καταγγελεύς
katangeleús
G2604 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A person who publicly announces, proclaims, or reports, especially one who declares or brings news of something with authority; specifically, a herald or proclaimer (often of religious matters or new ideas). In various contexts, it may refer to an official or semi-official announcer, one who publicly presents or explains a doctrine, idea, or teaching.
Semantic Range
herald, proclaimer, announcer, reporter, one who publicly sets forth ideas or teachings, one who advocates a doctrine, informal preacher
Root / Etymology
From the verb καταγγέλλω (katangellō), 'to proclaim, declare, announce,' itself derived from κατά ('down, throughout') and ἀγγέλλω ('to announce, report'). The noun καταγγελεύς is a denominative agent noun formed with the -εύς (-eus) suffix, signifying 'one who performs the action.'
Historical & Contextual Notes
The term καταγγελεύς is rare in Greek literature and appears in the New Testament only in Acts 17:18, where it describes Paul's role in proclaiming 'Jesus and the resurrection' in Athens. In Classical and Hellenistic Greek, the root verb καταγγέλλω is more common, but the noun itself is not widely attested. In the context of Acts 17:18, καταγγελεύς seems to have been perceived by Athenian philosophers as a technical or semi-technical designation for someone acting as a public announcer or advocate for new religious ideas, analogous to a herald or news-bringer. The English rendering 'setter forth' from the King James Version does not capture the full nuance, which encompasses dimensions of authoritative, sometimes official proclamation, particularly in public forums. The term does not denote an institutionalized office like a κῆρυξ (herald), but rather one who takes the initiative to make a public declaration, often on a novel or controversial topic. G2604 is distinct from both καταγγέλλω (to proclaim) and the more common noun κῆρυξ (herald), indicating a more general or informal function. There is no evidence of καταγγελεύς being a formal title; it is descriptive of actions. In LXX/Septuagint context, the term is not attested. Over time, the -εύς agent suffix regularly connotes 'one who performs' but often with unofficial or ad hoc status, unless otherwise specified by context. Later translation traditions use 'proclaimer,' 'preacher,' or 'announcer,' yet none fully encapsulate the term's Athenian context or its nuance of advocacy for new (often religious) ideas.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from καταγγέλλω; a proclaimer:--setter forth.
Root Family
καταγγελεύς (katangeleus) — proclaim, announce, report
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G2604-01 |
καταγγελεὺς | kataggeleus | N NOM M SG |
proclaimer | proclaimer | proclaimer | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G2604-01 |
Acts 17:18 | καταγγελεὺς | kataggeleus | N NOM M SG |
proclaimer | proclaimer | proclaimer |