ὑποδέχομαι (hupodechomai)
hupodechomai
to receive
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 4 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The verb hupodechomai means to receive someone into one’s home as a guest or to offer hospitality. Its prefix indicates receiving "under" something, evoking the image of welcoming a traveler beneath the shelter of a roof. In the New Testament, this word describes the active, personal act of hosting others with care and openness.
It appears in four key passages that highlight its social weight. Jesus uses it to describe Mary’s choice to host him at home (Luke 10:38), while Martha is said to "receive" him into her house (Luke 10:38, though some manuscripts vary). In Acts 17:7, Jason is accused of welcoming strangers who disrupt civic order. James 2:25 cites Rahab’s hospitality to the spies as evidence of faith in action.
The word carries a sense of intentional welcome, not just passive acceptance. It implies opening one’s private space and resources to another, often at personal cost. This reflects a cultural value where hospitality was a vital social duty and spiritual practice. The term underscores how receiving others is treated as a significant moral and relational act in the biblical narrative.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Greek word hupodechomai goes beyond a simple greeting; it describes the deliberate act of welcoming someone into your private space and shelter. In the ancient world, opening one’s home was a significant commitment that often involved personal cost and risk. It signals an intentional hospitality that prioritizes the guest’s needs above one’s own comfort or schedule.
This kind of reception is not about social status but about creating safety for another person. When we look at how this word is used, we see it applied to everyday interactions, from hosting a teacher like Jesus to protecting vulnerable messengers. It reminds us that our homes can be places where faith is lived out through practical care and open doors.
For your daily life, this invites you to consider who might need a safe place to land. It challenges the impulse to keep our spaces closed off and encourages a posture of readiness to welcome others with genuine joy and generosity.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 4 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- received2×
- having received1×
- has received1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- ὑπεδέξατο2×
- ὑποδέδεκται1×
- ὑποδεξαμένη1×
Key Verses
-
Luke 10:38
As they went on their way, he entered into a certain village, and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house.
This verse establishes the baseline meaning by showing Martha actively receiving Jesus into her home, highlighting the personal nature of hospitality.
-
Acts 17:7
whom Jason has received. These all act contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus!”
Here the word carries legal weight, showing that welcoming Paul and Silas was seen as a political act that challenged civic authority.
-
James 2:25
In the same way, wasn’t Rahab the prostitute also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way?
Rahab’s reception of the spies is cited as proof that faith is demonstrated through risky, active hospitality rather than mere belief.