Understanding ἐκδέχομαι (ekdechomai) Strong’s G1551: The Divine Art of Patient Expectation and Receiving God’s Promises

Pronunciation Guide: ek-DEKH-oh-my (ἐκ-δέχ-ο-μαι)

Basic Definition

Strong’s G1551: ἐκδέχομαι (ekdechomai) describes the act of deliberately waiting with expectation, to receive fully what is promised, or to await eagerly with patience. It combines the idea of receiving from (ἐκ) with accepting or taking (δέχομαι). This word conveys not just passive waiting but an active, expectant posture of faith—a watchful readiness to receive what God has promised at the appointed time.

Etymology and Morphology

• Part of Speech: Verb
• Root Components: ἐκ (ek, “from, out of”) + δέχομαι (dechomai, “to receive, accept”)
• Language Origin: Koine Greek
• Literary Usage: Primarily in narrative and instructional passages, frequently in contexts of faith, endurance, and eschatological expectation
• Voice: Middle/Passive deponent (form is middle/passive but meaning is active)
• Tense Forms: Present, Imperfect, Future, Aorist

ἐκδέχομαι Morphology:

• ἐκδέχομαι (present indicative middle 1st person singular) – I wait for/expect
• ἐκδέχεται (present indicative middle 3rd person singular) – he/she/it waits for/expects
• ἐκδεχόμεθα (present indicative middle 1st person plural) – we wait for/expect
• ἐξεδεχόμην (imperfect indicative middle 1st person singular) – I was waiting for/expecting
• ἐκδέξομαι (future indicative middle 1st person singular) – I will wait for/expect
• ἐξεδεξάμην (aorist indicative middle 1st person singular) – I waited for/expected

Origin & History

The verb ἐκδέχομαι has roots in classical Greek literature where it originally conveyed the sense of “receiving from another” or “taking up in succession.” In authors like Herodotus (5th century BCE), it carried the meaning of succeeding or taking over from someone else. Thucydides used it to describe troops “receiving” or “taking up” the battle from those who had grown weary.

In the Septuagint (LXX), ἐκδέχομαι appears in contexts of waiting with expectation. A significant example is found in Habakkuk 2:3, where the prophet is told to write down the vision and “wait for it” (ἐκδέξαι αὐτόν), for though it may seem delayed, it will surely come. This usage established the word’s connection to faithful waiting for divine promise fulfillment, a theme that carries through to the New Testament. The early Church Fathers, particularly Clement of Rome in his epistle to the Corinthians, employed this term when discussing the patient expectation of believers awaiting the Messiah’s return.

Expanded Definitions & Translation Options

• To await expectantly – waiting with confident assurance that what is promised will come to pass
• To receive fully – taking complete possession of what has been promised
• To look for with patience – maintaining steadfast expectation despite apparent delays
• To await with readiness – being prepared to receive at the appointed time
• To take or accept in succession – receiving what comes next in God’s ordained sequence

ἐκδέχομαι Translation Options:

• Wait expectantly – Emphasizes the forward-looking, hopeful posture of the one waiting
• Await eagerly – Highlights the emotional investment and anticipation in the waiting
• Look for with patience – Stresses the enduring quality needed when fulfillment seems delayed
• Expect confidently – Focuses on the certainty and assurance that the waited-for object will appear
• Receive in due time – Emphasizes the eventual fulfillment and reception of what is awaited

Biblical Usage

In the New Testament, ἐκδέχομαι appears seven times, with its first occurrence in John 5:3, where the sick, blind, and lame are described as “waiting for” the moving of the waters at the pool of Bethesda. This usage establishes a pattern of expectant waiting for divine intervention that characterizes the word throughout Scripture.

The most theologically significant usages appear in Hebrews, where the author employs ἐκδέχομαι to describe the faithful waiting of Abraham and the patriarchs for God’s promises (Hebrews 11:10), and the priestly ministry of the Messiah who, having offered one sacrifice for sins, is “waiting for” His enemies to be made His footstool (Hebrews 10:13). In both instances, the waiting is characterized not by uncertainty but by confident assurance in God’s faithfulness.

In the Corinthian correspondence, Paul uses ἐκδέχομαι to instruct believers about proper observance of the Lord’s Supper, telling them to “wait for one another” (1 Corinthians 11:33), thus extending the word’s application to interpersonal relationships within the body of believers.

• “In these lay a great multitude of sick people, blind, lame, paralyzed, waiting for [ἐκδεχομένων] the moving of the water.” John 5:3
• “But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God, from that time waiting [ἐκδεχόμενος] till His enemies are made His footstool.” Hebrews 10:13
• “For he waited for [ἐξεδέχετο] the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God.” Hebrews 11:10
• “Therefore, my brethren, when you come together to eat, wait for [ἐκδέχεσθε] one another.” 1 Corinthians 11:33
• “Therefore, brethren, be patient until the coming of the Lord… wait patiently [ἐκδέξασθε] for it.” James 5:7
• “By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household… and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.” Hebrews 11:7
• “And though waiting [ἐκδεχόμενοι], they did not receive what was promised, God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us.” Hebrews 11:40

Cultural Insights

In ancient Jewish culture, the concept of waiting for divine intervention was deeply embedded in their national consciousness. The Jewish people had been waiting for the promised Messiah for generations, a waiting captured in the Hebrew term “kavah” (קָוָה), which carries similar connotations to ἐκδέχομαι. During the Second Temple period, this expectation had intensified, with various Jewish sects developing distinct expectations about how and when the Messiah would appear.

