Everything you need to know.
of Completion
This certifies that
Is on track to complete the Bible for the 1st time in 240 days.
Paul's Handkerchief combines the latest in biblical scholarship alongside 'coffee with Jesus' activities to reclaim the Ancient Near East context, romance, and mystery of our Bibles.
Few people who start reading the Bible ever finish it. The cover-to-cover challenge is for those ready to break that cycle — reading the entire Bible at their own pace, backed by community and tools built to make finishing not just possible, but inevitable. You will also get a certificate to celebrate your achievement each time.
Having a coffee with Jesus is about spending quality time with Him. It isn't just Bible study, but a personal, intimate conversation with Him. Think less classroom, more kitchen table. The devotionals, quizzes, crosswords and journaling are all designed to let the Word shape your heart, not just your head.
Most English Bibles can't carry the full weight of what's in the original Hebrew and Greek. The F.O.G. Bible Project exists to change that: three new translations built publicly (a Study Bible, a Reader's Paraphrase, and F.O.G. Family), plus a word-by-word renewal of Strong's Concordance. It is Jean Paul Joseph's lifelong work, unfolding in public — and you're invited in.
Jean Paul Joseph is the lead editor of the F.O.G. Bible Project. He works from a personal encounter with Jesus first, then draws on the scholarship of respected Jewish and Christian scholars to produce resources designed for falling in love with the Word.
Join the club, pick a Bible translation and a reading style that fits you, and you're in. From there, the app tracks your progress and helps keep you showing up — day after day, chapter after chapter.
to expect fully
Loading distribution…
Commentary
Contributors: · · · ·
Pronunciation Guide: ap-ek-dekh'-om-ahee
Basic Definition
Strong's G553: ἀπεκδέχομαι (apekdechomai) describes an intense, focused waiting with eager anticipation and complete confidence in a future outcome. This compound verb combines the prepositions ἀπό (away from) and ἐκ (out from) with the verb δέχομαι (to receive), creating a vivid picture of someone totally absorbed in expectation, looking away from all else to focus entirely on the awaited person or event.
Etymology and Morphology
ἀπεκδέχομαι Morphology:
Origin & History
The term ἀπεκδέχομαι appears to be a distinctly Christian compound, not found in classical Greek literature before the New Testament era. This suggests it was deliberately formed to express the unique Christian experience of waiting for the Messiah's return and the fulfillment of God's promises. The base verb δέχομαι has a rich history in classical Greek, used by Herodotus in his "Histories" to describe receiving guests or accepting gifts.
The double prepositional prefix (ἀπό + ἐκ) intensifies the meaning, creating a word that captures the concentrated expectation characteristic of early Christian hope. While the simple verb δέχομαι appears frequently in the Septuagint, this compound form is unique to the New Testament, suggesting its special theological significance in expressing Christian anticipation.
Expanded Definitions & Translation Options
ἀπεκδέχομαι Translation Options:
Biblical Usage
ἀπεκδέχομαι appears seven times in the New Testament, primarily in Pauline literature. Its first appearance in Romans 8:19 sets the tone for its theological significance, describing creation's eager longing for the revelation of God's children. The word consistently appears in contexts relating to future hope and redemption.
The concentrated meaning of this verb perfectly expresses the Christian attitude toward future glory and redemption. It describes not just passive waiting, but active, focused anticipation that influences present behavior and attitude.
Cultural Insights
In the ancient Mediterranean world, the act of waiting for an important person's arrival often involved posting watchmen who would focus solely on scanning the horizon for signs of the anticipated guest. This cultural practice illuminates the meaning of ἀπεκδέχομαι, as it pictures a watchman who has turned away from all other duties to focus entirely on watching for one specific arrival.
Sponsor a Verse
A $100 gift puts your name — on the verse or page you sponsor, so everyone who reads it sees your love for the Word.
The Jewish concept of צָפָה (tsaphah) - to watch or look out as a watchman - provides important background for understanding ἀπεκδέχομαι. This connects to the prophetic tradition of watching and waiting for יהוה (Yahweh)'s salvation, as seen in Habakkuk's watching on the ramparts (Habakkuk 2:1).
Theological Significance
ἀπεκδέχομαι reveals a profound theological truth about the nature of Christian hope. It's not mere passive waiting but an active, transformative anticipation that shapes present reality. This eager expectation is presented as a characteristic of both creation and the believer, suggesting a cosmic scope to redemptive hope.
The word appears prominently in contexts dealing with eschatological hope, particularly in Romans 8 where it describes a three-fold waiting: creation waits, believers wait, and the Spirit assists in this waiting. This reveals the communal and cosmic nature of redemptive hope, showing how all creation is united in anticipating final redemption.
The use of ἀπεκδέχομαι in relation to both present salvation and future glory demonstrates the "already but not yet" tension in New Testament theology. It expresses confident hope while acknowledging present incompleteness.
Personal Application
Understanding ἀπεκδέχομαι challenges believers to examine the quality of their waiting on God. Are we merely passing time, or are we actively, eagerly anticipating His promises? This word calls us to a watching that transforms our present reality - turning away from lesser things to focus on eternal hope.
This eager expectation should characterize our daily walk with God, influencing how we view circumstances, make decisions, and invest our time. Just as creation groans in eager anticipation, our lives should demonstrate this same focused longing for God's promises to be fulfilled.
Related Words
Did you Know?
Remember This
ἀπεκδέχομαι embodies the transformative power of Christian hope - not passive waiting, but active, focused anticipation that turns away from all else to fix its gaze on the promised redemption in the Messiah.