Bible Lexicons

There is a legal sense of this word which is not uncommon—P Oxy III. 513.57 ff. (A.D. 184) ἐάν τις ζήτη [σις ] περὶ τούτου γένηται πρὸς αὐτὸν. . . [ἐγὼ ] αὐτὸς τοῦτο ἀναδέξομαι, ";if any action is brought against him in connexion with this, I will take the responsibility upon myself"; (Edd.). So P Tebt I. 98.27 (c. B.C. 112) ὧν ἀδεδέγμεθα (l. ἀναδ -), ";for whom we are security,"; and the late P Grenf II. 99 (a).1 ff. (vi/vii A.D.) Δαυεὶτ ἀνεδέξατο Θαησίαν ὥστε αὐτὴν ἀπελθῖν εἰς διαίτην καὶ τὰ ἀπὸ διαίτης ποιήσῃ, ";David has become surety for Thaesia on condition that she return to her home and busy herself with its duties."; The verb is followed by the infinitive, P Tebt I. 75.6 (B.C. 112) ἀναδέχομαι πόρον δώσιν τῆς (ἀρτάβης), ";I undertake to provide for the artaba tax";; P Hib I. 58.9 ff. (B.C. 245–4) ἀναδέδεκται γὰρ ἡμῖν ἀπομετρήσειν σῖτον : cf. OGIS 339.20 (ii/B.C.) τάς τε πρεσβείας ἀνεδέχετο προθύμως, ib. 441.9 (i/B.C.) καὶ διὰ ταῦτα κινδύνους πολλοὺς [ . . . ] ὑπὲρ τῶν ἡμετέρων δημοσίων [ . . . προθυμό ]τατα ἀ [ν ]αδεδεγμένονς. Syll 929.30 (ii/B.C.) πᾶσαν ἀναδεχόμενοι κακοπαθίαν χάριν τοῦ μηθενὸς ὑστερῆσαι δικαίου μηθένα τῶν κρινομένων, of judges who say they have given not only the day but τὸ πλεῖον τῆς νυκτός to their work. Add Syll 530.65 (late iv/B.C.) = ";undertake";; so P Eleph 29.12 (iii/B.C.), P Tebt II. 329.19 (A.D. 139), and BGU I. 194.11 (A.D. 177), and P Ryl II. 77.88 (A.D. 192) ἀναδεξάμενος τὴν μείζονα ἀρχὴν οὐκ ὀφείλει τὴν ἐλάττον᾽ ἀποφεύγειν. The predominance of this meaning suggests its application in Hebrews 11:17. The statement that Abraham had ";undertaken,"; ";assumed the responsibility of"; the promises, would not perhaps be alien to the thought. In Acts 20:7 it is ";hospitio excepit"; (Blass), Attic ὑποδέχεσθαι.