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Greek · G652 · unreviewed

ἀπόστολος

Apostle

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ἀπόστολος G652
Pronunciation apóstolos

What does ἀπόστολος (apóstolos) mean in the Bible?

ἀπόστολος (apóstolos) is a Greek word meaning "apostle". ἀπόστολος, -ου, ὁ (ἀοστέλλω), [in LXX; 3Ki. By naming himself an ἀπόστολος of Jesus Christ, Paul signals that the instruction in Titus carries Christ’s own authority and is part of the once-for-all apostolic foundation of the church. This term runs through the canonical themes of Messiah, Revelation.

Full entry for ἀπόστολος (G652) · Browse the biblical lexicon

Meaning

apostle
Extended definition

One sent on authoritative mission; in NT, either the Twelve or other commissioned Christian teachers.

(ἀοστέλλω), [in LXX; 3Ki.14:6 A (שָׁלַח) * ;]

1a fleet, an expedition (Dem.).
2a messenger, one sent on a mission (Hdt., LXX, l.with, and π.; see M, Pr., 37 f.; MM, see word; M, Th., i, 2:7 and reff.): Jhn.13:16, 2Co.8:23 Php.2:25.
3In NT, an Apostle of Christ
awith special ref. to the Twelve: Mat.10:2, Mrk.3:14, Luk.11:49, Eph.3:5, Rev.18:20, al., equality with whom is claimed by St. Paul, Gal.1:1, 11 ff, 1Ti.2:7, a1.;
bin a wider sense of prominent Christian teachers, as Barnabas, Act.14:14, apparently also Silvanus and Timothy, 1Th.2:6, and perhaps Andronicus and Junias (Junia?), Rom.16:7 (see ICC, in l); of false teachers, claiming apostleship: 2Co.11:5 11:13, Rev.2:2. (On the different uses of the term in NT, see Lit., Gal., 92-101; Cremer, 530; DB, i, 126; DCG, i, 105; Enc. Br., ii, 196 ff.)
Source: STEPBible TBESG + Abbott-Smith
Why This Word Matters
By naming Himself an ἀπόστολος of Jesus Christ, Paul signals that the instruction in Titus carries Christ’s own authority and is part of the once-for-all apostolic foundation of the church. 1 Timothy 1:1-2
Defines delegated mission under Christ. Colossians 1:1–2
Defines foundational witness and authority. Luke 6:12–16
Grounds the letter’s instruction in God-given authority rather than personal opinion. Mark 3:13–19
In 1 Timothy 1:1, Paul's status as ἀπόστολος of Christ Jesus means His instructions in the letter carry Christ's own authority. This shapes how the church should receive the commands about doctrine, prayer, and leadership: not as optional opinions but as mediations of Christ's will through His commissioned servant. Titus 1:1-4
Grammatical Forms

How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.

Nominative · Singular · Masculine John 13:16 · Rom 1:1 · Rom 11:13 · 1 Cor 1:1 · 1 Cor 9:1 · 1 Cor 9:2 · 1 Cor 15:9 · 2 Cor 1:1 · Gal 1:1 · Eph 1:1 · Col 1:1 · 1 Tim 1:1 · 1 Tim 2:7 · 2 Tim 1:1 · 2 Tim 1:11 · Titus 1:1 18×
Nominative · Plural · Masculine Mark 6:30 · Luke 9:10 · Luke 17:5 · Luke 22:14 · Acts 4:33 · Acts 5:29 · Acts 8:14 · Acts 11:1 · Acts 14:14 · Acts 15:6 · Acts 15:23 · 1 Cor 9:5 · 1 Cor 12:29 · 2 Cor 8:23 · 1 Thess 2:7 · Rev 18:20 16×
Genitive · Plural · Masculine Matt 10:2 · Acts 1:26 · Acts 2:42 · Acts 2:43 · Acts 4:35 · Acts 4:36 · Acts 4:37 · Acts 5:2 · Acts 5:12 · Acts 6:6 · Acts 8:1 · Acts 8:18 · Acts 15:4 · Acts 16:4 · 1 Cor 15:9 · 2 Cor 11:5 22×
Genitive · Singular · Masculine 2 Cor 12:12 1×
Dative · Plural · Masculine Acts 1:2 · Acts 14:4 · Acts 15:22 · Rom 16:7 · 1 Cor 15:7 · Eph 3:5 6×
Accusative · Plural · Masculine Luke 6:13 · Luke 11:49 · Luke 24:10 · Acts 2:37 · Acts 5:18 · Acts 5:40 · Acts 9:27 · Acts 15:2 · 1 Cor 4:9 · 1 Cor 12:28 · 2 Cor 11:13 · Gal 1:17 · Eph 4:11 · Rev 2:2 14×
Accusative · Singular · Masculine Phil 2:25 · Heb 3:1 2×
79 total occurrences across all forms in the biblical text Morphology: MorphGNT SBLGNT — CC BY-SA 3.0
Canonical Themes
MessiahRevelation
Biblical Occurrences

Each occurrence shows the passage reference, the original language term as it appears in that context, its transliteration, and the contextual sense.

New Testament Witnesses
1 Timothy 1:1-2 apostle apóstolos Nominative · Singular · Masculine
Meaning not yet curated.
Colossians 1:1–2 ἀπόστολος apóstolos Nominative · Singular · Masculine
apostle, commissioned envoy
Luke 6:12–16 ἀπόστολος apóstolos Accusative · Plural · Masculine
sent one
Mark 3:13–19 ἀπόστολος apóstolos
one sent with authority
Titus 1:1-4 apostle apóstolos Nominative · Singular · Masculine
An authorized envoy commissioned to represent and speak on behalf of the sender.
Additional Occurrences
Luke 6:12–16 ἀποστόλους apóstolos
Apostles, sent ones
Word Pictures (Robertson)

A.T. Robertson's Word Pictures in the New Testament (1930–31) discusses this term in the following chapters. Open any chapter and go to the Word Pictures tab to read his verse-by-verse commentary.

1 Corinthians 9 — Rights Surrendered, the Gospel Advanced, and Discipline for the Prize Acts 1 — The Risen Christ Commissions His Waiting Witnesses Galatians 1 — No Other Gospel: Paul’s Apostolic Authority and Gospel Defense John 13 — The Servant-Lord, the Washed Disciples, and the New Command of Love Luke 6 — The Lord of the Sabbath Forms a Kingdom People Luke 9 — The Christ Revealed, the Cross Announced, and the Jerusalem Road Begun Mark 6 — Rejected Prophet, Sending Lord, Wilderness Shepherd, and Divine Son on the Sea Matthew 10 — The Mission of the Twelve, Costly Witness, and Allegiance to Christ Philippians 2 — The Mind of Christ and the Humility of Gospel Witness Romans 1 — The Gospel Reveals the Righteousness of God and the Wrath of God Romans 11 — The Remnant, the Grafted Gentiles, and the Mercy of God Toward Israel Romans 16 — Gospel Partnership, Holy Greeting, False-Teacher Warning, and Doxology to the God Who Establishes

A.T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament (1930–31) — public domain

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

STEPBible Data — CC BY 4.0

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