noun · masculine
apostolos
Strong’sG652
an apostle, a messenger, an envoy, a delegate
stem apostol-79 times in the New Testamentin 21 of 27 books8 of 10 forms occur
What it means
A plain-English reading of the word, with the lexicons it draws on — Abbott-Smith, Strong's, and Liddell-Scott-Jones — right below it, in full.
AI Summary
A messenger, envoy, or delegate - someone sent on a mission, an ambassador. 1234 This ordinary sense appears in the New Testament for messengers sent on a specific errand, not only for the special "Apostle" title. 1
An Apostle of Christ - a distinct, specifically Christian use of the word as a title. 13 It refers especially to the Twelve, the closest disciples of Jesus, a status Paul claims equally with them. 1 The term is also used more broadly for other prominent early Christian teachers, such as Barnabas, and apparently others as well, and it can even be used of false teachers who wrongly claim this standing. 1 Strong's describes this figure as an ambassador of the Gospel, officially a commissioner of Christ, endowed with miraculous powers. 2
Sources: 1 Abbott-Smith 2 Strong's 3 LSJ 4 Dodson. Condensed by anthropic/claude-sonnet-5 on 2026-09-23 — it may still misstate what these say; check them yourself if it matters to you.
The lexicons it was drawn from, in full:
Abbott-Smith — the 1922 lexicon entry, in full
ἀπόστολος, -ου, ὁ
(< ἀποστέλλω), [in LXX; III Ki 14:6 A (שְׁלִיחַ)*;]
G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament, 1922 — public domain. References open in the reader.
Strong’s G652 — the 1890 definition, and where the word comes from
Saidap-os'-tol-os
a delegate; specially, an ambassador of the Gospel; officially a commissioner of Christ ("apostle") (with miraculous powers)
Fromfrom G649;
King Jamesapostle, messenger, he that is sent.
James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, 1890 — public domain. The numbers in it link to the entries here.
Liddell-Scott-Jones — the classical dictionary this word appears in
messenger, ambassador, envoy, ὁ μὲν δὴ ἀ. ἐς τὴν Μίλητον ἦνRefs 5th c.BC+; ἐς Λακεδαίμονα τριήρεϊ ἀ. ἐγίνετο he went off on a mission to Laced., Refs
b commander of a naval force, Refs 5th c.AD+
2 messenger from God, LXX; especially of the Apostles, NT
II ={στόλος}, naval squadron or expedition, Refs 5th c.BC+; ἀπόστολον ἀφιέναι, ἀποστέλλειν, ποιεῖσθαι, Refs 4th c.BC+
II.2 colony, Refs 1st c.BC+
II.3 ={ἀποστολή}, of envoys, Refs 1st c.AD+
II.4 ἀπόστολον, τό, with or without πλοῖον, packet, Refs 5th c.BC+
II.5 ἀπόστολος, ὁ, order for dispatch, of a vessel, Refs 3rd c.AD+
II.6 export-licence, Refs 2nd c.AD+
II.7 genitive uncertain, cargo dispatched by order, Refs 2nd c.AD+
H. G. Liddell, R. Scott, H. S. Jones, A Greek-English Lexicon (9th ed., 1925–1940) — digitised by the Perseus Digital Library and corrected and expanded by Tyndale House, Cambridge, via STEPBible-Data's TFLSJ table, CC BY 4.0. Covers all of Greek literature, not just the Bible.
Translated as
Every occurrence, sorted by the English it was actually given — the evidence for what the word means, not a gloss of it.
Berean Standard Bible (BSB), dedicated to the public domain — berean.bible.
Biblang forms
Every form this word takes in Biblang, with the Greek it corresponds to and how often the New Testament uses it.
| Job in the sentence case | one singular | more than one plural |
|---|---|---|
| subject nominative | apostolos18×ἀπόστολος | apostolois15×ἀπόστολοι |
| object accusative | apostolon2×ἀπόστολον | apostoloin14×ἀποστόλους |
| direct address vocative | apostolor | apostoloir1×ἀπόστολοι |
| of, belonging to genitive | apostolou1×ἀποστόλου | apostoloiu22×ἀποστόλων |
| to, for dative | apostolo | apostoloi6×ἀποστόλοις |
Tinted cells are forms the New Testament never uses, so there is no Greek to show against them — but they are still correct Biblang, built from the slots below like any other.
