εὐαγγελιστής
euangelistḗs
G2099 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Herald or bringer of good news; one who announces important news, specifically relating to the proclamation of significant events or messages. In Koine Greek, and especially in early Christian contexts, designates a person commissioned to proclaim and spread the message regarding Jesus, often with an itinerant or missionary function. Broader usage encompasses royal heralds or messengers of joyful announcements, but in the New Testament the sense is focused on those entrusted with the transmission of the good news about Jesus and the restoration or fulfillment associated with him.
Semantic Range
herald or messenger of good news, proclaimer of a royal or significant announcement, one commissioned to share the message concerning Jesus (in early Christianity), itinerant missionary, preacher of the message, distinguished from but related to apostles and prophets
Root / Etymology
Formed from the verb εὐαγγελίζω (to bring good news, announce a joyful message), itself from εὐ- (good) + ἄγγελος (messenger or message). The suffix -στής creates an agent noun: ‘one who brings good news’ or ‘proclaimer of a message’.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In classical Greek, the verbal root εὐαγγελίζω was often used for the proclamation of military victory or significant royal announcements, and its agent noun (εὐαγγελιστής) was extremely rare outside Jewish and early Christian literature. In the New Testament (Acts 21:8; Eph 4:11; 2 Tim 4:5), εὐαγγελιστής refers to specific individuals recognized for their role in spreading the message concerning Jesus, distinct from apostles or prophets but overlapping in purpose with itinerant messengers. The term is not limited to a fixed office or clerical status but to a function of outreach and proclamation. Standard translations as “evangelist” may obscure the original sense of ‘messenger of good news’ and tend to flatten the historical and semantic nuance; the term has been anachronistically associated with later church offices and institutional roles. In the Septuagint, cognate terms are used for those bringing news, usually of military or royal importance. The noun εὐαγγελιστής does not directly appear in the LXX, indicating its specialized Christian usage. Distinct from εὐαγγέλιον (the message or 'gospel' itself), this term focuses on the person who announces such news. Later Christian tradition reified 'evangelist' as a church office, but in the earliest texts it signified a commissioned herald or proclaimer, rarely associated with established hierarchy.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from εὐαγγελίζω; a preacher of the gospel:--evangelist.
Root Family
εὐαγγελιστής (euangelistēs) — bringer of good news, herald, proclaimer
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G2099-02 |
εὐαγγελιστοῦ | euaggelistou | N GEN M SG |
evangelist | of a good-news herald | of an evangelist | 2 |
G2099-01 |
εὐαγγελιστάς | euaggelistas | N ACC M PL |
evangelists | heralds of good news | heralds of good news | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
3 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G2099-02 |
Acts 21:8 | εὐαγγελιστοῦ | euaggelistou | N GEN M SG |
evangelist | of a good-news herald | of the evangelist |
G2099-01 |
Ephesians 4:11 | εὐαγγελιστάς | euaggelistas | N ACC M PL |
evangelists | heralds of good news | heralds of good news |
G2099-02 |
2 Timothy 4:5 | εὐαγγελιστοῦ | euaggelistou | N GEN M SG |
of an evangelist | of a good-news herald | of an evangelist |