Greek word · G312
ἀναγγέλλω
anangellō
to report
Anangellō: to announce, report, proclaim, sometimes 'report back' what one has received (BDAG: 'carry back word, report; disclose, announce'). Ta erchomena: 'the things that are coming,' present participle, things already on their way.
Appears 14 times in 14 verses of the Greek New Testament. ·
What it means
ἀν-αγγέλλω
[in LXX chiefly for נָגַד hi ;]
1. to bring back word, report (Æsch., Thuc., al.): John 5:15 (WH, εἶπεν), Acts 14:27 15:4, 2 Corinthians 7:7
2. Later, = ἀπαγγέλλω (MM, VGT, see word), to announce, declare (LXX; Cremer, 24): Matthew 28:11 (WH, ἀπ-), John 4:25 16:13-15, Acts 19:18 20:20, 27 Romans 15:21, 1 Peter 1:12, 1 John 1:5.†
(AS)
From G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament (1922), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).
In depth
- Range of meaning
Anangellō: to announce, report, proclaim, sometimes 'report back' what one has received (BDAG: 'carry back word, report; disclose, announce'). Ta erchomena: 'the things that are coming,' present participle, things already on their way.
- Against the English
KJV 'shew you things to come' and NLT 'tell you about the future' can suggest forecasting events. ESV/BSB/WEB 'declare' keeps the announcing tone better. The repeated verb in 16:13, 14, 15 (BSB: 'declare,' 'disclosing,' 'disclose') is easy to miss in English, so the three-fold 'he will announce to you' gets lost.
- How it drifted
Popular use can narrow 'things to come' to predictive prophecy about the end times, though the phrase is broader.
- Used elsewhere in the period
In the Greek of Isaiah, anangellō is God's characteristic act of 'declaring' what is coming, and idols cannot do it: Isa 41:22–23 ('declare to us the things coming,' ta eperchomena anangeilate); 42:9; 44:7; 46:10. In John 4:25 the Samaritan woman says of the Messiah, 'he will announce (anangelei) all things to us.'
- Range of meaning
To report, bring back word, announce, proclaim, make known. Originally it meant carrying a message back. In Koine Greek (the everyday Greek of the New Testament era) it often just means 'announce, declare' (BDAG: 'carry back information, report; disclose, announce, proclaim').
- Against the English
KJV 'shew', WEB 'declare', BSB/NASB 'disclose', NLT 'telling'. 'Disclose' can suggest revealing hidden or new secrets. The Greek is the language of a herald or messenger passing on what he has received.
- Used elsewhere in the period
In LXX Isaiah it is used for announcing what is to come, the thing idols cannot do (Isa 41:22–23; 42:9; 44:7; 46:10). In John 4:25 the Samaritan woman expects that the Messiah 'will announce to us all things'. In Acts 20:20, 27 Paul 'declared' the whole counsel of God. The papyri use it for reporting information.
- Range of meaning
To bring back word, report, announce, declare openly. It was used of messengers carrying a report back, of public proclamation, and of making known something that was hidden or not yet known.
- Against the English
KJV 'shew' and BSB/NASB 'disclose' make it sound like showing or uncovering. ESV 'declare' and WEB 'declare' keep the spoken, announcing side. NLT 'tell' is accurate but flat.
- How it drifted
KJV 'shew' (show) once commonly meant 'make known, tell' ('shew forth his praise'). Today 'show' sounds visual, like showing a picture or a vision.
- Used elsewhere in the period
In the Greek Old Testament of Isaiah, this verb marks the God of Israel as the one who announces things before they happen, unlike idols (Isa 41:22–23; 44:7; 46:10), and who 'declares truth' (Isa 45:19). In John 4:25 the Samaritan woman says, 'When Messiah comes, he will announce (anangelei) all things to us.' In Acts 20:20, 27 it describes Paul declaring the whole counsel of God.
Where it appears
John · 5
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John 4:25 ἀναγγελεῖ He will tell
The woman said, “I know that Messiah” (called Christ) “is coming. When He comes, He will explain everything to us.”
