2144. euprosdektos
Lexical Summary
euprosdektos: Acceptable, well-pleasing

Original Word: εὐπρόσδεκτος
Part of Speech: Adjective
Transliteration: euprosdektos
Pronunciation: yoo-pros'-dek-tos
Phonetic Spelling: (yoo-pros'-dek-tos)
KJV: acceptable(-ted)
NASB: acceptable
Word Origin: [from G2095 (εὖ - well) and a derivative of G4327 (προσδέχομαι - waiting)]

1. well-received, i.e. approved, favorable

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
acceptable.

From eu and a derivative of prosdechomai; well-received, i.e. Approved, favorable -- acceptable(-ted).

see GREEK eu

see GREEK prosdechomai

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
from eu and prosdechomai
Definition
acceptable
NASB Translation
acceptable (5).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon
STRONGS NT 2144: εὐπρόσδεκτος

εὐπρόσδεκτος, ἐυπροσδεκτον (εὖ and προσδέχομαι), well-received, accepted, acceptable: Romans 15:16; 2 Corinthians 6:2; 2 Corinthians 8:12; τίνι, Romans 15:31; 1 Peter 2:5. (Plutarch, praecept. rei publ. ger. c. 4, 17, p. 801 c.; ecclesiastical writings.)

Topical Lexicon
Overview

Strong’s 2144 depicts the condition of being delightfully received by God or people. Each New Testament occurrence presents a tapestry of priestly, salvific, ethical, and eschatological themes that coalesce around the believer’s standing “in Christ” and the resulting fruit of ministry that God welcomes.

Old Testament Antecedents of Divine Acceptability

The Septuagint frequently pairs the cognate idea with sacrificial language (for example, Leviticus 1:3; Psalm 19:14), underscoring that what is offered must correspond to God’s revealed standards of holiness. The prophetic oracle Paul cites in 2 Corinthians 6:2 (“In the time of favor I heard you…”) is drawn from Isaiah 49:8, where Israel’s Servant guarantees restoration. Thus, the New Testament writers inherit a covenantal framework in which what God deems acceptable arises from His grace yet demands conformity to His will.

Pauline Usage and Theology

1. Romans 15:16 – A Priestly Offering of the Nations

“so that the Gentiles might become an acceptable offering, sanctified by the Holy Spirit”.

Paul casts his apostolic labor in liturgical terms: the nations themselves are the sacrifice. The adjective magnifies the Spirit’s sanctifying agency—no offering is welcome unless God Himself prepares it. Evangelism, therefore, is not mere persuasion but sacrificial mediation that culminates in worship.

2. Romans 15:31 – Intercession for Ministry Reception

“that my service in Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints there”.

The Jerusalem gift was susceptible to ethnic and theological tensions. Paul prays that the collection be warmly received, revealing how unity in the body authenticates gospel generosity.

3. 2 Corinthians 6:2 – The Urgency of the Favorable Moment

“Behold, now is the time of favor; now is the day of salvation!”.

Here the word anchors an eschatological “now.” The messianic age has dawned; postponing response to grace is perilous. Acceptability is temporal as well as qualitative: it is offered within God’s appointed window.

4. 2 Corinthians 8:12 – Principles for Grace-Giving

“For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has”.

The verse liberates believers from legalistic metrics. God receives offerings in proportion to capacity, elevating motive over magnitude and reflecting the gospel economy of grace.

Petrine Insight – The New Covenant Priesthood

“offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 2:5).

Peter transfers Temple categories to the church, where every believer serves as priest. Acceptability is mediated “through Jesus Christ,” affirming His unique sufficiency while empowering communal worship that includes praise (Hebrews 13:15), service, and mutual love.

Christ as the Ground of Acceptability

Across the corpus, the qualifier of every acceptable act is union with the crucified and risen Lord. His once-for-all sacrifice fulfills the righteous requirements typified in Levitical worship, rendering subsequent sacrifices spiritual extensions rather than atoning supplements.

Historical and Ministry Significance

Worship Integrity – Liturgical forms, whether ancient incense or modern music, must be Spirit-sanctified to be welcomed by God.
Stewardship2 Corinthians 8:12 establishes a paradigm for proportional giving, protecting the poor and restraining the wealthy from pride.
MissionRomans 15 situates evangelism within priestly duty; cross-cultural outreach strives not only for decisions but for doxology.
Pastoral Care – Praying that ministry be “acceptable” (Romans 15:31) insists that motives and methods align with Scripture, fortifying accountability.
Eschatological Readiness – The “now” of 2 Corinthians 6:2 instills urgency; acceptable service is time-bound and cannot be deferred without loss.
Ecclesial Unity – An offering unwelcome to one part of the body cannot be pleasing to the Head. Acceptability includes horizontal reconciliation (Matthew 5:23-24).

Eschatological Perspective

The final judgment will publicly ratify what God has already deemed acceptable in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:9-10). Faithful works, though imperfect, will be revealed as pleasing because they were energized by the Spirit and offered through the Son.

Conclusion

Strong’s 2144 gathers sacrificial, relational, and temporal threads into a single motif: God gladly receives whatever He Himself initiates and Christ perfects. Believers, therefore, pursue holiness, generosity, and mission not to gain divine favor but to express the favor already bestowed, confident that their Spirit-wrought offerings will be “acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.”

Forms and Transliterations
ευπροσδεκτος ευπρόσδεκτος εὐπρόσδεκτος ευπροσδεκτους ευπροσδέκτους εὐπροσδέκτους euprosdektos euprósdektos euprosdektous euprosdéktous
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Englishman's Concordance
Romans 15:16 Adj-NFS
GRK: τῶν ἐθνῶν εὐπρόσδεκτος ἡγιασμένη ἐν
NAS: may become acceptable, sanctified
KJV: might be acceptable, being sanctified
INT: of the Gentiles acceptable sanctified by [the]

Romans 15:31 Adj-NFS
GRK: εἰς Ἰερουσαλὴμ εὐπρόσδεκτος τοῖς ἁγίοις
NAS: may prove acceptable to the saints;
KJV: may be accepted of the saints;
INT: for Jerusalem acceptable to the saints

2 Corinthians 6:2 Adj-NMS
GRK: νῦν καιρὸς εὐπρόσδεκτος ἰδοὺ νῦν
NAS: now is THE ACCEPTABLE TIME,
KJV: now [is] the accepted time;
INT: now [the] time well-accepted behold now

2 Corinthians 8:12 Adj-NMS
GRK: ἐὰν ἔχῃ εὐπρόσδεκτος οὐ καθὸ
NAS: is present, it is acceptable according
KJV: a willing mind, [it is] accepted according to
INT: if might have [he is] acceptable not as

1 Peter 2:5 Adj-AFP
GRK: πνευματικὰς θυσίας εὐπροσδέκτους τῷ θεῷ
NAS: sacrifices acceptable to God
KJV: sacrifices, acceptable to God
INT: spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God

Strong's Greek 2144
5 Occurrences


εὐπρόσδεκτος — 4 Occ.
εὐπροσδέκτους — 1 Occ.

2143
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