Why these forms, and no others — the slots that make them
apostolo is this word in every one of its forms. The slots after it make all the rest.
same in every form varies — every value shown
Words built on the same stem
Other words sharing the exact same stem — not merely related in meaning.
Where it appears
Every verse the word appears in, filed under the form it takes there.
79 occurrences, every one of them listed
apostolos“apostle”subjectnominative singular18×
John 13:16… doulos megoteros tou kuriou autou oude apostolos megoteros tou pemparantou auton.… than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent …
Romans 1:1Paulos doulos Christou Iēsu, klētos apostolos, aforizorēntos eis euangeliem theou… Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, and set apart for the gospel …
Romans 11:13… hosem men oun amō mis ethneiu apostolos, tan diakonian mu doxazamō,… Gentiles. Inasmuch as I am the apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my …
1 Corinthians 1:1Paulos klētos apostolos Christou Iēsu dia thelēmeu theou kai …Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will …
1 Corinthians 9:1Ouk amō eleutheros? ouk amō apostolos? ouchi Iēsun ton kurion nu horamē? …… not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our …
1 Corinthians 9:2ei allosoi ouk amō apostolos, alla ge vi amō, tas gar …Even if I am not an apostle to others, surely I am to …
1 Corinthians 15:9… apostoloiu, hos ouk amō hikanos kalorō apostolos, dioti diōkama tan ekklēsan tou theou;… am unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of …
2 Corinthians 1:1Paulos apostolos Christou Iēsu dia thelēmeu theou kai …Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will …
Galatians 1:1Paulos apostolos, ouk apo anthrōpoiu oude dia anthrōpou …Paul, an apostle — sent not from men nor by …
Ephesians 1:1Paulos apostolos Christou Iēsu dia thelēmeu theou toi …Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will …
Colossians 1:1Paulos apostolos Christou Iēsu dia thelēmeu theou kai …Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will …
1 Timothy 1:1Paulos apostolos Christou Iēsu kata epitagan theou sōtērou …Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the command …
1 Timothy 2:7eis hem tithima mis kērukos kai apostolos alētheian legamō, ouk pseudomō didaskalos ethneiu …… was appointed as a preacher, an apostle, and a faithful and true teacher …
2 Timothy 1:1Paulos apostolos Christou Iēsu dia thelēmeu theou kata …Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will …
2 Timothy 1:11eis hem tithima mis kērukos kai apostolos kai didaskalos.… was appointed as a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher.
Titus 1:1Paulos doulos theou, apostolos de Iēsu Christou kata pistian eklektoiu …… a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ for the faith …
1 Peter 1:1Petros apostolos Iēsu Christou eklektoi parepidēmoi diasporau Pontou, …Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To the elect …
2 Peter 1:1Sumeōn Petros doulos kai apostolos Iēsu Christou toi isotiman ni lanchanarantoi …Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who …
apostolon“apostle”objectaccusative singular2×
Philippians 2:25… sunergon kai sustratiōton mu, vu de apostolon kai leitourgon tau chreiau mu, pempara …… fellow soldier, who is also your messenger and minister to my needs.
Hebrews 3:1… hagioir, klēsiau epouranau metochoir, katanoavar ton apostolon kai archierevon tau homologiau nu Iēsun,… set your focus on Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess.
apostolou“apostle”of, belonging togenitive singular1×
2 Corinthians 12:12teim men sēmeim tou apostolou katergazita en vi en panta hupomona, …The marks of a true apostle — signs, wonders, and miracles — were performed …
apostolois“apostles”subjectnominative plural15×
Mark 6:30Kai sunagolō tois apostolois pros ton Iēsun, kai apangelala auto …Meanwhile, the apostles gathered around Jesus and brought Him …
Luke 9:10Kai hupostrefarantois tois apostolois diēgela auto hoseim poiala. kai paralabarantos …Then the apostles returned and reported to Jesus all …
Luke 17:5Kai legala tois apostolois to kurio; Prostithasar ni pistian.The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our …
Luke 22:14… geneta tas hōras, anapiptata kai tois apostolois sun auto.… reclined at the table with His apostles.
