ἀποδίδωμι G0591
To give back, repay, render what is due, sell, or yield; covers restitution, debt payment, reward, commercial sale, and agricultural produce.
Built from apo ('back, away') and didomi ('give'), apodidomi carries the fundamental sense of rendering something back to where it belongs. Jesus's famous pronouncement 'Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's' (Matt 22:21) perfectly captures the word's core logic: what you give is already owed. The verb spans a remarkable range — from settling financial debts in the parable of the unforgiving servant (Matt 18:25-34), to God's eschatological recompense (Matt 16:27), to the commercial sale of a birthright (Heb 12:16), to a tree 'yielding' its fruit month by month (Rev 22:2). Spanish distinguishes pagar ('pay a debt') from dar ('give, render') from vender ('sell'), neatly exposing three distinct semantic frames that the Greek verb unifies under the single concept of transferring what is due or expected.
Senses
1. reward, recompense, render due — To reward, recompense, or render to someone what is due — whether divine retribution, wages for labor, honor, taxes, or vows. This is the most theologically weighted sense, prominent in Jesus's teaching about the Father who 'will repay you' for secret acts of piety (Matt 6:4, 6, 18) and in the eschatological promise that the Son of Man 'will repay each according to his deeds' (Matt 16:27). Spanish devolver and dar capture the 'giving-back' nuance, while German vergelten selects specifically for requital and retribution. The sense presupposes a moral or covenantal economy where debts of honor must be settled. 16×
AR["أَعطِهِم", "أَعْطُوا", "بَلْ-أَوْفِ", "جازوها", "جازَتْ", "رادّينَ", "سَيُجازي", "سَيُجازيهِ", "سَيُعْطيني", "لِأُجازيَ", "لِـيُؤَدِّ", "مُجَازِينَ", "يُجازيكَ", "يُجَازِي"]·ben["দাও", "দেওয়ার", "দেবেন", "পরিশোধ-করুক,", "পালন-করবে", "প্রতিদান-দেবেন", "প্রতিফল-দিয়ে", "ফেরত-দাও", "ফেরত-দিও-না,", "ফেরত-দিয়েছে"]·DE["gibt-zurück", "vergelten"]·EN["he-will-repay", "let-render", "pay", "render", "rendered", "repaying", "to-render", "will-give", "will-render", "will-repay", "will-reward", "you-shall-fulfill"]·FR["rendre"]·heb["הֵשִׁיבָה", "הָשִׁיבוּ", "יְמַלֵּא", "יְשַׁלֵּם", "יִתֵּן", "לְהָשִׁיב", "מְשַׁלְּמִים", "שַׁלֵּם", "תְּנוּ", "תְשַׁלֵּם"]·HI["चुकाएगा", "चुकाओ", "दिया", "दे", "देग", "देगा", "देते-हुए", "दो", "बदला-देगा", "लौटाते-हुए", "हर-एक-को"]·ID["Balaslah", "Bayarlah", "akan-membalas", "akan-memberikan", "bayarlah", "hendaklah-memenuhi,", "membalas", "tepatilah", "untuk-membalas"]·IT["restituire"]·jav["Badhé-males", "badhe-paring-pituwas", "badhé-males", "badhé-maringi", "badhé-mbales", "bayara", "kang-males", "males", "maringi,", "nanging-netepana", "panjenengan-sami-maringi", "supados-males", "walesana"]·KO["값으라", "갚았던-대로", "갚으라", "갚으려고", "갚으리라", "갚으시리라", "갚을-것이다", "갚지-않고", "갚지-않으며", "주어라", "줄-것이다"]·PT["Dai", "cumprirás", "paga", "pague,", "para-retribuir", "recompensará", "retribuindo", "retribuindo,", "retribuirá", "retribuiu", "retribuí"]·RU["воздавая", "воздайте", "воздала", "воздаст", "воздать", "воздающие", "заплати", "исполняй", "отдавайте", "пусть-воздаёт,"]·ES["cumplirás", "dará", "devolviendo", "dé", "pagad", "pagadle", "pagó", "para-dar", "págales", "recompensará", "retribuirá"]·SW["alinionyesha", "alipolipa;", "amtimilizie,", "atakulipa", "atalipa", "atamlipa", "atanipa", "kulipa", "lipeni", "lipizie", "mlipeni", "msilipe,", "utatekeleza", "wao"]·TR["Verin", "karşılık-verecek", "karşılık-vermeyin", "karşılığını-verecek", "oedeyen", "verdi", "verecek", "verin", "vermek", "yerine-getireceksin", "öde", "ödesin", "ödeyen"]·urd["ادا-کرنا", "ادا-کرو", "ادا-کرے", "بدلہ-دے-گا", "دو", "دیا", "دیتے-ہوئے", "دینے", "دے-دے", "دے-گا", "واپس-نہ-دیتے-ہوئے"]
2. repay, pay back a debt — To repay or pay back a financial debt, settling a monetary obligation. Concentrated in the parable of the unforgiving servant (Matt 18:25-34), where the verb appears repeatedly in the desperate refrain 'I will repay you everything.' Spanish pagar ('to pay') and the financial context distinguish this from the broader moral recompense of sense 1. At Matt 5:26, Jesus warns that the debtor will not get out 'until you have paid the last penny' — the verb here carries the full weight of legal financial obligation. 11×
AR["أَدْفَعُ", "أَن-يُسَدِّدا", "أَنْ-يَدْفَعَ", "ادْفَعْ", "تُوفِيَ", "تُوَفِّيَ", "سَأُعيدُ", "يَدْفَعَ", "يُدْفَعَ"]·ben["পরিশোধ-কর", "ফেরৎ-দেব", "শোধ-কর", "শোধ-দাও", "শোধ-দিতে", "শোধ-দেব", "শোধ-দেয়"]·DE["gibt-zurück"]·EN["I-will-repay", "Repay", "he-should-repay", "repayment-be-made", "to-repay", "will-repay", "you-pay", "you-pay-back"]·FR["rendre"]·heb["אֲשַׁלֵּם", "יְשַׁלֵּם", "לְהִשָּׁלֵם", "לְהַחֲזִיר", "לְשַׁלֵּם", "שַׁלֵּם", "תְּשַׁלֵּם", "תְשַׁלֵּם"]·HI["चुका-दूँगा", "चुका-दे", "दिय-जअये", "दे", "दे-न-दे", "देने-को", "दोओनग", "लौटाने-को"]·ID["Bayarlah", "akan-kubayar", "akan-mengganti", "dibayar", "engkau-bayar", "engkau-membayar", "membayar"]·IT["restituire"]·jav["Bayara", "kabayar", "kula-badhé-mbalèkaken", "mbalèkaken", "mbayar", "panjenengan-mbayar"]·KO["갚겠소", "갚겠습니다", "갚도록", "갚아라", "갚을-것-을", "갚을-것이", "갚을-때", "갚을-때까지"]·PT["pagues", "para-pagar"]·RU["Отдай", "вернуть", "возмещу", "отдам", "отдаст", "отдать", "отдать-долг", "отдашь"]·ES["Paga", "con-qué-pagar", "pagare", "pagues", "para-pagar", "ser-pagado", "te-pagaré"]·SW["Lipa", "alipe", "alipwe", "kulipa", "nitakulipa", "umekulipa", "utakapolipa"]·TR["Öde", "ödemek,", "ödemesi", "ödenmesini", "ödeyeceğim", "ödeyene", "ödeyesin"]·urd["ادا-کر", "ادا-کر-دوں-گا", "ادا-کر-دے", "ادا-کرے", "ادا-کیا-جائے", "دونوں-کو", "دوں-گا", "دینے-کو"]
3. give back, return, restore — To give back, return, or restore something to its rightful owner or original state. At Matt 22:21 / Mark 12:17 Jesus says 'Give back to Caesar what is Caesar's' — not merely 'give' but 'return what already belongs.' Luke 4:20 uses it of Jesus 'giving back' the scroll to the synagogue attendant, and Luke 9:42 of Jesus 'giving back' a healed boy to his father. Spanish devolver ('to return an object') precisely marks this restitution sense, while Korean 돌려주다 ('give back by returning') similarly lexicalizes the directionality. 9×