The pool of Bethesda mentioned in John 5:3, where the first New Testament usage of ἐκδέχομαι occurs, provides fascinating cultural context. Archaeological discoveries confirm the existence of this five-porched pool north of the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. Jewish tradition held that an angel periodically stirred the waters, giving healing properties to the first person who entered afterward. The image of the disabled waiting by the pool—some perhaps for years—creates a powerful metaphor for Israel’s long wait for the Messiah, who ironically stands among them unrecognized even as they wait for divine intervention. It’s particularly poignant that Yeshua (Jesus) performs a healing at this location without the person needing to enter the water, signifying that the long period of waiting has ended with His arrival.

Theological Significance

The theological richness of ἐκδέχομαι lies in its portrayal of the believer’s posture toward God’s promises. Unlike mere passive waiting or anxious uncertainty, this word depicts a waiting imbued with faith and expectancy. It suggests that proper waiting is an active spiritual discipline—a form of trust that what God has promised, He will fulfill in His perfect timing.

In Hebrews 11, ἐκδέχομαι is connected to the faith of the patriarchs who “did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance” (Hebrews 11:13). This reveals an important theological principle: true faith often requires us to wait for fulfillments we may not see in our lifetime. Abraham waited for “the city with foundations” (Hebrews 11:10), yet died seeing only the beginning of God’s promises fulfilled. This paradox of present faith and future fulfillment stands at the heart of biblical eschatology.

The usage of ἐκδέχομαι in Hebrews 10:13, describing the Messiah “waiting” at God’s right hand until His enemies become His footstool, provides a profound theological insight. Even Yeshua Himself engages in divine waiting, modeling for believers that patience is not merely a human virtue but reflects God’s own character. יהוה (Yahweh) is portrayed throughout Scripture as the God who acts at the perfect time—neither too early nor too late—and our expectant waiting aligns us with His divine timing.

Personal Application

Understanding ἐκδέχομαι challenges us to examine the quality of our waiting. Do we wait for God’s promises with expectancy and faith, or with doubt and impatience? True biblical waiting is not passive resignation but active anticipation that shapes our present actions. When we “wait expectantly” for the Lord, we live differently—making decisions based not merely on what is visible now but on what God has promised for the future.

In our instant-gratification culture, the discipline of expectant waiting may seem counterintuitive. Yet Scripture repeatedly affirms that waiting with faith pleases God and transforms us. As we practice ἐκδέχομαι in our spiritual lives—whether waiting for guidance, healing, restoration, or the Messiah’s return—we join a timeless company of believers who found that waiting on God’s timing always yields better results than rushing ahead of Him. The question is not whether we must wait, but how we wait—with expectant faith or restless doubt.

Related Words

• προσδέχομαι (prosdechomai, “to receive to oneself, to expect”) – While ἐκδέχομαι emphasizes receiving from a source or awaiting expectantly, προσδέχομαι focuses more on welcoming or receiving someone or something to oneself. It often carries connotations of acceptance or favorable reception. See G4327
• ἀναμένω (anameno, “to wait for, await”) – This word emphasizes patient endurance in waiting, often with the nuance of waiting again or continuing to wait despite delays. It appears only once in the New Testament, describing the Thessalonians’ waiting for God’s Son from heaven. See G362
• ἀπεκδέχομαι (apekdechomai, “to expect eagerly, to wait it out”) – An intensified form of ἐκδέχομαι, this word adds the prefix ἀπό (“from”) to emphasize waiting eagerly from a specific point until completion. It’s often used for eschatological waiting or anticipation of fulfillment. See G553
• ὑπομένω (hupomeno, “to remain under, endure”) – While ἐκδέχομαι focuses on expectant waiting for something to arrive, ὑπομένω emphasizes enduring under difficult circumstances while waiting. It carries stronger connotations of perseverance through hardship. See G5278
• καραδοκέω (karadokeo, “to watch with outstretched head”) – Though rare in biblical Greek, this vivid term describes watching with intense expectation, literally with head stretched forward. It’s related to the more common New Testament word ἀποκαραδοκία (earnest expectation). See G603

Did you Know?

• Did you know that at the Pool of Bethesda where ἐκδέχομαι first appears in the New Testament (John 5:3), archaeological excavations have uncovered a complex with five colonnaded porches exactly as described in Scripture? Some of these remains can still be visited today near the St. Anne’s Church in Jerusalem. The pool was associated with the healing god Asclepius during the Roman period, which explains why so many sick people would gather there waiting for healing—a potent symbol of humanity waiting for divine intervention while the true Healer walked among them unrecognized.
• Did you know that the concept of “waiting expectantly” (ἐκδέχομαι) was so central to ancient Jewish faith that several Hebrew words were dedicated to this concept? The Septuagint translators used ἐκδέχομαι to translate Hebrew terms like קָוָה (kavah) and יָחַל (yachal), both conveying patient, hopeful waiting. This demonstrates how deeply the spiritual discipline of expectant waiting was embedded in the faith of Israel—a people whose national identity was shaped by waiting for promises: first the Promised Land, then the promised Davidic Kingdom, and ultimately the promised Messiah.
• Did you know that in modern Greek, the descendant of ἐκδέχομαι (εκδέχομαι) is still used today with remarkably similar meaning to its biblical usage? In contemporary Greek, it means “to interpret” or “to take something in a particular sense”—maintaining the original nuance of receiving or taking from a source. This linguistic continuity across nearly three millennia demonstrates the word’s enduring conceptual power and precision.

Remember This

ἐκδέχομαι teaches us that biblical waiting is not passive resignation to delay, but active, expectant faith that lives today in light of God’s guaranteed tomorrow.