Quick Definition
I accept, admit, welcome
Strong's Definition
to admit (as a guest or (figuratively) teacher)
Derivation: from G1909 (ἐπί) and G1209 (δέχομαι);
KJV Usage: receive
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
ἐπιδέχομαι; (from Herodotus down);
1. to receive hospitably: τινα, 3Jn_1:10 (Polybius 22, 1, 3).
2. to admit, i. e. not to reject": τινα, one's authority, 3Jn_1:9 (τούς λόγους, 1Ma_10:46; παιδείαν, Sir_51:26). (Cf. δέχομαι, at the end.)
Mounce Concise Greek Dictionary
ἐπιδέχομαι epidechomai 2x
to admit; to receive kindly, welcome, entertain, 3Jn_1:10 ; met. to admit, approve, assent to, 3Jn_1:9
Abbott-Smith Greek Lexicon
** ἐπι -δέχομαι ,
[in LXX : Jdt_13:13 B 2, 1Ma_10:1 ; 1Ma_14:23 , Sir_51:26 , al. ;]
1. in cl ., of things, to allow of, admit of ( Dem ., Arist ., al. ). In late writers,
2. to accept besides ( Polyb .), to accept (in Papyri of the terms of a lease; v. ICC , on 3Jo, l.c .): 3Jn_1:9 .
3. (a) to receive besides ( Menand .);
(b) to receive hospitably (1Mac, Sir, ll c .): 3Jn_1:10†
Moulton & Milligan — Vocabulary of the Greek NT
ἐπιδέχομαι [page 237]
With the use of this verb in 3 Jn .9 we may compare P Par 63 .161 (B.C. 165) (= P Petr III. p. 32) ἀσμένως ἐπιδέξασθαι τὸ προτεινόμενον , to receive cheerfully what is proposed, and for the slightly different sense in the following verse ( 3Jn_1:10 ) cf. P Oxy II. 281 .9 (A.D. 20 50) ἐγὼ μὲν οὖν ἐπιδεξαμένη αὐτὸν εἰς τὰ τῶν γονέων μου οἰκητήρια λειτὸν παντελῶς ὄντα , as he was destitute of means I received him into my parents house (Edd.). For the general sense accept cf. P Oxy I. 44 .19 (late i/A.D.) τῶν ὠνῶν μὴ ἐπιδεδεγμένων ὑπὸ τῶν τελωνῶν , the taxes not having been accepted by the tax-farmers : the verb is also common with μισθώσασθαι of accepting the terms of a lease, e.g. P Oxy X. 1279 .5 (A.D. 139). A derived sense undertake appears in P Par 63 .90 (B.C. 165) (= P Petr III. p. 26) ἐπιδέχεσθαι τὰ τῆς γεωργίας , to undertake field labour, P Oxy III. 498 .6 (ii/A.D.) ἐπιδεχόμεθα λαξείαν τῶν οἰκοδομουμένων λίθων κύβων , we undertake to cut the squared building stones : cf. ib. XII. 1412 .7 ( c. A.D. 284) οὐδὲ βραχεῖαν ἀνάθεσ [ι ]ν ἐπιδέχεται , does not admit even a brief delay (Edd.).
The subst. is found in PSI IV. 316 .16 (iv/A.D. ?) βεβαι [ουμένης δέ μο ]ι̣ τῆς ἐπιδοχῆς .
Liddell-Scott — Intermediate Greek Lexicon
ἐπιδέχομαι ionic -δέκομαι fut. ξομαι Dep. "to admit besides or in addition", Hdt. : "to allow of, admit of", Lat. recipere, Dem.
STEPBible — Tyndale Abridged Greek Lexicon
ἐπι-δέχομαι
[in LXX: Jdth.13:13 B2, 1Ma.10:1 1Mac 14:23, Sir.51:26, al. ;]
__1. in cl., of things, to allow of, admit of (Dem., Arist., al.). In late writers,
__2. to accept besides (Polyb.), to accept (in π. of the terms of a lease; see ICC, on 3Jo, l.with): III Jn 9.
__3. (a) to receive besides (Menand.);
__(b) to receive hospitably (1Mac, Sir, ll with): III Jn 10†
(AS)