ἄγγελος
ángelos
G32 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
One who is sent to convey a message, a messenger; in extended usage, a supernatural or heavenly being acting as an agent or envoy, especially in divine contexts; less commonly, an agent or representative in human affairs. The word primarily denotes someone bearing or delivering a message, but in some contexts (especially Jewish and early Christian writings) refers specifically to celestial beings perceived as acting on behalf of the divine.
Semantic Range
messenger (human or divine), envoy, emissary, herald, supernatural agent, celestial being (especially in Jewish and Christian usage)
Root / Etymology
From the root ἀγγελ- derived from ἀγγέλλω ('to announce, to report'), which itself traces to ἄγω ('to lead, bring'). The form ἄγγελος thus signifies 'one who announces or bears tidings.'
Historical & Contextual Notes
In classical Greek, ἄγγελος most often refers to a human messenger, envoy, or emissary conveying a message between parties, with no necessary supernatural connotation. In the Septuagint, ἄγγελος is frequently used to translate Hebrew מַלְאָךְ (malʼakh), which can denote both a human messenger and a supernatural angelic agent. This carries over into Jewish and early Christian Greek texts, where ἄγγελος commonly describes a supernatural being (often rendered 'angel' in English translations), especially one acting under divine authority. However, the term retains its broader sense—'messenger'—and can refer to human agents, e.g., John the Baptizer called the 'messenger' (ἄγγελος) in the Gospels. The rendering of ἄγγελος as 'angel' in English tradition limits the semantic range to divine messengers, but in Greek sources the context determines whether a human or supernatural agent is intended. The use of 'angel' in modern translation can obscure the human reference present in the original term.
Translation Consistency
‘Messenger’ is the most neutral and most typical rendering of ἄγγελος across contexts — it fits both human envoys and divine/celestial agents, matches the SILEX range, and is the most frequent form in the P2 data. It avoids theological bias that ‘angel’ would introduce while remaining natural English.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from (probably derived from ἄγω; compare ἀγέλη) (to bring tidings); a messenger; especially an "angel"; by implication, a pastor:--angel, messenger.
Root Family
ἀγγελ- (diangéllō) — to announce, to proclaim, to report
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| G1229 | διαγγέλλω | may be widely proclaimed |
| G1804 | ἐξαγγέλλω | you may proclaim publicly |
| G1861 | ἐπαγγέλλω | having pledged himself |
| G31 | ἀγγελία | an announcement |
| G312 | ἀναγγέλλω | to proclaim |
Word Forms
7 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G32-04 |
ἄγγελόν | aggelon | N ACC M SG |
angels | messenger | messenger | 53 |
G32-05 |
ἄγγελος | aggelos | N NOM M SG |
angel | messenger | messenger | 48 |
G32-02 |
ἄγγελοι | aggeloi | N NOM M PL |
angels | messengers | messengers | 23 |
G32-07 |
ἀγγέλους | aggelous | N ACC M PL |
angels | messengers | messengers | 20 |
G32-06 |
ἀγγέλου | aggelou | N GEN M SG |
angel | of a messenger | of a messenger | 14 |
G32-01 |
ἀγγέλῳ | aggelo | N DAT M SG |
angel | to a messenger | to a messenger | 9 |
G32-03 |
ἀγγέλοις | aggelois | N DAT M PL |
angels | to messengers | to messengers | 9 |
Occurrences in Scripture
176 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G32-05 |
Matthew 1:20 | ἄγγελος | aggelos | N NOM M SG |
angel | messenger | messenger |
G32-05 |
Matthew 1:24 | ἄγγελος | aggelos | N NOM M SG |
angel | messenger | messenger |
G32-05 |
Matthew 2:13 | ἄγγελος | aggelos | N NOM M SG |
an angel | messenger | messenger |
G32-05 |
Matthew 2:19 | ἄγγελος | aggelos | N NOM M SG |
an angel | messenger | messenger |
G32-03 |
Matthew 4:6 | ἀγγέλοις | aggelois | N DAT M PL |
angels | to messengers | to messengers |
G32-02 |
Matthew 4:11 | ἄγγελοι | aggeloi | N NOM M PL |
