Godspeed
My wish to you in all you pursue
I was asked in the comments on yesterday’s Monday Morning with Jesus (which you can read HERE), “That reminds me - what is the origin & meaning of the last word in your post - Godspeed?” I realized I knew what I intended the word to mean, but I wasn’t sure if that aligned with the formal definition of the word. I also didn’t know if it actually appeared in scripture or what context. First, I’ll give you what my intended meaning was. Then, I’ll show you the Greek word behind Godspeed. Then, I’ll show you the formal definition. After that, I’ll link to Biblehub.com and their excellent write-up on the word. Finally, I’ll give you the scripture.
MY MEANING
I’ve only ever heard or read this word used in movies or period pieces set in or around the time of the writing of the King James Bible. My recollection of the word’s use is as a salutation in departure, wishing God’s protection over someone’s journey. I include it in my faith writings as a hopeful wish the person reading what I’ve written is spurred to action or movement in some new way, and I wish them God’s presence as they begin that new journey. Having read through Biblehub’s wonderful writeup on the word, I have now added all the context they provide to it as well, which we’ll get to down below.
GREEK WORD
The word “Godspeed,” as written there, does not appear in the Bible. When it appears, it is written as “God speed.” However, those two English words are combined into one Greek word, chairo. Let’s look at that word now.
Greek Strong’s Number: 5463
Greek Word: χαίρω
Transliteration: chairō
Phonetic Pronunciation: khah’ee-ro
Root: a primary verb
Cross Reference: TDNT - 9:359,1298
Part of Speech: v
Vine’s Words: Fare, Farewell, Glad (be; make), Gladly, Greet, Greeting, Hail (Verb), Joy, Joyfulness, Joyfully, Joyous, Rejoice
Usage Notes:
English Words used in KJV:
rejoice 42
be glad 14
joy 5
hail 5
greeting 3
God speed 2
all hail 1
joyfully 1
farewell 1
[Total Count: 74]
A primary verb; to be “cheer” ful, i.e. calmly happy or well-off; impersonal especially as salutation (on meeting or parting), be well:- farewell, be glad, God speed, greeting, hail, joy (-fully), rejoice.
James Strong, “Χαίρω,” in Strong’s Talking Greek and Hebrew Dictionary (WORDsearch, 2020).
What a wonderful greeting or farewell. Also, if you look at the transliteration, how you say the Greek word in English, and can’t quite figure out how to say it even with the phonetic pronunciation (which I thought I understood but still wanted to hear anyway) I encourage you to go online and find a pronunciation you can listen to. I say that because the first part of the word sounds a lot like our greeting of “Hi” to someone. I can absolutely see how we have shortened a greeting of “Chairo” to simply “Hi”. In fact, from now on, in my headcanon any time I say Hi from now on, I will be mentally meaning Chairo.
FORMAL DEFINITION
I’m using the Dictionary.com definition. Note while scripture separates the two words God and Speed, the proper spelling and usage in modern day English is as one word, Godspeed. Let’s see the definition now; it’s short.
Godspeed
[ god-speed ]
noun
good fortune; success (used as a wish to a person starting on a journey, a new venture, etc.).
This modern definition doesn’t encompass any of the grandiose flare of the old definitions or ancient usage. I propose we change that. At least, I intend to change that personally. I like the old meanings included as the Greek word encompasses and as Biblehub.com’s explanation expands it. In fact, let’s look at Biblehub’s write-up now.
BIBLEHUB.COMs WRITE UP
Biblehub.com has an outstanding write-up on Godspeed by W.L. Walker. It is not overly long. It is also broken into well-defined headings and sub-headings that facilitate skimming to the parts you find interesting. You can find Biblehub’s writeup HERE.
I really like what the article terms as the “broader biblical principles” of the word. Those include wishing well to those aligned with God’s purposes, a heart of encouragement, asking for God’s guidance and blessing on people’s endeavors, divine protection to travelers, and a prayerful expression of support, among other things.
While the scripture below uses the term in a negative fashion, meaning not to offer such things to false teachers, I am encouraged that the overall nature of the word is to offer positive influences to those around us. Let’s look at that scripture now.
SCRIPTURE
Godspeed appears as “God speed” twice in two consecutive passages. It is nowhere else in the King James Version, and doesn’t appear at all in any other translation I saw. In those two places in the NASB, the word “greeting” is used as a generic term. I think this loses a lot of meaning by doing this.
John’s point in using this specific word isn’t simply to say hello to these people. John is talking about people who actively are false teachers, meaning they are lying about Jesus, God’s Word, and the church. John’s use of this specific word in the Greek is to point out that we should not support these people or wish their endeavors well because we then become party to their apostasy, their lies. Godspeed is used in verses ten and eleven, but I’m going to quote a little more than that to put them in context. In fact, 2 John is a very short chapter written as a letter to a woman, so let’s look at the entire chapter.
1The elder unto the elect lady and her children, whom I love in the truth; and not I only, but also all they that have known the truth;
2for the truth’s sake, which dwelleth in us, and shall be with us for ever.
3Grace be with you, mercy, and peace, from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.
4I rejoiced greatly that I found of thy children walking in truth, as we have received a commandment from the Father.
5And now I beseech thee, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment unto thee, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another.
6And this is love, that we walk after his commandments. This is the commandment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it.
7For 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.
8Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward.
9Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son.
10If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed:
11for he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.
12Having many things to write unto you, I would not write with paper and ink: but I trust to come unto you, and speak face to face, that our joy may be full.
13The children of thy elect sister greet thee. Amen.
2 John 1–13 (KJV 1900)
That was an entire letter written to a woman, a “chosen lady” John knew. The note from Halley’s Bible Handbook on this short chapter is of import as well. It also is short, commenting on verses 7-11.
False Teachers (vv. 7–11)
These are the teachers John already referred to in 1 John 2:18–29: they go from church to church, teaching in the name of Christ doctrines that are utterly subversive of the Christian faith. This letter seems to have been written to caution the “chosen lady” to be on her guard and to refuse hospitality to such teachers. Note that an exhortation prefaces the warning to love (2 John 5–6) as if to indicate that the practice of Christian love does not mean that we should give encouragement to enemies of the truth.
Henry Hampton Halley, Halley’s Bible Handbook with the New International Version., Completely rev. and expanded. (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 2000), 890.
Do not encourage enemies of the truth. John’s use of the term chairo here is by withholding it rather than bestowing it. My intent is, has been, and will be to continue to use it as a hope that whoever reads these words of mine will pray to God, seeking His guidance and use them to lead to something new along His path for their lives in the context detailed herein. God bless and Godspeed.