Word Study for G1861 (ἐπαγγέλλω)

epangéllō /ep-ang-el'-lo/ Ask about this word

Rootfrom ἐπί and the base of ἄγγελος

Meaningto announce upon (reflexively), i.e. (by implication) to engage to do something, to assert something respecting oneself

KJV usageprofess, (make) promise.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of epangéllō — the range of meaning it carries, how Scripture actually uses it, and where it points. Written for readers who don’t know the original language.

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Greek word epangéllō, represented by G1861, means to promise or profess. It appears 15 times in 15 unique verses. The term is derived from roots meaning "to announce upon," and it carries the sense of engaging to do something or asserting something about oneself. It is used to describe both divine commitments and human declarations.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In Scripture, G1861 is frequently used to describe the foundational promises of God. God promised eternal life before the world began Titus 1:2, and He promised a kingdom to those who love Him James 2:5. This divine promise is portrayed as certain, as seen in the case of Abraham, who was "fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform" Romans 4:21. The word is also used in the context of human action. For instance, some may promise others liberty while they themselves are servants of corruption 2 Peter 2:19, and some who are professing faith can err from it 1 Timothy 6:21.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help clarify the meaning and application of epangéllō:

G1860 epangelía (message, promise): This noun is a direct counterpart to the verb G1861, referring to the substance of what is promised, often a "divine assurance of good." It is this promise of eternal life that Christ has promised us 1 John 2:25.
G4103 pistós (faithful, true): This word is crucial for understanding the reliability of a promise. The one who makes a promise must be trustworthy, as stated in Hebrews 10:23: "he is faithful that promised."
G2983 lambánō (to take, receive): This word describes the fulfillment of a promise from the recipient's perspective. Those who endure temptation will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised James 1:12.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of G1861 is significant, establishing key concepts about God and humanity.

Divine Faithfulness: The act of God promising underscores His unchanging and reliable character. He is described as "faithful that promised" Hebrews 10:23 and as the God "that cannot lie" who promised eternal life Titus 1:2.
Basis of Hope: God's promises are the foundation of Christian hope G1680. Believers anchor their expectation of eternal life in the fact that God promised it Titus 1:2.
Human Responsibility: The term also defines a human's public declaration or profession. This carries a weight of responsibility, whether it is women professing godliness through good works 1 Timothy 2:10 or those who have erred from the faith they were professing 1 Timothy 6:21.

Summary

In summary, G1861 conveys more than a simple pledge. It is a term that defines the very nature of God's relationship with His people through His unbreakable promises. It simultaneously outlines the human act of profession, highlighting the integrity required to align one's life with one's stated beliefs. The word thus serves as a cornerstone for understanding divine assurance and human accountability.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists the renderings but not their weight. These are counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the bar under each is how often the translators actually reached for it. Select one to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Greek New Testament, this word appears as a verb across 15 occurrences, inflected in 7 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form.

Aorist Middle Deponent Indicative 3rd Singular 5×
Perfect Middle Or Passive Deponent Indicative 3rd Singular 3×
Aorist Middle Deponent Participle Nominative Singular Masculine 2×
Present Middle Or Passive Deponent Participle Nominative Plural Masculine 2×
Aorist Middle Deponent Participle Accusative Singular Masculine 1×
Aorist Middle Or Passive Deponent Indicative 3rd Plural 1×
Present Middle Or Passive Deponent Participle Dative Plural Feminine 1×

Nominative: The subject of the verb.
Dative: The indirect object — often "to" or "for".
Accusative: The direct object of the verb.
Singular: One.
Plural: More than one.
Masculine: Masculine grammatical gender.
Feminine: Feminine grammatical gender.
3rd: Third person — the one spoken about ("he"/"they").
Present: Action in progress or repeated — happening now or continually.
Aorist: Action viewed as a single whole — usually a simple past event.
Perfect: A completed act whose results continue.
Middle: The subject acts on or for itself.
Passive: The subject is acted upon.
Middle Deponent: Middle in form but active in meaning.
Passive Deponent: Passive in form but active in meaning.
Middle Or Passive: Can be read as middle or passive; context decides.
Indicative: A plain statement of fact.
Participle: A verbal adjective — describes while carrying the verb's action.

Theographic Context

Context

The people, places, and span of history the verses containing this word touch on — drawn from the theographic tagging of Scripture. Select any name to isolate its verses in the occurrence list.

Biblical Distribution

Distribution

Appears in 15 verses across 10 of the 27 books. Most frequent in Hebrews (4 verses); never once in the other 17.

Mark

Acts

Romans

Galatians

1 Timothy

Titus

Hebrews

James

2 Peter

1 John

Every Occurrence

Concordance

Every verse where the word is tagged in the King James text. Filter by book, by the English word the translators chose, or search within the verses.

Sources. Definition and numbering: James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890). Morphology: STEPBible / Tyndale House (CC BY). Verse tagging: the King James text keyed to Strong’s numbers. Every count on this page is computed from the tagged corpus, not estimated.