Quick Definition
ἀποδέχομαι v. I receive, welcome, entertain
Strong's Definition
from 575 and 1209; to take fully, i.e. welcome (persons), approve (things)
KJV Usage: accept, receive (gladly)
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament
verb | δέχομαι
34.53 · Association · Welcome, Receive
to welcome, to receive, to accept, to have as a guest to accept the presence of a person with friendliness
31.52 · Hold a View, Believe, Trust · Accept As True
to accept, to receive, acceptance, reception to come to believe something to be true and to respond accordingly, with some emphasis upon the source
1 There are no doubt certain contextual constraints involved in the choice of ἀναδέχομαι[a], ἀποδέχομαι[a], ἐπιδέχομαι[a], εἰσδέχομαι, ὑποδέχομαι, προσδέχομαι[b], and παραδέχομαι[b] in the sense that the spacial relationships involved in the welcoming of a guest can be reflected in the prepositional prefixes. For example, in LUK 8:40 the use of ἀποδέχομαι may focus upon the particular source, while ἐπιδέχομαι in 3JN 1:10 may be relevant in view of the fact that the believers are coming to a particular point. προσδέχομαι in LUK 15:2 may suggest a kind of reciprocal relationship which is established with outcasts, and παραδέχομαι in ACT 15:4 may simply point to spacial proximity. However, it would be wrong to insist upon clear distinctions in meaning based on the very limited number of contexts involved. Some of these same distinctions in spacial relations may exist for the set προσλαμβάνω[e], παραλαμβάνω[d], ἀπολαμβάνω[d].
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament © United Bible Societies, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Mounce Concise Greek Dictionary
ἀποδέχομαι apodechomai 7x
to receive kindly or heartily, welcome, Lk. 8:40; 9:11; Acts 18:27; 28:30; to receive with hearty assent, embrace, Acts 2:41; to accept with satisfaction, Acts 24:3*
Abbott-Smith Greek Lexicon
** ἀπο-δέχομαι
[in LXX: To 7:17, Jth 13:13; Jdt.13.1, I-IV Mac10*;]
to accept gladly, welcome, receive: Lk 8:40 9:11, Ac 18:27 21:17 28:30; metaph., c. acc. rei, Ac 2:41 24:3 (MM, s.v.; Cremer, 688).†
Moulton & Milligan — Vocabulary of the Greek NT
ἀποδέχομαι. P Oxy VI. 939 10 fF (iv/A.D.), a letter from a Christian dependent to his master regarding the illness of his mistress, has the following: συνγνώμην δέ, κύριέ pov, σχοίης μοι [καὶ εὔνους] ἀποδέξει με εἰ καὶ ἐς τηλικαύτην σε [ἀγωνία]ν ἄκων ἐνέβαλον γράψας περὶ αὐτῆς ὅσα [ἐκομίσω], ‘* please pardon me, my lord, and receive me kindly, though I unwillingly caused you so much anxiety by writing to you the messages which you received” (Edd.). Syé/ 6935 (iii/B.c.) ἐμφανίζειν δὲ αὐτοῖς ὅτι kal viv πρῶτοι τὸν ayava ταῖς Μούσαις στεφα[νήτην ἀποδέχοντί[αι... ., 7. 790% (i/B.C.) ἁγνεύοντες καὶ νήφοντες καὶ ἀποδεχόμενοι τὰ πινάκια παρὰ τῶν μαντευομένων. ΟΟ 15 6921 (Egypt) οὐκ ἀπεδεξάμην σε τί(ῆς) ἐΐν λόγοις] τριβῆς [ἕνεκεν]. Vettius Valens p. 250% τινὲς μὲν εὐχερεῖς καὶ ἐπακτικοὶ τῆς ἀληθείας ἀποδέχονται, which Kroll renders ‘‘laudantur,” comparing p. 3261 ὅθεν ἀποδεκτέος ὁ τοιοῦτος. Gildersleeve (/ust. A/. p. 239) remarks on the ‘ respectful” tone of the verb in Ac 24% πάντη Te καὶ πανταχοῦ ἀποδεχόμεθα. Tt survives in MGr. ἀποδημέω. Early examples of this verb ἀγα afforded by P Petr III. 4215 (iii/B.C.) εἰμὶ yap πρὸς τῶι ἀποδημεῖν, “for Iam on the point of departure ” (Edd.), and P Par 468 (B.c. 153) ἐνκατελελοίπει pe ἀποδημήσας. An antithesis which verbally resembles 2 Cor 59 may be seen in P Tebt I. 10417 (B.c. 92) ἐνδημῶν kal ἀποδημῶν, in a marriage contract : similarly BGU I. 1837 (a.p. 85), P. Giss I. 2.15 (B.c. 173), and cf. P Par 69 (iii/A.D.) where the arrivals and departures of a strategus are recorded in his day-book by émt- and ἀποδημέω respectively (cf. Archtv iv. p- 374). On P Gatt’2° Gi/ap.) (= Chrest. 11. p. 422) ἐὰν γένηταί pe ἀποδημεῖν, P. M. Meyer observes (Avchzv ili. p. 84) that the verb is the antithesis
Liddell-Scott-Jones — Greek-English Lexicon
ἀποδέχομαι (apodechomai) — to receive. ἀποδέχομαι, Ionic dialect ἀποδέκομαι, future -δέξομαι: aorist -εδεξάμην: perfect -δέδεγμαι (for possible passive usages of this tense see at {ἀποδείκνυμι} [Refs 4th c.BC+]: —accept, καὶ οὐκ ἀπεδέξατ᾽ ἄποινα[Refs 8th c.BC+]; ἀ. γνώμην παρά τινος accept advice from him, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
2. accept as a teacher, follow, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
3. admit to one's presence, τοὺς πρεσβευτάς[Refs 2nd c.BC+]
4. mostly of admitting into the mind,
4. a receive favourably, approve, ἀπολογίαν[Refs 5th c.BC+]; κατηγορίας, διαβολάς, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; τοῖσι μὴ ἀποδεκομένοισι, with accusative infinitive, those who do not accept the story that.., [Refs 5th c.BC+]participle added, ἀ. τινὸς λέγοντος receive or accept a statement from him, i.e. believe or agree with his statements, [Refs 4th c.BC+]participle, οὐκ ἀποδέχομαι ἐμαυτοῦ ὡς τὸ ἓν δύο γέγονεν I cannot satisfy myself in thinking that.., [Refs 5th c.BC+]: absolutely, to accept a statement, to be satisfied, [Refs 4th c.BC+]; ἀ. ἐάν.. [Refs 5th c.BC+]: with genitive of things, to be content with, τῆς προαιρέσεως[Refs 4th c.AD+]
4. b generally, approve, acknowledge, τὴν τῶν ἐφήβων ἀρετήν[Refs]
4. c take or understand a thing, ὀρθῶς ἀ. τι[Refs 5th c.BC+]: with genitive person (the accusative _of things_ being understood), οὕτως αὐτοῦ ἀποδεχώμεθα let us understand him thus (referring to what goes before), [Refs 5th c.BC+]
II. receive back, recover, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; opposed to ἀποδιδόναι, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
III. sustain, hold out against, [Refs 2nd c.BC+]