προκηρύσσω (prokērussō)
prokērussō
to announce
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The verb prokērussō means to proclaim something in advance, essentially acting as a herald who announces news before it fully unfolds. Derived from roots meaning "before" and "proclaim," it carries the specific nuance of pre-announcement or preliminary declaration. This distinguishes it from general preaching by emphasizing the temporal aspect: the message is being sent out ahead of an event or a person’s arrival.
In the New Testament, this word appears only once, in Acts 13:24. Here, Luke describes how John the Baptist preached a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel before Jesus’ public ministry began. The usage highlights John’s role as the forerunner who prepared the way by announcing what was coming next. Translators typically render it as "preached beforehand" or "proclaimed in advance," capturing the sense of a herald clearing the path for the main event.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word prokērussō describes a specific kind of announcement—one made in advance to prepare people for what is coming. In Acts 13:24, we see John the Baptist using this role to preach a baptism of repentance before Jesus began His public ministry. This was not just general preaching; it was a targeted preparation, clearing the way for the Messiah by calling Israel to turn back to God.
For your faith, this reminds us that God often prepares our hearts through seasons of waiting and reflection. Just as John’s message preceded Jesus’ arrival, God may use periods of quiet or correction in your life to ready you for a new step forward. It is an invitation to listen closely to the Holy Spirit’s promptings, knowing they are part of a larger plan unfolding in time.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- When was proclaiming1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- προκηρύξαντος1×
Key Verses
-
Acts 13:24
before his coming, when John had first preached the baptism of repentance to Israel.
This verse uniquely uses prokērussō to highlight John the Baptist's role as a forerunner who prepared the people for Jesus by preaching repentance in advance.