someone is held.

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

What it means

ἀπο-δοχή, -ῆς, ἡ

(ἀποδέχομαι),

acceptance, approbation (Field, Notes, 203): 1 Timothy 1:15 4:9 (Cremer, 686; MM, see word).†

(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 1 Timothy 1:15

Range of meaning

Reception, welcome, approval, favourable acceptance. Used of receiving a person or an idea with approval, and of the esteem in which someone is held.

Against the English

'Acceptance' (NIV, ESV, BSB) and 'acceptation' (KJV) are fair. Modern 'acceptance' can sound like resigned toleration ('accepting' bad news) or psychological self-acceptance. The Greek word is warmer and more active: welcoming something as true and approving it.

How it drifted

In modern English 'acceptance' has picked up therapeutic and resigned overtones that the Greek does not have.

Used elsewhere in the period

In the New Testament it occurs only here and in 1 Tim 4:9, both times in the same phrase. In Hellenistic Greek (Polybius, Josephus, the Letter of Aristeas) and in honorary inscriptions it means approval or esteem. Being 'worthy of all acceptance' was praise language for people and statements alike (per BDAG; Dibelius–Conzelmann).

Where it appears

1 Timothy · 2

  1. 1 Timothy 1:15 ἀποδοχῆς acceptance

    This is a trustworthy saying, worthy of full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the worst.

    Here: Favourable reception: taking something in as true and approving of it. In New Testament Greek it occurs only here and in 1 Timothy 4:9.

  2. 1 Timothy 4:9 ἀποδοχῆς acceptance

    This is a trustworthy saying, worthy of full acceptance.

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