What does ἐπαγγέλλω (epangéllō) mean in the Bible?
G1861 means to promise, announce a commitment, or profess a claim. The governing passages determine which sense is active.
Greek · G1861
ἐπαγγέλλω
To profess
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ἐπαγγέλλω G1861
Pronunciation epangéllō
What does ἐπαγγέλλω (epangéllō) mean in the Bible?
G1861 means to promise, announce a commitment, or profess a claim. The governing passages determine which sense is active.
Reader summary
Full entry for ἐπαγγέλλω (G1861) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render G1861?
The BSB source-word alignment has 15 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include promised (2), [God] has promised (1), [God] promised (1), [the] promise referred (1), have professed (1).
Where does ἐπαγγέλλω (epangéllō) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Mark 14:11. Its strongest book concentrations include Hebrews (4), 1 Timothy (2), James (2), 1 John (1).
What This Word Actually Means
G1861 means to promise, announce a commitment, or profess a claim. The governing passages determine which sense is active. God promises land, offspring, eternal life, a kingdom, a crown, and the final shaking that leaves what cannot be shaken. Human speakers also promise: the leaders promise Judas money, false teachers promise freedom, and some people profess devotion or a supposed knowledge.
The verb therefore does not certify truthfulness, divine authority, or fulfillment by itself. Teachers must identify the speaker, the content of the promise or profession, the recipients, and the passage's evaluation. God's reliability belongs to God's character and action in context; human professions may be fitting, empty, or deceptive.
How the Bible Uses It
The fifteen governed uses divide into promise and profession settings. Mark 14:11 and 2 Peter 2:19 show morally corrupt human promises. Acts 7:5, Romans 4:21, Galatians 3:19, Titus 1:2, Hebrews, James, and 1 John speak of divine promises whose content varies by passage. First Timothy 2:10 describes women professing reverence for God, while 1 Timothy 6:21 warns about people professing a falsely named knowledge.
The shared verb marks an announced commitment or claim, but the passage supplies its truth, value, and outcome.
- Rom.4.21
Being fully persuaded that God was able to do what He had promised
Abraham's confidence rests on God's ability to perform what God promised. The verse joins promise with the character and power of the promiser.
- 1Tim.2.10
But with good deeds, as is proper for women who profess to worship God
Here the participle names a profession of reverence for God. The surrounding contrast calls for conduct fitting that profession without making good works the ground of justification.
- 1Tim.6.21
Which some have professed and thus swerved away from the faith
A profession may be false or misplaced. The object is the falsely named knowledge in the preceding verse, and the result is departure from the faith.
- Tit.1.2
In the hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began
The promise is reliable because the promiser is the God who cannot lie. The verb alone does not carry that guarantee.
- Heb.10.23
Let us hold resolutely to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful
Hebrews explicitly grounds perseverance in the faithfulness of the one who promised.
- 2Pet.2.19
They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves of depravity
False teachers can promise what they cannot give. Their condition contradicts their announcement.
- 1John.2.25
And this is the promise that He Himself made to us: eternal life
The sentence identifies both the promiser and the promised gift, keeping assurance attached to Christ's stated commitment.
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders It promised 2× Titus 1:2, Hebrews 10:23
[God] has promised 1× James 1:12
[God] promised 1× Acts 7:5
[the] promise referred 1× Galatians 3:19
have professed 1× 1 Timothy 6:21
He had promised 1× Romans 4:21
He has promised 1× Hebrews 12:26
He promised 1× James 2:5
made 1× 1 John 2:25
made His promise 1× Hebrews 6:13
profess 1× 1 Timothy 2:10
They promise 1× 2 Peter 2:19
they promised 1× Mark 14:11
who had promised 1× Hebrews 11:11
Show sample aligned rows
Mark 14:11 ἐπηγγείλαντο to they promised Verb - Aorist Indicative Middle - 3rd Person Plural Acts 7:5 ἐπηγγείλατο to [God] promised Verb - Aorist Indicative Middle - 3rd Person Singular Romans 4:21 ἐπήγγελται to He had promised Verb - Perfect Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular Galatians 3:19 ἐπήγγελται to [the] promise referred Verb - Perfect Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular 1 Timothy 2:10 ἐπαγγελλομέναις to profess Verb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Dative Feminine Plural 1 Timothy 6:21 ἐπαγγελλόμενοι to have professed Verb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Nominative Masculine Plural Titus 1:2 ἐπηγγείλατο to promised Verb - Aorist Indicative Middle - 3rd Person Singular Hebrews 6:13 ἐπαγγειλάμενος to made His promise Verb - Aorist Participle Middle - Nominative Masculine Singular Hebrews 10:23 ἐπαγγειλάμενος to promised Verb - Aorist Participle Middle - Nominative Masculine Singular Hebrews 11:11 ἐπαγγειλάμενον to who had promised Verb - Aorist Participle Middle - Accusative Masculine Singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Mark 14:11
