This article explores the rich grammatical texture of a passage from the New Testament — specifically 1 Corinthians 16:11. We examine how the verb ἐκδέχομαι, a middle-voice verb in Koine Greek, conveys agency and personal involvement — and how its evolution into Modern Greek reveals shifts in voice, syntax, and relational nuance.
μὴ τις οὖν αὐτὸν ἐξουθενήσῃ· προπέμψατε δὲ αὐτὸν ἐν εἰρήνῃ, ἵνα ἔλθῃ πρός με· ἐκδέχομαι γὰρ αὐτὸν μετὰ τῶν ἀδελφῶν. (1 Corinthians 16:11)
The Verb That Welcomes: A Deep Dive into ἐκδέχομαι
In this pastoral closing of his letter, Paul speaks of Timothy and urges the Corinthians not to despise him. He writes: “μὴ τις οὖν αὐτὸν ἐξουθενήσῃ· προπέμψατε δὲ αὐτὸν ἐν εἰρήνῃ, ἵνα ἔλθῃ πρός με· ἐκδέχομαι γὰρ αὐτὸν μετὰ τῶν ἀδελφῶν.” — “Let no one, therefore, despise him; but send him forward in peace, so that he may come to me — for I am expecting him with the brothers.”
The verb ἐκδέχομαι is particularly significant for both its semantics and its morphology. It is formed as a middle-voice compound from δέχομαι (“I receive”), with the prefix ἐκ- (“out of, from”). It suggests more than passive reception — it expresses active expectation and emotional readiness. The middle voice here is not incidental: it denotes that Paul himself is inwardly invested in the action, which aligns with the affectionate and communal tone of the closing epistle.
Morphological Breakdown of Key Terms
| Term | Form | Literal Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| ἐκδέχομαι | Verb – Present tense, indicative mood, middle voice | “I receive / expect (with involvement)” | Emphasizes Paul’s readiness and emotional involvement in receiving Timothy and the brothers. |
| προπέμψατε | Verb – Aorist tense, imperative mood, active voice | “Send forth” | Command to act decisively; used elsewhere by Paul in travel contexts with missionaries. |
| ἔλθῃ | Verb – Aorist tense, subjunctive mood, active voice, 3rd person singular | “He might come” | Subjunctive of purpose after ἵνα; expresses Paul’s intention and hope for Timothy’s arrival. |
| ἐξουθενήσῃ | Verb – Aorist tense, subjunctive mood, active voice, 3rd person singular | “He might despise” | Negative imperative with μὴ; warns the community not to disregard Timothy due to his youth or status. |
From Middle to Passive: Voice Shifts Across Time
The middle voice in Koine Greek often communicates more than reflexivity — it conveys personal engagement and internal perspective. In the case of ἐκδέχομαι, Paul uses a middle-form verb to highlight his eager anticipation of Timothy’s arrival. This is not the neutral “to wait,” but rather an intimate “to be in a state of welcoming.”
In Modern Greek, the direct equivalent has disappeared, but its semantic field is distributed across active and reflexive constructions:
- Τον περιμένω – “I’m waiting for him”
- Θα τον υποδεχτώ – “I will welcome him”
- Είμαι έτοιμος να τον δεχτώ – “I’m ready to receive him”
Notably, Modern Greek retains υποδέχομαι (middle) in formal usage. Though somewhat stylized, it shares the personal orientation of ἐκδέχομαι and continues the linguistic tradition of internal reception.
Theological Tone and Syntactic Rhythm
Paul’s phrase ἐκδέχομαι γὰρ αὐτὸν μετὰ τῶν ἀδελφῶν (“for I am expecting him with the brothers”) carries both personal affection and communal significance. The prepositional phrase μετὰ τῶν ἀδελφῶν indicates that Timothy is not expected in isolation but as part of a fraternal cohort — signaling apostolic partnership and ecclesial unity.
Furthermore, the flow of imperatives and subjunctives in this verse gives the passage a liturgical, almost paraenetic tone: it’s not just a travel memo, but a moral exhortation about how to treat fellow workers in the faith.
Lingering Echoes of the Middle
Though the productive middle voice has largely faded in Modern Greek, its theological and linguistic residue remains. Verbs like υποδέχομαι preserve a sense of inward participation. These forms offer modern readers a lens into the emotional depth and interpersonal warmth embedded in Paul’s Greek.
Thus, ἐκδέχομαι in 1 Corinthians 16:11 is more than a grammatical curiosity — it is a window into the apostle’s heart. It is a verbal relic that bridges the apostolic world with our own, inviting us to see grammar not just as structure but as an expression of love, fellowship, and pastoral care.
