ἀποκαραδοκία (apokaradokia)
apokaradokia
eager expectation
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 2 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The noun apokaradokia describes a state of eager, intense expectation. It combines elements meaning "head" and "to watch," evoking the image of someone stretching their neck to see what is coming. This physical posture captures a spiritual reality: a deep, anxious longing for a promised outcome that has not yet arrived.
Scripture uses this rare word only twice, both in Paul’s letters. In Romans 8:19, creation itself is personified as waiting with apokaradokia for the revealing of God’s children. Similarly, in Philippians 1:20, Paul expresses his own ardent hope that he will not be ashamed but will handle his imprisonment with boldness. The term emphasizes a steadfast, almost physical tension in waiting.
Unlike simple hope, apokaradokia carries the weight of urgent desire. It suggests that the object of expectation is so valuable that the believer cannot rest until it is realized. This vivid language reminds readers that Christian hope is active and expectant, not passive or distant.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word apokaradokia paints a vivid picture of stretching one’s neck to catch a glimpse of something precious coming into view. It is not a passive waiting, but an intense, eager anticipation that engages the whole person. When you find yourself longing for God’s promises to be fulfilled, this term reminds you that such desire is a natural part of the Christian life.
In Romans 8:19, Paul shows that even creation itself waits with this same intensity for the full revelation of God’s children. This perspective lifts your eyes from immediate circumstances to a larger, eternal reality. Your hopes and longings are held within a universe that is actively looking forward to redemption.
Similarly, in Philippians 1:20, Paul applies this eager expectation to his own life, hoping that Christ will be magnified whether he lives or dies. This word invites you to anchor your deepest desires in Christ’s glory. It encourages a faith that is alive, expectant, and firmly fixed on what God has promised.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 2 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- earnest expectation2×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- ἀποκαραδοκίαν1×
- ἀποκαραδοκία1×
Key Verses
-
Romans 8:19
For the creation waits with eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed.
This verse personifies creation as actively straining in anticipation of the final redemption of believers.
-
Philippians 1:20
according to my earnest expectation and hope, that I will in no way be disappointed, but with all boldness, as always, now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death.
Here Paul uses the term to describe his personal, urgent hope that Christ will be honored in his current imprisonment.