Acts 4:33… dunamia mega apodōale tem marturiem tois apostolois tau anastasiau tou kuriou Iēsu, charitas …With great power the apostles continued to give their testimony about …
Acts 5:29apokrinirantos de Petros kai tois apostolois legala; Peitharcharō datō theo mallon ē …But Peter and the other apostles replied, “We must obey God rather …
Acts 8:14Akouarantois de tois en Hierosolumei apostolois hoti dechotē tas Samareias ton logon …When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had …
Acts 11:1Akouala de tois apostolois kai tois adelfois tois arōntois kata …The apostles and brothers throughout Judea soon heard …
Acts 14:14akouarantois de tois apostolois Barnabos kai Paulos, diarrēgarantois teim himatieim …But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul found out about …
Acts 15:6Sunagila tē tois apostolois kai tois presbuterois horara peri tou …So the apostles and elders met to look into …
Acts 15:23grafarantois dia cheirau autoiu; Tois apostolois kai tois presbuterois adelfois toi kata …… sent them with this letter: The apostles and the elders, your brothers, To …
1 Corinthians 9:5… gunaikan periagarō, hōs kai tois loipois apostolois kai tois adelfois tou kuriou kai …… believing wife, as do the other apostles and the Lord’s brothers and Cephas?
1 Corinthians 12:29mē pantois apostolois? mē pantois profētois? mē pantois didaskalois? …Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers …
2 Corinthians 8:23… eis vin sunergos; eite adelfois nu, apostolois ekklēsaiu, doxas Christou.… As for our brothers, they are messengers of the churches, the glory of …
1 Thessalonians 2:7“apostles”dunorōntois en barose arō hōs Christou apostolois; alla genina ēpiois en mese vu, …On the contrary, we were gentle among you, like a …
apostoloin“apostles”objectaccusative plural14×
Luke 6:13… eklegerantos apo autoiu dōdeka, hoin kai apostoloin onomazata,… them, whom He also designated as apostles:
Luke 11:49… legata; Apostelami eis autoin profētoin kai apostoloin, kai ek autoiu apoktenali kai diōkali,… I will send them prophets and apostles; some of them they will kill …
Luke 24:10… loipais sun autai; legale pros toin apostoloin houteim.… them who told this to the apostles.
Acts 2:37… pros ton Petron kai toin loipoin apostoloin; Tinem poianeia, androir adelfoir?… and asked Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”
Acts 5:18kai epibalala tain cheirain epi toin apostoloin kai tithela autoin en tērēsia dēmosia.and arrested the apostles and put them in the public …
Acts 5:40kai proskalerantois toin apostoloin derarantois parangelala mē lalarō epi te …… yielded to Gamaliel. They called the apostles in and had them flogged. Then …
Acts 9:27… de epilaberantos auton agata pros toin apostoloin, kai diēgeta autoi pōs en ta …Then Barnabas brought him to the apostles and described how Saul had seen …
Acts 15:2… tinoin allosoin ek autoiu pros toin apostoloin kai presbuteroin eis Ierousalēm peri teu …… up to Jerusalem to see the apostles and elders about this question.
1 Corinthians 4:9dokamō gar, tos theos nin toin apostoloin eschatoin apodeikata hōs epithanatioin, hoti theatrem …… me that God has displayed us apostles at the end of the procession …
1 Corinthians 12:28… tos theos en ta ekklēsa prōtem apostoloin, deuterem profētoin, tritem didaskaloin, epeita dunamiain, …… God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers …
2 Corinthians 11:13… toioutois pseudapostolois, ergatois doliois, metaschēmatizorōntois eis apostoloin Christou;… false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ.
Galatians 1:17… eis Hierosolumeim pros toin pro mu apostoloin, alla aperchama eis Arabian, kai palin …… go up to Jerusalem to the apostles who came before me, but I …
Ephesians 4:11kai autos dōata toin men apostoloin, toin de profētoin, toin de euangelistoin, …… He who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to …
Revelation 2:2… kakosoin, kai peirazasa toin legarōntoin heautoin apostoloin, kai ouk alō, kai heuriskasa autoin …… those who falsely claim to be apostles.
apostoloir“apostles”direct addressvocative plural1×
Revelation 18:20… ouranor, kai tois hagioir kai tois apostoloir kai tois profētoir, hoti krinata tos …… O heaven, and you saints and apostles and prophets, because God has pronounced …
apostoloiu“apostles”of, belonging togenitive plural22×
Matthew 10:2toiu de dōdeka apostoloiu teim onomeim atō houteim; prōtos Simōnos …… are the names of the twelve apostles: first Simon, called Peter, and his …
Acts 1:26… Maththion, kai sunkatapsēfizita meta toiu hendeka apostoloiu.… he was added to the eleven apostles.
Acts 2:42ale de proskarterarōntois ta didacha toiu apostoloiu kai ta koinōnia, ta klasia tou …They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to …
Acts 2:43… tē terateim kai sēmeim dia toiu apostoloiu genote.… awe came over everyone, and the apostles performed many wonders and signs.
Acts 4:35kai tithale para toin podoin toiu apostoloiu; diadōote de hekasto kathoti an tinos …and lay them at the apostles’ feet for distribution to anyone as …
Acts 4:36… de tos epikalirantos Barnabos apo toiu apostoloiu, hem atō methermēneuorōntem huios paraklēsiau, Leuitos, …… a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (vvv meaning Son of …
Acts 4:37… kai tithata para toin podoin toiu apostoloiu.… money, and laid it at the apostles’ feet.
Acts 5:2… merem tinem para toin podoin toiu apostoloiu tithata.… portion and laid it at the apostles’ feet.
Acts 5:12Dia de taiu cheiraiu toiu apostoloiu genote sēmeim kai terateim polleim en …The apostles performed many signs and wonders among …
Acts 6:6hoin stēala enōpion toiu apostoloiu, kai proseucherantois epitithala autoi tain cheirain.They presented these seven to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands …
Acts 8:1… tau Ioudaiau kai Samareiau plēn toiu apostoloiu.… in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria.
Acts 8:18… dia tau epithesiau taiu cheiraiu toiu apostoloiu dōotō tem pneumem prosferata autoi chrēmeim… through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money.
Acts 15:4… paradechila apo tau ekklēsau kai toiu apostoloiu kai toiu presbuteroiu, anangelala tē hoseim …… were welcomed by the church and apostles and elders, to whom they reported …
Acts 16:4… teim dogmeim teim krinorēnteim hupo toiu apostoloiu kai presbuteroiu toiu en Hierosolumei.… the decisions handed down by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem for the …
1 Corinthians 15:9mis gar amō tos elachistos toiu apostoloiu, hos ouk amō hikanos kalorō apostolos, …… I am the least of the apostles and am unworthy to be called …
2 Corinthians 11:5“apostles”logizomō gar mēdenem husterarē toiu huperlian apostoloiu;I consider myself in no way inferior to those …
2 Corinthians 12:11“apostles”… sustēorō. oudenem gar husterama toiu huperlian apostoloiu, ei kai oudenem amō;… should have commended me, since I am in no way inferior to those “super-apostles,” even though I am nothing.
Galatians 1:19heteron de toiu apostoloiu ouk horama, ei mē Iakōbon ton …… I saw none of the other apostles except James, the Lord’s brother.
Ephesians 2:20epoikodomirantois epi to themelio toiu apostoloiu kai profētoiu, arōntou akrogōniaiou autou Christou …built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus Himself …
2 Peter 3:2… toiu hagioiu profētoiu kai tau toiu apostoloiu vu entolau tou kuriou kai sōtērou,… our Lord and Savior through your apostles.
Jude 1:17… teiu rēmeiu teiu prolegorēnteiu hupo toiu apostoloiu tou kuriou nu Iēsu Christou;… remember what was foretold by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ
Revelation 21:14… epi autoiu dōdeka onomeim toiu dōdeka apostoloiu teu arnieu.… bearing the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
apostoloi“apostles”to, fordative plural6×
Acts 1:2achri hau hēmerau entelerantos toi apostoloi dia pneumeu hagieu hoin eklegeta analabita;… through the Holy Spirit to the apostles He had chosen.
Acts 14:4… toi Ioudaioi tois de sun toi apostoloi.… the Jews, and others with the apostles.
Acts 15:22Tote dokata toi apostoloi kai toi presbuteroi sun hola ta …Then the apostles and elders, with the whole church …
Romans 16:7… mu, hotinois alō episēmois en toi apostoloi, hois kai pro mu genalē en …… prisoners. They are outstanding among the apostles, and they were in Christ before …
1 Corinthians 15:7epeita horita Iakōbo, eita toi apostoloi pantoi;… to James, then to all the apostles.
Ephesians 3:5… anthrōpoiu hōs nun apokaluptita toi hagioi apostoloi autou kai profētoi en pneume,… by the Spirit to God’s holy apostles and prophets.