apostolos · apostle, one sent

What it means

apostolos (ἀπόστολος) is a Greek word of the Bible that means “apostle, one sent”.

Apostle: "one sent", a messenger with a mission. This was the name given to the Twelve whom Jesus chose.

How to say it

Approximate pronunciation. Vowels sound as in Spanish (a as in father, e as in bed, i as in machine, o as in note, u as in rule); the syllable in bold is stressed. The voice is your device's.

Its senses in the Bible

1. One of those Jesus chose and sent.
2. Someone sent by another to carry his message or do his errand.

From Abbott-Smith (1922) · Thayer (1889)

Word study

Apostle: one sent, a messenger who goes with a charge from the one who sends him. It comes from ἀποστέλλω, “send” (G649). Thayer: a delegate, messenger, one sent forth with orders; especially the Twelve and others such as Paul.

• The twelve apostles Matthew 10:2Luke 6:13
• “The teaching of the apostles” Acts 2:42Ephesians 2:20
• Paul, “called to be an apostle” Romans 1:11 Corinthians 15:9
• One sent, in the general sense John 13:16Philippians 2:25
• Jesus, “the apostle and high priest of our confession” Hebrews 3:1

How we translate it

“Apostles” 57 times, “apostle” 19: “apostle” for those who bear that title, and “one who is sent” (John 13:16) or “envoy” (Philippians 2:25) when the word is used in the general sense. In 2 Corinthians 11:5, “those super-apostles”, with irony.

How it is translated

The words this translation uses for it, most frequent first.

• apostles ×57
• apostle ×19
• envoy ×1
• envoys ×1
• one who is sent ×1

Related words

Words of the same family, by Strong’s numbering.

Where it appears

• Matthew×1
• Mark×1
• Luke×6
• John×1
• Acts×28
• Romans×3
• 1 Corinthians×10
• 2 Corinthians×6
• Galatians×3
• Ephesians×4
• Philippians×1
• Colossians×1
• 1 Thessalonians×1
• 1 Timothy×2
• 2 Timothy×2
• Titus×1
• Hebrews×1
• 1 Peter×1
• 2 Peter×2
• Jude×1
• Revelation×3

• Matthew 10:2

  Now the names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee and John his brother;

• Mark 6:30

  And the apostles gather around Jesus and reported to him all that they had done and all that they had taught.

• Luke 6:13

  And when day came, he called his disciples, and chose from them twelve, whom he also named apostles:

• Luke 9:10

  And when the apostles returned, they described to him all that they had done. And taking them along, he withdrew privately to a city called Bethsaida.

• Luke 11:49

  Therefore also the Wisdom of God said, ‘I will send to them prophets and apostles, and some of them they will kill and persecute,’

• Luke 17:5

  And the apostles said to the Lord, “Add faith to us!”

• Luke 22:14

  And when the hour came, he reclined at table, and the apostles with him.

• Luke 24:10

  Now it was Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them who were telling these things to the apostles.

• John 13:16

  Truly, truly, I tell you, a slave is not greater than his master, nor is one who is sent greater than the one who sent him.

• Acts 1:2

  until the day on which he was taken up, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen;

• Acts 1:26

  And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias, and he was counted with the eleven apostles.

• Acts 2:37

  Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and they said to Peter and the other apostles, “What shall we do, brothers?”

• Acts 2:42

  And they were devoting themselves to the teaching of the apostles and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to the prayers.

• Acts 2:43

  And fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles.

• Acts 4:33

  And with great power the apostles were giving testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all.

• Acts 4:35

  and laying them at the feet of the apostles, and it was distributed to each as anyone had need.

• Acts 4:36

  And Joseph, who was called Barnabas by the apostles (which is, translated, Son of Comfort), a Levite, a Cypriot by birth,

• Acts 4:37

  since he had a field, sold it, brought the money and laid it at the feet of the apostles.

• Acts 5:2

  and he kept back part of the price, his wife also knowing it, and bringing a certain part, he laid it at the feet of the apostles.

• Acts 5:12

  And through the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were being done among the people; and they were all with one mind in the portico of Solomon.

• Acts 5:18

  and they laid hands on the apostles and put them in public custody.

• Acts 5:29

  But Peter and the apostles answered and said, “We must obey God rather than people.

• Acts 5:40

  And calling in the apostles, after beating them, they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and released them.

• Acts 6:6

  whom they set before the apostles; and after praying, they laid their hands on them.

• Acts 8:1

  And Saul was approving of his killing. And there arose on that day a great persecution against the assembly that was in Jerusalem, and all were scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.

• Acts 8:14

  Now when the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent to them Peter and John,

• Acts 8:18

  Now when Simon saw that through the laying on of the apostles’ hands the Spirit was given, he offered them money,

• Acts 9:27

  But Barnabas took hold of him and brought him to the apostles, and he described to them how on the road he had seen the Lord, and that he had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had spoken boldly in the name of Jesus.

• Acts 11:1

  Now the apostles and the brothers who were throughout Judea heard that the nations also had received the word of God.

• Acts 14:4

  But the multitude of the city was divided, and some were with the Jews, and others with the apostles.

• Acts 14:14

  But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of it, they tore their garments and rushed out into the crowd, crying out

• Acts 15:2

  And when there was no small dissension and debate between Paul and Barnabas and them, they appointed Paul and Barnabas and some others of them to go up to Jerusalem, to the apostles and elders, about this question.

• Acts 15:4

  And when they arrived in Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the assembly and the apostles and the elders, and they reported all that God had done with them.

• Acts 15:6

  And the apostles and the elders were gathered together to look into this matter.

• Acts 15:22

  Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole assembly, to choose men from among them and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas: Judas who was called Barsabbas, and Silas, leading men among the brothers.

• Acts 15:23

  They wrote by their hand: “The apostles and the elders, your brothers, to the brothers throughout Antioch and Syria and Cilicia who are from the nations: greetings.

• Acts 16:4

  And as they were going through the cities, they were delivering to them the decrees decided on by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem, for them to keep.

• Romans 1:1

  Paul, a slave of the Messiah Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the good news of God,

• Romans 11:13

  Now I am speaking to you, the nations. Inasmuch as, then, I am an apostle of the nations, I glorify my service

• Romans 16:7

  Greet Andronicus and Junia, my relatives and my fellow prisoners, who are notable among the apostles, who also were in the Messiah before me.

And 39 more times.