angels | messengers | messengers |
G32-04 |
Matthew 11:10 | ἄγγελόν | aggelon | N ACC M SG |
messenger | messenger | messenger |
G32-02 |
Matthew 13:39 | ἄγγελοί | aggeloi | N NOM M PL |
angels | messengers | messengers |
G32-07 |
Matthew 13:41 | ἀγγέλους | aggelous | N ACC M PL |
angels | messengers | messengers |
G32-02 |
Matthew 13:49 | ἄγγελοι | aggeloi | N NOM M PL |
angels | messengers | messengers |
G32-04 |
Matthew 16:27 | ἀγγέλων | aggelon | N GEN M PL |
angels | messenger | messengers |
G32-02 |
Matthew 18:10 | ἄγγελοι | aggeloi | N NOM M PL |
angels | messengers | messengers |
G32-02 |
Matthew 22:30 | ἄγγελοι | aggeloi | N NOM M PL |
angels | messengers | messengers |
G32-07 |
Matthew 24:31 | ἀγγέλους | aggelous | N ACC M PL |
angels | messengers | messengers |
G32-02 |
Matthew 24:36 | ἄγγελοι | aggeloi | N NOM M PL |
angels | messengers | messengers |
G32-02 |
Matthew 25:31 | ἄγγελοι | aggeloi | N NOM M PL |
angels | messengers | messengers |
G32-03 |
Matthew 25:41 | ἀγγέλοις | aggelois | N DAT M PL |
angels | to messengers | to messengers |
G32-04 |
Matthew 26:53 | ἀγγέλων | aggelon | N GEN M PL |
of angels | messenger | messenger |
G32-05 |
Matthew 28:2 | ἄγγελος | aggelos | N NOM M SG |
angel | messenger | messenger |
G32-05 |
Matthew 28:5 | ἄγγελος | aggelos | N NOM M SG |
angel | messenger | messenger |
G32-04 |
Mark 1:2 | ἄγγελόν | aggelon | N ACC M SG |
messenger | messenger | messenger |
G32-02 |
Mark 1:13 | ἄγγελοι | aggeloi | N NOM M PL |
angels | messengers | messengers |
G32-04 |
Mark 8:38 | ἀγγέλων | aggelon | N GEN M PL |
angels | messenger | messenger |
G32-02 |
Mark 12:25 | ἄγγελοι | aggeloi | N NOM M PL |
angels | messengers | messengers |
G32-07 |
Mark 13:27 | ἀγγέλους | aggelous | N ACC M PL |
angels | messengers | messengers |
G32-02 |
Mark 13:32 | ἄγγελοι | aggeloi | N NOM M PL |
angels | messengers | messengers |
G32-05 |
Luke 1:11 | ἄγγελος | aggelos | N NOM M SG |
an angel | messenger | messenger |
G32-05 |
Luke 1:13 | ἄγγελος | aggelos | N NOM M SG |
angel | messenger | messenger |
G32-04 |
Luke 1:18 | ἄγγελον | aggelon | N ACC M SG |
angel | messenger | messenger |
G32-05 |
Luke 1:19 | ἄγγελος | aggelos | N NOM M SG |
angel | messenger | messenger |
G32-05 |
Luke 1:26 | ἄγγελος | aggelos | N NOM M SG |
angel | messenger | messenger |
G32-05 |
Luke 1:28 | ἄγγελος | aggelos | N NOM M SG |
angel | messenger | messenger |
G32-05 |
Luke 1:30 | ἄγγελος | aggelos | N NOM M SG |
angel | messenger | messenger |
G32-04 |
Luke 1:34 | ἄγγελον | aggelon | N ACC M SG |
angel | messenger | messenger |
G32-05 |
Luke 1:35 | ἄγγελος | aggelos | N NOM M SG |
angel | messenger | messenger |
G32-05 |
Luke 1:38 | ἄγγελος | aggelos | N NOM M SG |
angel | messenger | messenger |
G32-05 |
Luke 2:9 | ἄγγελος | aggelos | N NOM M SG |
an angel | messenger | messenger |
G32-05 |
Luke 2:10 | ἄγγελος | aggelos | N NOM M SG |
angel | messenger | messenger |
G32-01 |
Luke 2:13 | ἀγγέλῳ | aggelo | N DAT M SG |
angel | to a messenger | angel |
G32-02 |
Luke 2:15 | ἄγγελοι | aggeloi | N NOM M PL |
angels | messengers | messengers |
G32-06 |
Luke 2:21 | ἀγγέλου | aggelou | N GEN M SG |
angel | of a messenger | of a messenger |
G32-03 |
Luke 4:10 | ἀγγέλοις | aggelois | N DAT M PL |
angels | to messengers | to messengers |
G32-04 |
Luke 7:24 | ἀγγέλων | aggelon | N GEN M PL |
messengers | messenger | messengers |
G32-04 |
Luke 7:27 | ἄγγελόν | aggelon | N ACC M SG |
messenger | messenger | messenger |
G32-04 |
Luke 9:26 | ἀγγέλων | aggelon | N GEN M PL |
angels | messenger | messenger |
G32-07 |
Luke 9:52 | ἀγγέλους | aggelous | N ACC M PL |
messengers | messengers | messengers |
G32-04 |
Luke 12:8 | ἀγγέλων | aggelon | N GEN M PL |
angels | messenger | messenger |
G32-04 |
Luke 12:9 | ἀγγέλων | aggelon | N GEN M PL |
angels | messenger | messengers |
G32-04 |
Luke 15:10 | ἀγγέλων | aggelon | N GEN M PL |
angels | messenger | messengers |
G32-04 |
Luke 16:22 | ἀγγέλων | aggelon | N GEN M PL |
angels | messenger | messengers |