word meaning · kjv
Godspeed Meaning
Godspeed meaning — Middle English 'God speed' (may God grant success). Biblical origin in 2 John 1:10-11, translating the Greek chairein (farewell greeting).
"Godspeed" in the King James Bible
The word "Godspeed" appears exactly once in the KJV — in 2 John 1:10–11:
"If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into [your] house, neither bid him God speed: For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds."
Etymology: Middle English Blessing
"Godspeed" (originally two words, "God speed") is a Middle English idiom. Speed comes from Old English spēd, meaning "success, prosperity, good outcome" — not velocity. The phrase "God speed you" meant "may God grant you success" or "may God prosper your journey." It was a standard farewell blessing in 14th-to-17th century English, equivalent to saying "safe travels" or "good luck" today.
The Greek Behind the KJV
The underlying Greek word the KJV translators rendered as "God speed" is chairein (χαίρειν, Strong's G5463) — the infinitive of chairō, "to rejoice." It was the standard Greek greeting (compare James 1:1 and Acts 15:23, both translated "greeting"). Literally it means "to rejoice" but functioned as "hello" or "farewell" in koinē Greek correspondence.
Modern translations render 2 John 1:10 differently: "do not greet him" (ESV, NIV), "do not welcome him" (NRSV). The KJV's "God speed" captured both the greeting and the well-wishing implicit in chairein as a formal farewell.
The Context: Hospitality Toward False Teachers
2 John is a short letter — 13 verses — written to "the elect lady" warning against itinerant teachers who denied that Jesus had come "in the flesh" (2 John 1:7). In the first-century church, traveling teachers depended on household hospitality. Offering a formal greeting and lodging signaled approval. John tells his reader: do not extend that endorsement to teachers bringing a different doctrine about Christ.
"Bid him God speed" therefore means more than a casual "hello" — it meant publicly commending a teacher, which in an oral culture amounted to a reference letter. To "bid God speed" was to vouch.
Modern Usage
In contemporary English, "Godspeed" survives mostly in ceremonial contexts — most famously when NASA CAPCOM Scott Carpenter told John Glenn, "Godspeed, John Glenn," before the 1962 Mercury-Atlas 6 launch. The word is used as a farewell blessing for a journey or undertaking, retaining its original sense of "may you succeed."
What does Godspeed mean in the Bible?
The Bible addresses godspeed meaning with deep compassion and clarity. From the Psalms to the words of Jesus, Scripture meets you in this exact feeling and offers comfort, strength, and direction. Here are the most powerful verses — each chosen because they speak directly to what you're going through.
Most Powerful Verses
2 John 1:10
“If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed:”
— Bible
2 John 1:11
“For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.”
— Bible
2 John 1:7
“For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.”
— Bible
James 1:1
“James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting.”
— Bible
Acts 15:23
“And they wrote letters by them after this manner; The apostles and elders and brethren send greeting unto the brethren which are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia:”
— Bible
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3 John 1:5
“Beloved, thou doest faithfully whatsoever thou doest to the brethren, and to strangers;”
Romans 12:13
“Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality.”
1 Timothy 5:10
“Well reported of for good works; if she have brought up children, if she have lodged strangers, if she have washed the saints' feet, if she have relieved the afflicted, if she have diligently followed...”
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