ἐκδέχομαι G1551
To wait for or await something with expectation and patience; to expect an anticipated outcome.
Describes a posture of active, expectant waiting — not passive idleness but purposeful anticipation. In John 5:3 the sick at Bethesda await the stirring of the water; in Acts 17:16 Paul waits for his companions in Athens, his spirit provoked by the city's idols. The Corinthian letters employ the word for practical Christian courtesy — waiting for one another at the Lord's Supper (1 Cor 11:33) and sending Timothy on his way in peace (1 Cor 16:11). Hebrews 10:13 elevates the term to its theological apex: Christ sits at God's right hand, waiting until his enemies are made a footstool. Spanish 'esperar' and German 'erwarten' both preserve the nuance of hopeful expectation.
Senses
1. wait for, await, expect — To wait for someone or something with active expectation and patience, anticipating a definite outcome. The word carries a note of purposeful endurance rather than passive delay. At Bethesda the infirm await the movement of the water (John 5:3); Paul waits expectantly in Athens (Acts 17:16); believers are told to wait for one another at the Lord's table (1 Cor 11:33). The theological climax comes in Hebrews 10:13, where the exalted Christ himself waits for the consummation. Spanish 'esperar' and French 'attendre' both confirm the blend of patience and confident expectation that distinguishes this term from simple delay. 7×
AR["أَنْتَظِرُ", "انتَظِروا", "مُنْتَظِرًا", "مُنْتَظِرِينَ", "يَنتَظِرُ", "يَنْتَظِرُ"]·ben["অপেক্ষা-কর।", "অপেক্ষা-করছি", "অপেক্ষা-করছেন", "অপেক্ষা-করত", "অপেক্ষা-করার-সময়", "অপেক্ষা-করে", "তিনি-অপেক্ষা-করছিলেন"]·DE["erwarten", "ἐκδεχομένου"]·EN["I-await", "awaits", "he-was-waiting-for", "wait-for", "waiting", "waiting-for"]·FR["attendre"]·heb["הַמְתִינוּ", "מְחַכֶּה", "מְצַפֶּה", "צִפָּה", "〈מְחַכִּים"]·HI["प्रतीक्षा-करता-था", "प्रतीक्षा-करता-है", "प्रतीक्षा-करते-हुए", "प्रतीक्षा-करो", "मैं-प्रतीक्षा-करता-हूँ", "〈प्रतीक्षा-करते-हुए"]·ID["<menunggu", "aku-menantikan", "ia-menantikan", "menantikan", "menunggu", "tunggulah"]·IT["aspettare", "ekdechetai", "ekdechomenos", "exedecheto", "〈ekdechomenon"]·jav["kula-nengga", "ngantos", "ngentosi", "ngentosi.", "〈ngantos"]·KO["기다렸으니", "기다리노라", "기다리는", "기다리는-동안", "기다리라", "기다리시니", "기다린다"]·PT["esperai.", "esperando", "esperava"]·RU["ожидает", "ожидайте.", "ожидал", "ожидаю", "ожидающего", "ожидая", "〈ожидающих"]·ES["espera", "esperaba", "esperad", "esperando", "espero", "esperándolos"]·SW["akingojea", "akiwasubiri", "alitarajia", "anasubiri", "ngojeaneni.", "ninamngojea", "wakingoja"]·TR["Bekliyordu", "bekler", "beklerken", "bekleyen", "bekleyerek", "birbirinizi", "çünkü"]·urd["انتظار-کرتا-تھا", "انتظار-کرتا-ہوں", "انتظار-کرتا-ہے", "انتظار-کرتے-ہوئے", "انتظار-کرو"]
Related Senses
G2309 1. want, desire (166×)G0025 1. to love actively (133×)H0157 1. love (verb, active Qal) (129×)H8055 1. Qal: rejoice, be glad (123×)H7453 1. neighbor, fellow man (120×)G0026 1. of love (115×)H1058 1. Qal: to weep, cry (112×)H0954 1. to be ashamed, feel shame (Qal) (95×)H8057 1. joy, gladness, delight (90×)H2781 1. disgrace, shame, dishonor (68×)G2307 1. will, desire, purpose (63×)G5463 1. rejoice, be glad (63×)G0027 1. beloved (61×)H8130 1. Qal: to hate, detest (60×)G5479 1. (59×)G1680 1. (53×)H8130 2. Qal ptcp: hater, enemy (53×)H0014 1. be willing, want (51×)H0157 2. lover, friend (Qal participle substantive) (51×)H1945 1. woe (50×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
ἐκδέχομαι, Ionic dialect ἐκδέκ-, Epic dialect 3rd.pers. plural ἐκδέχαται Refs 3rd c.AD+: future ἐκδερμᾰτ-δέξομαι: —passive (see. belowRefs __I mostly of persons, __I.1 take or receive from another, οἵ οἱ σάκος ἐξεδέχοντο Refs 8th c.BC+; of a beacon-fire, τρίτον Ἀθῷον αἶπος..ἐξεδέξατο Refs; ἐ. τὴν αἰτίαν take it on oneself, Refs 4th c.BC+ __I.2 of a successor, ἐ. τὴν βασιληΐην Refs 5th c.BC+…