dechomai · receive, welcome

What it means

dechomai (δέχομαι) is a Greek word of the Bible that means “receive, welcome”.

How to say it

Approximate pronunciation. Vowels sound as in Spanish (a as in father, e as in bed, i as in machine, o as in note, u as in rule); the syllable in bold is stressed. The voice is your device's.

Its senses in the Bible

1. To accept what someone gives you.
2. To gladly take in someone or something.

From Abbott-Smith (1922) · Thayer (1889)

Word study

To receive, to welcome: to take in the hand what is given, or to receive a person into the house; and to accept a word or a message. Of the same group are προσδέχομαι (‘wait for, await’) and ἀποδέχομαι (‘receive’).

• Receiving those who are sent is receiving Jesus Matthew 10:40Matthew 18:5Luke 9:48
• Receiving the kingdom like a child Mark 10:15Luke 18:17
• Receiving the word Acts 17:111 Thessalonians 1:61 Thessalonians 2:13
• “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit” Acts 7:59
• Taking into one’s hands Luke 2:28Luke 22:17

How we translate it

“Receive” in most cases (“receives” 16 times, “receive” 15, “received” 10); “welcome” or “welcomed” when it is receiving a person (7); “take” or “took” when it is something taken in the hand (“he took him into his arms”, Luke 2:28; “Take your bill”, Luke 16:6); “accept” with a word or a message (“you accepted {it}”, 1 Thessalonians 2:13).

How it is translated

The words this translation uses for it, most frequent first.

• receives ×16
• receive ×15
• received ×10
• accept ×4
• welcomed ×4
• welcome ×3
• Take ×2
• took ×1
• you accepted it ×1

Related words

Words of the same family, by Strong’s numbering.

Where it appears

• Matthew×10
• Mark×6
• Luke×16
• John×1
• Acts×8
• 1 Corinthians×1
• 2 Corinthians×5
• Galatians×1
• Ephesians×1
• Philippians×1
• Colossians×1
• 1 Thessalonians×2
• 2 Thessalonians×1
• Hebrews×1
• James×1

• Matthew 10:14

  And whoever does not receive you or listen to your words, as you go out of that house or town, shake off the dust from your feet.

• Matthew 10:40

  The one who receives you receives me, and the one who receives me receives the one who sent me.

• Matthew 10:41

  The one who receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and the one who receives a righteous man because he is righteous will receive a righteous man’s reward.

• Matthew 11:14

  and if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah who is to come.

• Matthew 18:5

  And whoever receives one such child in my name receives me.

• Mark 6:11

  And whatever place does not receive you nor listen to you, as you leave from there, shake off the dust that is under your feet as a testimony to them.”

• Mark 9:37

  “Whoever receives one of such children in my name receives me; and whoever receives me receives not me but the one who sent me.”

• Mark 10:15

  Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will never enter into it.”

• Luke 2:28

  and he took him into his arms and blessed God and said,

• Luke 8:13

  And those on the rock are the ones who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root; they believe for a while, and in a time of testing fall away.

• Luke 9:5

  And as for those who do not receive you, when you go out from that city shake off the dust from your feet as a testimony against them.”

• Luke 9:48

  and said to them, “Whoever receives this child in my name receives me; and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me. For the one who is least among you all, this one is great.”

• Luke 9:53

  And they did not receive him, because his face was going toward Jerusalem.

• Luke 10:8

  And whatever city you enter and they receive you, eat what is set before you,

• Luke 10:10

  But whatever city you enter and they do not receive you, go out into its streets and say,

• Luke 16:4

  I know what I will do, so that, when I am removed from the management, people will welcome me into their homes.’

• Luke 16:6

  And he said, ‘A hundred baths of olive oil.’ And he said to him, ‘Take your bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty.’

• Luke 16:7

  Then he said to another, ‘And you, how much do you owe?’ And he said, ‘A hundred cors of wheat.’ He says to him, ‘Take your bill, and write eighty.’

• Luke 16:9

  And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of the unrighteous wealth, so that when it fails, they may welcome you into the eternal dwellings.

• Luke 18:17

  Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will never enter into it.”

• Luke 22:17

  And having received a cup, and given thanks, he said, “Take this and divide it among yourselves;

• John 4:45

  So when he came into Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him, having seen all that he had done in Jerusalem at the feast; for they too had gone to the feast.

• Acts 3:21

  whom heaven must receive until the times of the restoration of all things, of which God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from long ago.

• Acts 7:38

  This is the one who was in the assembly in the wilderness with the angel who spoke to him on Mount Sinai, and with our fathers; he received living oracles to give to us.

• Acts 7:59

  And they were stoning Stephen as he was calling on the Lord and saying, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”

• Acts 8:14

  Now when the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent to them Peter and John,

• Acts 11:1

  Now the apostles and the brothers who were throughout Judea heard that the nations also had received the word of God.

• Acts 17:11

  Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so.

• Acts 22:5

  as also the high priest testifies for me, and the whole council of elders; from whom I also received letters to the brothers, and I was traveling to Damascus to bring also those who were there in chains to Jerusalem so that they might be punished.

• Acts 28:21

  And they said to him, “We have neither received letters about you from Judea, nor has any of the brothers come and reported or spoken anything evil about you.

• 1 Corinthians 2:14

  But the natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are examined spiritually.

• 2 Corinthians 6:1

  And working together with him, we also urge you not to receive the grace of God in vain.

• 2 Corinthians 7:15

  And his affections are all the more toward you as he remembers the obedience of all of you, how with fear and trembling you welcomed him.

• 2 Corinthians 8:17

  for he welcomed the appeal, but being all the more earnest, he went out to you of his own accord.

• 2 Corinthians 11:4

  For if the one who comes proclaims another Jesus whom we did not proclaim, or you receive a different spirit that you did not receive, or a different good news that you did not accept, you bear with it well enough!

• 2 Corinthians 11:16

  Again I say, let no one think that I am a fool; but if otherwise, at least as a fool accept me, so that I too may boast a little.

• Galatians 4:14

  and what in my flesh was a trial to you you did not despise or reject, but you received me as an angel of God, as the Messiah Jesus.

• Ephesians 6:17

  and receive the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,

• Philippians 4:18

  But I have received in full everything and I abound; I am filled, having received from Epaphroditus the things from you, a fragrant aroma, a sacrifice acceptable, pleasing to God.

• Colossians 4:10

  Aristarchus, my fellow prisoner, greets you, and so does Mark, the cousin of Barnabas (concerning whom you received instructions: if he comes to you, welcome him),

And 16 more times.