Here: "He will declare / make known / disclose." This is revelation brought from God, not only clarifying teaching. Here it means settling the disputed question of true worship just raised in 4:20-24.
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John 5:15 ἀνήγγειλεν told
And the man went away and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well.
Here: To give a report or carry back information, here to the authorities who had questioned him (5:10–13). Elsewhere in John the same verb is used for the Messiah or the Spirit making things known (4:25; 16:13–15), so some readers hear 'testimony' in it. In context, though, it most naturally means answering an earlier official question.
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John 16:13 ἀναγγελεῖ He will declare
However, when the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all truth. For He will not speak on His own, but He will speak what He hears, and He will declare to you what is to come.
Here: To announce or report back a message received. It appears three times in 16:13–15, and the repetition stresses that the Spirit passes on what is Jesus'. It is also the verb Isaiah's Greek uses for God 'declaring things to come.'
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John 16:14 ἀναγγελεῖ will disclose
He will glorify Me by taking from what is Mine and disclosing it to you.
Here: Future: 'he will announce / report'. It is a messenger's word: passing on what one has received. It also echoes John 4:25 ('the Messiah… will announce all things to us') and Isaiah's 'declare the things to come'. The verb comes three times in vv. 13–15.
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John 16:15 ἀναγγελεῖ will disclose
Everything that belongs to the Father is Mine. That is why I said that the Spirit will take from what is Mine and disclose it to you.
Here: Future: 'he will announce'. It is spoken announcement, like a messenger bringing back and declaring news. It is the same verb as in v. 13 and v. 14, used three times in a row.
Acts · 5
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Acts 14:27 ἀνήγγελλον they were declaring
When they arrived, they gathered the church together and reported all that God had done through them, and how He had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles.
Here: They reported back, as messengers return word to those who sent them. The imperfect tense (an action shown as ongoing) suggests a long recounting, or that they 'set about reporting' in detail.
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Acts 15:4 ἀνήγγειλάν They declared
On their arrival in Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and apostles and elders, to whom they reported all that God had done through them.
Here: 'They reported.' This is a deliberate report back, the kind envoys give to the people who sent them or to a governing body. It is not casual storytelling.
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Acts 19:18 ἀναγγέλλοντες declaring
Many who had believed now came forward, confessing and disclosing their deeds.
Here: To announce or make known in detail. Alongside "confessing" it means they did more than admit fault in general terms. They spelled out what they had been doing. In a magical setting, that may mean revealing the actual spells.
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Acts 20:20 ἀναγγεῖλαι to declare
I did not shrink back from declaring anything that was helpful to you as I taught you publicly and from house to house,
Here: To announce or report a message plainly. The same verb returns in verse 27. It stresses openly passing on what he had received.
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Acts 20:27 ἀναγγεῖλαι [from] declaring
For I did not shrink back from declaring to you the whole will of God.
Here: To make something known openly and fully, like a messenger passing on what he was given. The verb points to reporting something received, not making up one's own message. Verse 20 uses it too.
Romans · 1
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Romans 15:21 ἀνηγγέλη it was proclaimed
Rather, as it is written: “Those who were not told about Him will see, and those who have not heard will understand.”
2 Corinthians · 1
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2 Corinthians 7:7 ἀναγγέλλων relating
and not only by his arrival, but also by the comfort he had received from you. He told us about your longing, your mourning, and your zeal for me, so that I rejoiced all the more.
Here: Present participle: 'as he reported'. Titus's comfort spilled over to Paul as Titus told the story; the reporting and the comforting happen together.
1 Peter · 1
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1 Peter 1:12 ἀνηγγέλη have been proclaimed
It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves, but you, when they foretold the things now announced by those who preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things.
Here: "Were announced": openly reported or declared. It is a verb for passing on news, here the plain public telling of what had once been veiled prophecy.
1 John · 1
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1 John 1:5 ἀναγγέλλομεν we preach
And this is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you: God is light, and in Him there is no darkness at all.
Here: To announce or report back, passing on news received. It echoes angelia ("message… we message on to you"). Present tense: they are still announcing it, including in this letter.
Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.