Lexical Summary
antapodidómi: To repay, to recompense, to render, to give back.
Original Word:ἀνταποδίδωμι
Part of Speech:Verb
Transliteration:antapodidómi
Pronunciation:an-tap-od-ID-oh-mee
Phonetic Spelling:(an-tap-od-ee'-do-mee)
KJV: recompense, render, repay
NASB:repay, paid back, render, repaid, return
Word Origin:[fromG473 (ἀντί - instead) andG591 (ἀποδίδωμι - repay)]
1. to requite (good or evil)
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
recompense, render, repay.
Fromanti andapodidomi; to requite (good or evil) -- recompense, render, repay.
see GREEKanti
see GREEKapodidomi
HELPS Word-studies
467antapodídōmi (from473/antí, "corresponding back" and591/apodídōmi, "give") – properly, "pay-back," recompense; return, as anequivalence, i.e. what isequitable (proportional, "fitting").
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Originfrom
anti and
apodidómiDefinitionto give back as an equivalent, recompense
NASB Translationpaid back (1), render (1), repaid (1), repay (4), return (1).
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
STRONGS NT 467: ἀνταποδίδωμιἀνταποδίδωμι: future
ἀνταποδώσω; 2 aorist infinitive
ἀνταποδοῦναι; 1 future passive
ἀνταποδοθήσομαι; (
ἀντί for something received, in return,
ἀποδίδωμι to give back);
to repay, requite;
a. in a good sense:Luke 14:14;Romans 11:35;εὐχαριστίαντίνι,1 Thessalonians 3:9.
b. in a bad sense, of penalty and vengeance; absolutely:Romans 12:19;Hebrews 10:30 (Deuteronomy 32:35);θλῖψιντίνι,2 Thessalonians 1:6. (Very often in theSept. and Apocrypha, in both senses; in Greek writings from (Herodotus]Thucydides down.)
Topical Lexicon
Principal Idea of RecompenseStrong’s 467 gathers every nuance of giving back in kind—whether vengeance, reward, thanksgiving, or just settlement. Each occurrence in the New Testament locates the action in God’s hands or in acts shaped by His character, thereby safeguarding both divine justice and gracious reward.
Old Testament Roots
Paul (Romans 12:19) and the author of Hebrews (Hebrews 10:30) both citeDeuteronomy 32:35, where the covenant-keeping LORD pledges, “Vengeance is Mine; I will repay.” The Torah’s backdrop supplies two convictions that carry straight into the New Testament: (1) God alone possesses the right to retaliate; (2) His covenant faithfulness guarantees He will do so perfectly, either in temporal history or at the final judgment.
New Testament Themes
1. Divine Retribution—Romans 12:19 and2 Thessalonians 1:6 declare God’s active repayment of wrong. “After all, it is only right for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you” (2 Thessalonians 1:6). This assures persecuted believers that justice, though sometimes delayed, is never denied.
2. Eschatological Reward—Luke 14:14 anchors the believer’s generosity in the coming resurrection: “you will be blessed…for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.” The verb shifts from vengeance to benevolent reward, directing disciples to live for future rather than immediate compensation.
3. Grace and Sovereignty—Romans 11:35 punctures any idea that God can be placed in our debt: “Who has ever given to God, that God should repay them?” Salvation and service remain gifts of grace, not wages God is obliged to return.
4. Thanksgiving Rendered—1 Thessalonians 3:9 employs the verb for joyful gratitude toward God. Paul seeks to “render” thanks commensurate with the joy supplied by the Thessalonian believers’ steadfastness. Repayment here becomes worship.
Contexts of Vindication and Reward
• Persecution: Divine recompense comforts communities under pressure (2 Thessalonians 1:6-7).
• Personal conflict:Romans 12:19 frees Christians from the corrosive cycle of retaliation.
• Hospitality and almsgiving:Luke 14:14 locates true reward beyond earthly reciprocity.
• Salvation history:Romans 11:35 reminds Gentile and Jewish believers alike that election is rooted in mercy, not merit.
Pastoral and Practical Applications
1. Encourage endurance—Point sufferers to God’s settled promise that He will right every wrong.
2. Cultivate generosity—Urge acts of kindness that may never be repaid in this life, trusting Christ’s future vindication.
3. Guard against pride—Any service rendered to God is itself enabled by grace; He owes nothing, yet rewards everything.
4. Foster thankful worship—Like Paul, congregations can “repay” God with overflowing praise, the only fitting response for grace received.
Doctrinal Synthesis
Strong’s 467 interweaves sovereignty, justice, mercy, and hope. God repays evil with measured wrath, good with lavish reward, and gratitude with deeper joy, all while remaining free from obligation. The believer, therefore, relinquishes personal vengeance, practices selfless generosity, and relies on the certain, righteous, and gracious recompense of God.
Forms and Transliterations
ανταπεδίδοσάν ανταπέδωκα ανταπέδωκά ανταπέδωκας ανταπέδωκάς ανταπεδώκατε ανταπέδωκε ανταπέδωκέ ανταπέδωκεν ανταποδιδόντες ανταποδιδόντος ανταποδίδοται ανταποδίδοτε ανταποδίδοτέ ανταποδιδούσί ανταποδίδωσι ανταποδίδωσί ανταποδίδωσιν ανταποδοθησεται ανταποδοθήσεται ἀνταποδοθήσεται ανταπόδος ανταπόδοτε ανταποδουναι ανταποδούναι ανταποδούναί ἀνταποδοῦναι ἀνταποδοῦναί ανταποδώ ανταποδώς ανταποδώσει ανταποδώσεις ανταποδώσομεν ανταποδωσω ανταποδώσω ἀνταποδώσω ανταποδώσων antapodoso antapodōsō antapodṓso antapodṓsō antapodothesetai antapodothēsetai antapodothḗsetai antapodounai antapodoûnai antapodoûnaíLinks
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