Aligned rows 15
Books represented 10
Mark 1 Acts 1 Romans 1 Galatians 1 1 Timothy 2 Titus 1 Hebrews 4 James 2 2 Peter 1 1 John 1
Source forms
ἐπηγγείλατο 5x epēngeilato Acts 7:5, Titus 1:2, James 1:12, James 2:5
ἐπήγγελται 3x epēngeltai Romans 4:21, Galatians 3:19, Hebrews 12:26
ἐπαγγειλάμενος 2x epangeilamenos Hebrews 6:13, Hebrews 10:23
ἐπαγγελλόμενοι 2x epangellomenoi 1 Timothy 6:21, 2 Peter 2:19
ἐπαγγειλάμενον 1x epangeilamenon Hebrews 11:11
ἐπαγγελλομέναις 1x epangellomenais 1 Timothy 2:10
ἐπηγγείλαντο 1x epēngeilanto Mark 14:11
Parsing patterns
Verb - Aorist Indicative Middle - 3rd Person Singular 5x Acts 7:5, Titus 1:2, James 1:12, James 2:5
Verb - Perfect Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular 3x Romans 4:21, Galatians 3:19, Hebrews 12:26
Verb - Aorist Participle Middle - Nominative Masculine Singular 2x Hebrews 6:13, Hebrews 10:23
Verb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Nominative Masculine Plural 2x 1 Timothy 6:21, 2 Peter 2:19
Verb - Aorist Indicative Middle - 3rd Person Plural 1x Mark 14:11
Verb - Aorist Participle Middle - Accusative Masculine Singular 1x Hebrews 11:11
Verb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Dative Feminine Plural 1x 1 Timothy 2:10
Using This Word Well
Be careful not to...
- Name the actual biblical promise and its recipients before applying it to a present situation.
- Test human promises and professions by their content, context, and fruit rather than confidence alone.
- Let good works fit a profession of faith without making performance the basis of acceptance with God.
Avoid claiming...
- Do not claim that every occurrence means profess rather than promise, or promise rather than profess.
- Do not claim that a promise is reliable merely because G1861 is used.
- Do not convert a passage-specific divine promise into an unconditional guarantee for every reader.
Evidence Summary
Greek word. to profess
Source Gloss
to profess
Greek Text Appearances
Textus Receptus witness, full corpus Greek token appearances from Scrivener 1894 Textus Receptus in the full New Testament corpus.
15 Greek text appearances shown. Linked morphology labels have verse guides.
Mark 14:11 Verb Third Person Plural Aorist Middle or Passive Deponent Indicative
ἐπηγγείλαντο ephggeilanto
I promise, profess
Read verse Acts 7:5 Verb Third Person Singular Aorist Middle Deponent Indicative
ἐπηγγείλατο ephggeilato
I promise, profess
Read verse Romans 4:21 Verb Third Person Singular Perfect Middle or Passive Deponent Indicative
ἐπήγγελται, ephggeltai
I promise, profess
Read verse Galatians 3:19 Verb Third Person Singular Perfect Passive Indicative
ἐπήγγελται, ephggeltai
I promise, profess
Read verse 1 Timothy 2:10 Verb Present Middle or Passive Deponent Participle Dative Plural Feminine
ἐπαγγελλομέναις epaggellomenaiv
I promise, profess
Read verse 1 Timothy 6:21 Verb Present Middle or Passive Deponent Participle Nominative Plural Masculine
ἐπαγγελλόμενοι epaggellomenoi
I promise, profess
Read verse Titus 1:2 Verb Third Person Singular Aorist Middle Deponent Indicative
ἐπηγγείλατο ephggeilato
I promise, profess
Read verse Hebrews 6:13 Verb Aorist Middle Deponent Participle Nominative Singular Masculine
ἐπαγγειλάμενος epaggeilamenov
I promise, profess
Read verse Hebrews 10:23 Verb Aorist Middle Deponent Participle Nominative Singular Masculine
ἐπαγγειλάμενος· epaggeilamenov
I promise, profess
Read verse Hebrews 11:11 Verb Aorist Middle Deponent Participle Accusative Singular Masculine
ἐπαγγειλάμενον. epaggeilamenon
I promise, profess
Read verse Hebrews 12:26 Verb Third Person Singular Perfect Middle or Passive Deponent Indicative
ἐπήγγελται, ephggeltai
I promise, profess
Read verse James 1:12 Verb Third Person Singular Aorist Middle Deponent Indicative
ἐπηγγείλατο ephggeilato
I promise, profess
Read verse James 2:5 Verb Third Person Singular Aorist Middle Deponent Indicative
ἐπηγγείλατο ephggeilato
I promise, profess
Read verse 2 Peter 2:19 Verb Present Middle or Passive Deponent Participle Nominative Plural Masculine
ἐπαγγελλόμενοι, epaggellomenoi
I promise, profess
Read verse 1 John 2:25 Verb Third Person Singular Aorist Middle Deponent Indicative
ἐπηγγείλατο ephggeilato
I promise, profess
Read verseFull New Testament corpus: 260 chapters, 7,957 verses, 140,628 tokens. Data source: honza/textus-receptus (data only), with authority check against byztxt/greektext-textus-receptus.
