5264. hupodechomai

Lexical Summary

hupodechomai: To receive, to welcome, to entertain

Original Word: ὑποδέχομαι
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: hupodechomai
Pronunciation: hoo-pod-ekh'-om-ahee
Phonetic Spelling: (hoop-od-ekh'-om-ahee)
KJV: receive
NASB: received, welcomed
Word Origin: [from G5259 (ὑπό - under) and G1209 (δέχομαι - receive)]

1. to admit under one's roof, i.e. entertain hospitably

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

receive.

From hupo and dechomai; to admit under one's roof, i.e. Entertain hospitably -- receive.

see GREEK hupo

see GREEK dechomai

HELPS Word-studies

5264 hypodéxomai (from 5259 /hypó, "under" and 1209/dexomai, "receive, welcome") – properly, welcome under, i.e. to receive someone (something) as under their personal responsibility (note the hypo). This welcoming portrays what is received as under one's personal care (to see to the needs, etc.).

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
from hupo and dechomai
Definition
to receive under one's roof, to receive as a guest
NASB Translation
received (2), welcomed (2).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon

STRONGS NT 5264: ὑποδέχομαι

ὑποδέχομαι (see ὑπό, III. 1): 1 aorist ὑπεδεξαμην; perfect ὑποδεδεγμαι; from Homer down; to receive as a guest: τινα, Luke 19:6; Acts 17:7; James 2:25; εἰς τόν οἶκον, Luke 10:38. (Cf. δέχομαι, at the end.)

Topical Lexicon

Overview

Strong’s Greek 5264 centers on the deliberate, warm reception of a guest. It moves beyond courtesy to an active embrace of the one received, often at personal cost. In Scripture the term frames hospitality as a concrete display of allegiance to the Lord and His servants.

Narrative Contexts

• Luke 10:38 – Martha “welcomed Him into her home,” inaugurating a scene where listening and serving converge around Jesus’ person.
• Luke 19:6 – Zacchaeus “welcomed Him joyfully,” illustrating repentance expressed in open-handed generosity.
• Acts 17:7 – Jason “has welcomed them,” risking legal penalties for sheltering Paul and Silas.
• James 2:25 – Rahab “welcomed the messengers,” her deed standing as a prototype of living faith.

Hospitality as Expression of Faith

James draws a straight line from Rahab’s welcome to justification, demonstrating that genuine faith invariably takes form in tangible works (James 2:17). Each New Testament occurrence of 5264 showcases hospitality as a faith-act: Martha trusts Jesus’ presence, Zacchaeus abandons social caution, Jason braves civic unrest, and Rahab jeopardizes her life. Scripture therefore treats hospitality not as optional etiquette but as evidence of regenerated hearts.

Link to Discipleship and Mission

Receiving Jesus’ emissaries equates to receiving Jesus Himself (Matthew 10:40). By welcoming missionaries, disciples partner in gospel advance (3 John 8). Jason’s house becomes the Thessalonian beachhead for missionary strategy; Rahab’s house the foothold for Israel’s conquest. The term thus connects household hospitality with kingdom breakthrough.

Christological Overtones

In Luke’s Gospel the verb is reserved for welcoming Jesus personally. Zacchaeus’ exuberance pairs with Jesus’ declaration, “Today salvation has come to this house” (Luke 19:9). The physical reception of Christ mirrors the inner reception that constitutes saving faith (John 1:12), suggesting a sacramental resonance between hosting and believing.

Early Church Practice

First-century itinerant teachers relied on open homes (Romans 16:1-4). The example of Jason underlines the legal and financial risks Christians assumed. Patristic writings echo this priority; the Didache instructs believers to test and then welcome traveling prophets, reflecting continuity with New Testament patterns.

Ethical and Pastoral Application

1. Hospitality is commanded (Hebrews 13:2; 1 Peter 4:9) and models the gospel’s inclusiveness.
2. It requires readiness to absorb cost—time, resources, even reputational risk—as seen in Acts 17:7.
3. It functions evangelistically; homes become platforms for proclamation, as Martha’s later confession in John 11 shows.
4. It fosters unity, bridging socioeconomic and ethnic divides (Zacchaeus the tax collector, Rahab the Canaanite).

Related Old Testament Motifs

Abraham’s reception of three visitors (Genesis 18) and the widow’s lodging of Elijah (1 Kings 17) foreshadow the principle. New Testament writers draw on these precedents, presenting hospitality as covenant behavior that welcomes God’s presence through His representatives.

Summary

Strong’s 5264 portrays hospitality as a decisive, faith-filled welcome extended to Christ and His messengers. Whether sheltering apostles, receiving divine visitation, or aiding spies, such welcome becomes the arena where belief manifests, mission advances, and households are transformed by salvation.

Forms and Transliterations

υπεδεξατο υπεδέξατο ὑπεδέξατο υποδεδεκται υποδέδεκται ὑποδέδεκται υποδεξαμενη υποδεξαμένη ὑποδεξαμένη υποδέξομαι hypedexato hypedéxato hypodedektai hypodédektai hypodexamene hypodexamenē hypodexaméne hypodexaménē upedexato upodedektai upodexamene upodexamenē

Englishman's Concordance

Luke 10:38 V-AIM-3S
GRK: ὀνόματι Μάρθα ὑπεδέξατο αὐτὸν εἰς
NAS: Martha welcomed Him into her home.
KJV: named Martha received him into
INT: by name Martha received him into

Luke 19:6 V-AIM-3S
GRK: κατέβη καὶ ὑπεδέξατο αὐτὸν χαίρων
NAS: and came down and received Him gladly.
KJV: and received him
INT: he came down and received him rejoicing

Acts 17:7 V-RIM/P-3S
GRK: οὓς ὑποδέδεκται Ἰάσων καὶ
NAS: and Jason has welcomed them, and they all
KJV: Whom Jason hath received: and these
INT: whom has received Jason and

James 2:25 V-APM-NFS
GRK: ἔργων ἐδικαιώθη ὑποδεξαμένη τοὺς ἀγγέλους
NAS: by works when she received the messengers
KJV: works, when she had received the messengers,
INT: works was justified having received the messengers

Strong's Greek 5264
4 Occurrences

ὑπεδέξατο — 2 Occ.
ὑποδέδεκται — 1 Occ.
ὑποδεξαμένη — 1 Occ.