ἀπογράφω (apographō)
apographō
to register
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 4 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The verb apographō means to write down or copy, but in the New Testament it specifically refers to enrolling names in an official public record. It describes the administrative act of registering individuals for a census or tax roll, rather than simply writing a letter. This sense is clear in Luke’s Gospel, where Caesar Augustus issues a decree that all the world should be enrolled (Luke 2:1). The word captures the bureaucratic process of listing people and their property for state purposes.
Its formation combines apo ("from" or "away") and graphō ("to write"), suggesting the act of writing out a copy from an original source or official list. While it can mean to transcribe text in other contexts, the biblical usage is almost entirely civic. In Hebrews 12:23, it appears in the passive voice to describe those whose names are written in heaven, shifting the imagery from earthly tax rolls to divine citizenship. This contrast highlights how the term moves from secular registration to spiritual belonging.
Translators typically render apographō as "enroll" or "register," which preserves its legal and administrative weight. The word appears only four times in the New Testament, with three instances clustered in Luke 2 during the narrative of Jesus’ birth. This concentration underscores the historical reality that even the Messiah’s arrival occurred within a specific political and demographic framework. The term reminds readers that Christian faith is embedded in real history, not removed from it.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word apographō describes an official registration, like a census or tax roll. In Luke 2, it sets the scene for Jesus’ birth within real history. Caesar Augustus ordered a count, and people traveled to their ancestral cities. This shows that God’s plan unfolds in ordinary time, using administrative acts to bring about His purposes.
Hebrews 12:23 shifts this image from earthly records to heaven. Believers are described as those enrolled in the heavenly assembly. Their names are written there, marking them as citizens of God’s kingdom. This offers comfort: your identity is secure in Christ, not defined by worldly status or temporary circumstances.
Even when life feels chaotic or bureaucratic, you belong to a permanent record. Your name is kept safe with God. This truth grounds your faith in reality while pointing to eternal hope. You are known, counted, and held by the Judge of all.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 4 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- to register2×
- to be registered,1×
- enrolled1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- ἀπογράψασθαι1×
- ἀπογράφεσθαι,1×
- ἀπογράφεσθαι1×
- ἀπογεγραμμένων1×
Key Verses
-
Luke 2:1
Now in those days, a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be enrolled.
This verse establishes the historical context of Jesus' birth by showing how a Roman decree initiated the registration process.
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Luke 2:3
All went to enroll themselves, everyone to his own city.
It highlights the personal movement required for enrollment, as individuals returned to their ancestral cities.
-
Hebrews 12:23
to the festal gathering and assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect,
This passage redefines registration spiritually, describing believers as citizens enrolled in heaven's assembly.