AR["أَرُدُّ", "أَعادَهُ", "أَعطوا", "أَعْطِ", "رَدَّهُ", "رُدّوا", "يَرُدُّ", "يَرُدّوا"]·ben["-যা", "দাও", "দিতে", "দিয়ে", "দেয়", "ফিরিয়ে-দাও", "ফিরিয়ে-দিই", "ফিরিয়ে-দিলেন"]·DE["gibt-zurück", "vergelten"]·EN["Give-back", "I-give-back", "gave-back", "give-back", "having-given-back", "returns", "to-return"]·FR["rendre"]·heb["הֶחֱזִיר", "הָשִׁיבוּ", "יָשִׁיב", "לְ-הָשִׁיב", "מֵשִׁיב", "תְּנוּ", "תֵּן"]·HI["दे", "दे-दो", "लौटा-दिया", "लौटाकर", "लौटाता-हूँ", "लौत-देन"]·ID["Berikanlah", "aku-kembalikan", "berikanlah", "membalas", "memberikan", "mengembalikan", "setelah-mengembalikan"]·IT["restituire"]·jav["Paring", "Wangsulna", "caosna", "kawula-wangsulaken", "males,", "maringi", "masrahaken", "mbalekaken", "sukakaken"]·KO["갚습니다", "갚지-않도록", "내라", "돌려드리라", "돌려주고", "돌려주기를", "돌려주라", "돌려주셨다"]·PT["Dai", "dai", "dar", "devolvo", "o-devolveu", "presta", "retribua"]·RU["Отдайте", "возвращаю", "воздавать", "воздал", "отдав", "отдавайте", "отдай", "отдайте", "отдал"]·ES["Dad", "dad", "devolved", "devolver", "devuelva", "devuelvo", "habiendo-devuelto", "lo-entregó", "rinde"]·SW["akamrudishia", "alimrudisha", "alipe", "basi", "kurudisha", "mpeni", "mrudishieni", "ninarudisha", "toa"]·TR["geri-veriyorum", "karşılık-vermesin", "ver", "verdi", "vererek", "verin", "ödemek"]·urd["دو", "دینا", "دے", "دے-دو", "لوٹاتا-ہوں", "واپس-دیا", "واپس-دے-کر"]
4. give, deliver, render account — To give, deliver, or render something required — an account, testimony, or report — to an authority or audience. At Matt 12:36 people will 'give account' for every careless word; at Luke 16:2 the steward must 'render' his account of management; at Acts 4:33 the apostles 'gave' their testimony of the resurrection with great power. Spanish dar cuenta ('give account') and German Rechenschaft geben both use specialized accountability vocabulary, marking this as a distinct discourse-of-obligation sense rather than generic 'giving.' 7×
AR["أَنْ-نُقَدِّمَ", "أَنْ-يُسَلَّمَ", "سَيُحَاسَبُونَ", "سَيُعطونَ", "سَيُعطونَهُ", "سَيُعْطُونَ", "كَانَ-يُؤَدِّي"]·ben["দিচ্ছিলেন", "দিতে", "দেওয়া-হতে", "দেবে", "হিসাব-দেবে"]·DE["gibt-zurück", "vergelten"]·EN["going-to-give", "it-to-be-given", "they-will-give-account", "to-give", "were-giving", "will-give", "will-give-back"]·FR["rendre"]·heb["יִתְּנוּ", "יַשְׁלִימוּ", "לְ-הַחֲזִיר", "לָתֵת", "מָסְרוּ", "נוֹתְנִים"]·HI["गवाही-देते-थे", "दे-दिया-जाए", "देंगे", "देना", "देनेवाले", "हिसअब-देनगे"]·ID["akan-memberikan", "akan-menyerahkan", "diberikan", "memberikan", "mempertanggung-jawabkan", "pertanggungjawaban;"]·IT["restituire"]·jav["badhé-maringi", "badhé-maringi-tanggel-jawab", "badhé-maringi-tanggung-jawab", "badhé-nyaosaken", "dipunparingaken.", "paring", "paring-seksi"]·KO["갚으리라", "내놓으리라", "내주도록", "답하기를", "말했다", "신고하리라", "할-자들로서"]·PT["dar", "darão", "davam", "entregarão", "havendo-de-dar", "ser-dado"]·RU["давали", "дадут-ответ", "дать", "дающие", "отдадут", "отдать"]·ES["daban", "dar", "darán", "le-entregarán", "que-fuera-entregado", "que-han-de-dar"]·SW["kutoa", "utolewe", "walitoa", "watakaotoa;", "watarudishia-hesabu", "watatoa", "yeye"]·TR["hesap-verecekler", "verecek", "verecekler", "verilmek", "veriyorlardı", "vermek"]·urd["حساب-دیں-گے", "دِیا-جائے", "دیتے-تھے", "دینا", "دینے-والے", "دیں-گے"]
