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ἀποστολή

apostolḗ

G651 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

A sending or dispatch; the act or state of being sent with a commission or on an assignment. In specialized contexts, refers to the office, function, or status of an ἀπόστολος (one who is sent on behalf of another), especially denoting the authorized role or mission assigned to such a representative. The term can signify both the process of being sent and the conferred status or work associated with the 'apostolic' office or delegation.

Semantic Range

sending, dispatch, commissioning, mission, office of envoy, apostolic office, apostleship, authorized commission

Root / Etymology

From ἀποστέλλω (to send off or away, to dispatch a messenger); formed with the -ή nominal suffix indicating action or result. Cognate with the verb ἀποστέλλω and related nominal forms such as ἀπόστολος (envoy, delegate). No evidence of direct borrowing from Hebrew; derived within Greek morphological patterns.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In classical Greek, similar abstract nouns from -ή express the act, office, or result of a verb. ἀποστολή is rare outside of Hellenistic and early Christian literature. In the New Testament and other early Koine Christian writings, ἀποστολή predominantly refers to the office or mission given to an ἀπόστολος, emphasizing special authorization or commissioning. The English 'apostleship' is rooted in Christian tradition but may not fully capture the broader Greek nuance of sending or commissioning. LXX usage is extremely limited or absent for this form, but the conceptual root is present in verbs for sending. In non-Christian Koine texts, the term is attested but usually refers to official, diplomatic, or commercial dispatches, not religious offices. Later Christian writings extend the usage to refer to both the apostolic ministry collectively and to an individual's divinely directed mandate. The semantic range in English is more narrowly linked to the historical Apostles, but the Greek term itself is structurally broader, tied to the act of sending or commission irrespective of the specific individuals involved.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from ἀποστέλλω; commission, i.e. (specially) apostolate:--apostleship.

Root Family

ἀποστολή (apostolē) — sending, dispatch, commissioning, mission, authorized commission

Root ἀποστέλ- to send off, to dispatch, to commission

Word Forms

2 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
G651-01 ἀποστολὴν apostolen N ACC F SG apostleship authorized commission authorized commission 2
G651-02 ἀποστολῆς apostoles N GEN F SG apostleship of commissioning of apostleship 2

Occurrences in Scripture

4 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
G651-02 Acts 1:25 ἀποστολῆς apostoles N GEN F SG apostleship of commissioning of apostleship
G651-01 Romans 1:5 ἀποστολὴν apostolen N ACC F SG apostleship authorized commission authorized commission
G651-02 1 Corinthians 9:2 ἀποστολῆς apostoles N GEN F SG apostleship of commissioning of commissioning
G651-01 Galatians 2:8 ἀποστολὴν apostolen N ACC F SG apostleship authorized commission authorized commission
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