Discourse Aspect
How this verb appears across 15 occurrences in the NT discourse index (MACULA Greek SBLGNT).
Aspect
Tense
aorist 9 present 3 perfect 3
Voice
middle 14 passive 1
Mood
indicative 9 participle 6
NT Occurrences
Mark 14:11 ἐπηγγείλαντο aorist middle indicative completed Acts 7:5 ἐπηγγείλατο aorist middle indicative completed Romans 4:21 ἐπήγγελται perfect middle indicative resultant Galatians 3:19 ἐπήγγελται perfect passive indicative resultant 1 Timothy 2:10 ἐπαγγελλομέναις present middle participle participle 1 Timothy 6:21 ἐπαγγελλόμενοι present middle participle participle Titus 1:2 ἐπηγγείλατο aorist middle indicative completed Hebrews 6:13 ἐπαγγειλάμενος aorist middle participle participle Hebrews 10:23 ἐπαγγειλάμενος aorist middle participle participle Hebrews 11:11 ἐπαγγειλάμενον aorist middle participle participle Hebrews 12:26 ἐπήγγελται perfect middle indicative resultant James 1:12 ἐπηγγείλατο aorist middle indicative completed James 2:5 ἐπηγγείλατο aorist middle indicative completed 2 Peter 2:19 ἐπαγγελλόμενοι present middle participle participle 1 John 2:25 ἐπηγγείλατο aorist middle indicative completed
Aspect reflects grammatical form — not authorial emphasis. Participles and infinitives are verbal adjectives and nouns respectively.
Clause data: MACULA Greek (Clear Bible, CC BY 4.0) · SBLGNT (Logos/SBL, CC BY 4.0)
Word Origins
ἐπαγγέλλω is built from these roots:
For the Preacher and Teacher
The verb keeps teachers from treating every promise or profession alike. In Romans 4 and Hebrews, confidence rests on the God who is able and faithful. In Titus, hope rests on the God who cannot lie. In Mark 14 and 2 Peter 2, human speakers make commitments that serve betrayal or deception. First Timothy uses the same lexical family for a fitting profession of reverence and for a profession of falsely named knowledge.
The pastoral question is therefore not merely whether someone has spoken confidently. It is who has spoken, what has been pledged or claimed, and whether the passage confirms or exposes it. This produces assurance without credulity. Believers may rely on promises God actually makes, but they should not baptize every desire as a promise or accept persuasive professions without testing their content and fruit.
Anchor passage
Rom.4.21
Doctrinal connections
- Acts.7.5 - God's promise to Abraham remains attached to the land and offspring setting Stephen recounts.
- Tit.1.2 - divine promise is grounded in the character of the God who cannot lie.
- Heb.10.23 - hope is held because the one who promised is faithful.
- 1Tim.2.10 - good works are fitting to a profession of reverence for God.
- 1Tim.6.21 - a profession of falsely named knowledge can accompany departure from faith.
- 2Pet.2.19 - corrupt teachers promise freedom while remaining enslaved.
G1861 is a verb used in active and middle forms. Depending on the object and construction, it can describe making a promise or openly professing a claim. The local witness contains fifteen forms, not only the five Pauline forms represented in the earlier source. Voice morphology does not make a promise more sincere or a profession more truthful.
From Old to New Testament
New Testament promise language continues the biblical pattern in which God's spoken commitments are trusted because of who God is, while human vows and claims remain morally accountable. The direct G1861 evidence belongs to the New Testament passages listed here. Old Testament covenants and promises can illuminate those passages only where the New Testament context makes the connection.
Sources
MorphGNT Strong's Dictionary XML — CC0 1.0 Public Domain
Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (morphhb/OSHB) — CC BY 4.0
Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon — CC BY 4.0
Berean Standard Bible (BSB) source-word alignment - CC0 Public Domain