ἀπαγγέλλω (apangellō)
apangellō
to announce
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 47 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The verb apangellō means to bring tidings or report news from one place to another. It appears forty-seven times in the New Testament, often describing messengers delivering specific information. For example, in Matthew 2:8, King Herod asks the wise men to report back to him after they find the child, highlighting its use for official or urgent communication.
Its meaning is shaped by the prefix apa-, which suggests a movement away from the source. This gives the word a sense of carrying news outward, rather than just speaking generally. Unlike broader terms for teaching, apangellō focuses on the act of conveying a message that has already happened or been observed, as when the Gerasene demoniac told everyone in Decapolis what Jesus had done to him (Mark 5:20).
Translators often render it as "tell," "report," or "declare." The sources note its frequent use with prepositions like "about" or "to," showing a clear direction of communication. This precision makes it useful for describing how the early church spread accounts of Jesus’ miracles and resurrection, ensuring the original facts were preserved in the reporting.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word apangellō carries a specific sense of movement: bringing news from one place to another. It is not just speaking in general, but delivering a report that has been seen or heard. In the Gospels, we see this often when messengers run to share what they have witnessed, whether it is the empty tomb or a miracle performed by Jesus.
This word reminds us that faith is often built on shared testimony. When the women ran to tell the disciples about Jesus’ resurrection, or when the healed demoniac reported what God had done for him, they were fulfilling this simple act of apangellō. It shows that our role in the Christian life is not always to create new doctrine, but faithfully to report what we have experienced of God’s work.
In your own life, this encourages you to be a reliable witness. You do not need to craft perfect theological arguments; you simply need to tell others what you have seen and heard. Whether it is a small kindness or a major deliverance, sharing these reports strengthens the community and points others to the source of hope.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 47 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- reported5×
- to report3×
- they related3×
- we proclaim2×
- told [it]2×
- they told2×
- he reported [it]2×
- do relate2×
- Reported2×
- to tell1×
- they reported back1×
- they reported [it]1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- ἀπήγγειλαν16×
- ἀπήγγειλεν10×
- ἀπαγγείλατε4×
- ἀπαγγέλλομεν2×
- ἀπαγγεῖλαί2×
- ἀπαγγεῖλαι2×
- ἀπαγγελῶ2×
- ἀπήγγελλον1×
- ἀπάγγειλον1×
- ἀπηγγέλη1×
- ἀπαγγέλλων1×
- ἀπαγγέλλουσιν1×
Key Verses
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Matthew 28:10
Then Jesus said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Go tell my brothers that they should go into Galilee, and there they will see me.”
Jesus explicitly commands the women to go and tell his brothers, using this verb to initiate the first apostolic mission after the resurrection.
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Mark 5:19
He didn’t allow him, but said to him, “Go to your house, to your friends, and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you and how he had mercy on you.”
Jesus instructs the healed demoniac to stay home but report what great things the Lord has done, showing the word applies to personal testimony in everyday contexts.
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Luke 24:9
returned from the tomb, and told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest.
The women from the tomb tell all these things to the eleven, marking the crucial transmission of the resurrection news to the core group of disciples.
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Matthew 11:4
Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John the things which you hear and see:
Jesus tells John’s disciples to report what they hear and see, using the word to validate his messianic identity through observable miracles.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does apangellō mean in the Bible?
How is apangellō different from other words for 'tell'?
Where does this word appear in the New Testament?
Why is this word important for Christians today?
Every Occurrence (47 verses across 9 books)
Matthew 9 verses
He sent them to Bethlehem, and said, “Go and search diligently for the young child. When you have found him, bring me…
Matthew 8:33Those who fed them fled and went away into the city and told everything, including what happened to those who were…
Matthew 11:4Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John the things which you hear and see:
Matthew 12:18“Behold, my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved in whom my soul is well pleased. I will put my Spirit on him. He…
Matthew 14:12His disciples came, took the body, and buried it. Then they went and told Jesus.
Matthew 28:8They departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to bring his disciples word.
Matthew 28:9As they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, “Rejoice!” They came and took hold of his feet, and…
Matthew 28:10Then Jesus said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Go tell my brothers that they should go into Galilee, and there they will…
Matthew 28:11Now while they were going, behold, some of the guards came into the city and told the chief priests all the things that…