5. sell, exchange for money — To sell, hand over in a commercial transaction for monetary exchange. At Acts 5:8 Peter asks Sapphira whether the land was 'sold' for a certain price; at Acts 7:9 the patriarchs 'sold' Joseph into Egypt; at Heb 12:16 Esau 'sold' his birthright for a single meal. Spanish vender ('to sell') and the commercial context clearly distinguish this from 'giving back' — here the transfer is commercial, not restitutive. The apo- prefix retains a sense of 'handing over' or 'giving away' what one possessed. 3×
AR["بَاعَ", "بَاعُوهُ", "بِعْتُمَا"]·ben["বিক্রি-করল", "বিক্রি-করলে", "বিক্রি-করলেন"]·DE["gibt-zurück", "vergelten"]·EN["gave-up", "sold", "you-sold"]·FR["rendre"]·heb["מְכַרְתֶּם", "מָכְרוּ", "מָכַר"]·HI["बेच-दिया", "बोली"]·ID["kamu-jual?", "menjual"]·IT["restituire"]·jav["kasade?", "masrahaken", "nyade"]·KO["팔았느냐", "팔았다", "포기했다"]·PT["venderam", "vendeu"]·RU["продал", "продали", "продали-вы"]·ES["vendieron", "vendisteis", "vendió"]·SW["aliuza", "mliuza", "walimuza"]·TR["sattı", "sattılar", "sattınız-mı"]·urd["بیچ-دیا", "بیچا"]
6. yield, produce fruit — To yield or produce fruit, crops, or results — a metaphorical extension where the 'giving back' is nature's or effort's return. At Rev 22:2 the tree of life 'yields' its fruit every month, and at Heb 12:11 discipline 'yields' the peaceful fruit of righteousness. Spanish producir and dando ('giving, producing') both select agricultural-yield vocabulary. This sense preserves the root notion of rendering what is due — here, the earth or a process 'repays' with its produce. 2×
AR["تُعْطي", "يُعْطِي"]·ben["দেওয়া", "দেয়"]·DE["vergelten"]·EN["it-yields", "yielding"]·FR["rendre"]·heb["נוֹתֵן"]·HI["उसका", "देता-है"]·ID["memberikan", "menghasilkan"]·IT["restituire"]·jav["maringi"]·KO["내는", "맺히게-한다"]·PT["dando", "produz"]·RU["воздаёт", "выдающее"]·ES["dando", "produce"]·SW["huleta", "ukitoa"]·TR["veren", "verir"]·urd["دیتا-ہوا", "دیتی-ہے"]
Related Senses
H5414 1. give, bestow (1855×)H3947 1. take, seize, grasp (Qal) (940×)G2192 1. possess / have (680×)G1325 1. give, bestow (336×)H5159 1. inherited land or property (170×)G2983 1. receive, obtain (134×)H3423 1. Qal: take possession of land (130×)G2983 2. take, take up (113×)G2398 1. one's own, belonging to oneself (91×)G3860 1. hand over, deliver to custody (78×)H7998 1. spoil, plunder, booty (74×)G1325 2. be given, be granted (70×)H5414 2. put, place, set (68×)H7999a 1. pay, repay, recompense (63×)H7069 1. Buy, purchase (59×)H1892 1. vanity, futility, absurdity (58×)H5159 2. heritage as covenant portion (52×)H6299 1. redeem or ransom (Qal active) (49×)H4376 1. Sell (Qal active) (47×)H1350a 1. Redeem, buy back (46×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
ἀποδίδωμι, future -δώσω: aorist 1 ἀπέδωκα: aorist 2 ἀπέδωνRefs 2nd c.AD+infinitive ἀποδοῦν probably in Refs 5th c.AD+:—give up or back, restore, return, τινί τιRefs 8th c.BC+: especially render what is due, pay, as debts, penalties, submission, honour, etc., τοκεῦσι θρέπτραRefs 8th c.BC+; ἀ. τινὶ λώβην give him back his insuit, i.e. make atonement for it, Refs; τὴν πλημμέλειανLXX+6th c.BC+; ἀ. τὸ…