Word Study for G467 (ἀνταποδίδωμι)

antapodídōmi /an-tap-od-ee'-do-mee/ Ask about this word

Rootfrom ἀντί and ἀποδίδωμι

Meaningto requite (good or evil)

KJV usagerecompense, render, repay.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of antapodídōmi — the range of meaning it carries, how Scripture actually uses it, and where it points. Written for readers who don’t know the original language.

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Greek word antapodídōmi, represented by G467, means to requite, whether for good or for evil. It is a compound word derived from ἀντί and ἀποδίδωμι. Appearing 9 times across 6 unique verses, this term is used to convey the concepts of rendering, repaying, or providing recompense.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In scripture, G467 is frequently used to describe God's role as the ultimate dispenser of justice. In Romans 12:19 and Hebrews 10:30, God declares that vengeance is His and He will repay or recompense. This theme of divine requital is also present in 2 Thessalonians 1:6, which states it is a righteous act for God to recompense tribulation to those who trouble believers. The word is not exclusively negative; in Luke 14:14, it is used to assure the righteous that they will be recompensed at the resurrection for their charity. It is also used to express human gratitude, as seen in 1 Thessalonians 3:9, which asks what thanks can be rendered to God.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related Greek words help clarify the contexts in which G467 appears:

G1556 ekdikéō (to vindicate, retaliate, punish:--a (re-)venge): This word appears in Romans 12:19, where believers are instructed not to avenge themselves, directly contrasting human retaliation with God's promise to repay G467.
G1557 ekdíkēsis (vindication, retribution:--(a-, re-)venge(-ance), punishment): This term for vengeance is explicitly claimed by God in both Romans 12:19 and Hebrews 10:30, setting the stage for His act of recompense G467.
G2346 thlíbō (to crowd (literally or figuratively):--afflict, narrow, throng, suffer tribulation, trouble): The connection is made clear in 2 Thessalonians 1:6, where God promises to recompense G467 those who trouble G2346 the faithful.
G2919 krínō (to distinguish, i.e. decide... judge): In Hebrews 10:30, the promise "I will recompense" G467 is paired with the statement "The Lord shall judge his people," linking divine recompense to divine judgment.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of G467 is significant, highlighting key aspects of God's character and plan.

Divine Sovereignty in Justice: The term establishes that final justice is God's exclusive domain. Humans are commanded to forego personal vengeance because God Himself will repay Romans 12:19.
Eschatological Reward and Retribution: Recompense is often presented as a future event. God will recompense affliction to persecutors 2 Thessalonians 1:6, and the righteous will be recompensed at the resurrection Luke 14:14.
The Incalculable Debt to God: The rhetorical question in Romans 11:35, asking who has first given to God that he might be recompensed, emphasizes that humanity can never place God in its debt.

Summary

In summary, G467 is a crucial term for understanding biblical justice. It encapsulates the principle of requital, applying to both the positive repayment of good deeds and the negative retribution for evil. Primarily an action attributed to God, it underscores His role as the righteous judge who will balance all accounts, particularly in the context of final judgment and the resurrection.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists the renderings but not their weight. These are counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the bar under each is how often the translators actually reached for it. Select one to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Greek New Testament, this word appears as a verb across 7 occurrences, inflected in 3 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form.

2nd Aorist Active Infinitive 3×
Future Active Indicative 1st Singular 2×
Future Passive Indicative 3rd Singular 2×

Singular: One.
1st: First person — the speaker ("I"/"we").
2nd: Second person — the one addressed ("you").
3rd: Third person — the one spoken about ("he"/"they").
Future: Action yet to take place.
Aorist: Action viewed as a single whole — usually a simple past event.
Active: The subject performs the action.
Passive: The subject is acted upon.
Indicative: A plain statement of fact.
Infinitive: The verb as a noun — "to do".

Theographic Context

Context

The people, places, and span of history the verses containing this word touch on — drawn from the theographic tagging of Scripture. Select any name to isolate its verses in the occurrence list.

Biblical Distribution

Distribution

Appears in 6 verses across 5 of the 27 books. Most frequent in Romans (2 verses); never once in the other 22.

Luke

Romans

1 Thessalonians

2 Thessalonians

Hebrews

Every Occurrence

Concordance

Every verse where the word is tagged in the King James text. Filter by book, by the English word the translators chose, or search within the verses.

Sources. Definition and numbering: James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890). Morphology: STEPBible / Tyndale House (CC BY). Verse tagging: the King James text keyed to Strong’s numbers. Every count on this page is computed from the tagged corpus, not estimated.