1861. epaggellomai
Lexical Summary
epaggellomai: To promise, to proclaim, to announce

Original Word: ἐπαγγέλλομαι
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: epaggellomai
Pronunciation: eh-pang-GEL-loh-my
Phonetic Spelling: (ep-ang-el'-lo)
KJV: profess, (make) promise
NASB: promised, made, made the promise, making a claim, professed, promise had been made, promising
Word Origin: [from G1909 (ἐπί - over) and the base of G32 (ἄγγελος - Angel)]

1. to announce upon (reflexively)
2. (by implication) to engage to do something, to assert something respecting oneself

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
profess, promise.

From epi and the base of aggelos; to announce upon (reflexively), i.e. (by implication) to engage to do something, to assert something respecting oneself -- profess, (make) promise.

see GREEK epi

see GREEK aggelos

HELPS Word-studies

Cognate: 1861 epaggéllō (from 1909 /epí, "on, fitting" intensifying aggellō, "announce") – properly, to declare a promise that is fitting (apt), i.e. legitimately applies. God specifically pledges (promises) His Word, and does so in particular situations.

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
from epi and aggelló
Definition
to proclaim, to promise
NASB Translation
made (1), made the promise (1), making a claim (1), professed (1), promise had been made (1), promised (9), promising (1).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon
STRONGS NT 1861: ἐπαγγέλλω

ἐπαγγέλλω: (present middle ἐπαγγέλλομαι); perfect passive and middle ἐπηγγελμαι; 1 aorist middle ἐπηγγειλαμην; from Homer down;

1. to announce.

2. to promise: passive ἐπήγγελται, to whom the promise hath been made, Galatians 3:19. Middle to announce concerning oneself; i. e.:

1. to announce that one is about to do or to furnish something, i. e. to promise (of one's own accord), to engage (voluntarily): ἐπαγγειλάμενος, Hebrews 10:23; Hebrews 11:11; ἐπήγγελται, he hath promised, followed by λέγων, Hebrews 12:26; τίνι, to give a promise to one, Hebrews 6:13; τί, Romans 4:21; Titus 1:2; τίνι τί, James 1:12; James 2:5; 2 Peter 2:19; ἐπαγγελίαν, to give a promise, 1 John 2:25 (Esther 4:7; (cf. Winers Grammar, 225 (211); Buttmann, 148 (129))); followed by the infinitive (cf. Winer's Grammar, § 44, 7 c.): Mark 14:11; Acts 7:5.

2. to profess; τί, e. g. an art, to profess oneself skilled in it (τήν ἀρετήν, Xenophon, mem. 1, 2, 7; τήν στρατιάν, Hell. 3, 4, 3; σοφίαν, (Diogenes Laërtius prooem. 12; σωφροσύνην, Clement of Alexandria, paedag. 3, 4, p. 299, 27 edition Klotz; (cf. Liddell and Scott, under the word, 5)): θεοσέβειαν, 1 Timothy 2:10; γνῶσιν, . (Compare: προεπαγγέλλω.)

Topical Lexicon
Definition and Scope

Ἐπαγγέλλομαι (Strong’s Greek 1861) covers both divine “promising” and human “professing.” It highlights covenant fidelity when used of God and tests authenticity when used of people, making it a pivotal word for doctrine, worship, and ethics.

Divine Promises Across Redemptive History

Acts 7:5 roots the vocabulary in the Abrahamic covenant. Hebrews 6:13–18 links the same promise to the surety of God’s oath, assuring believers “it is impossible for God to lie.” Galatians 3:19 identifies Christ as the Seed to whom the promise was made, showing every earlier pledge aims at Him. Titus 1:2 pushes the horizon back “before time began,” emphasizing that eternal life was determined in God’s pre-temporal counsel.

Faith’s Assurance and Perseverance

Sarah “judged Him faithful who had promised” (Hebrews 11:11). Abraham was “fully convinced that God was able to do what He had promised” (Romans 4:21). Believers are urged: “Let us hold resolutely to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful” (Hebrews 10:23). James 1:12 locates endurance in the prospect of “the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love Him,” ensuring perseverance rests on immutable grace.

Eschatological Horizon

Hebrews 12:26 cites God’s promise of a cosmic shaking, assuring an unshakable kingdom. James 2:5 links that kingdom to the poor who “love Him,” and 1 John 2:25 seals the entire Christian hope: “And this is the promise that He Himself made to us: eternal life”.

Authentic Versus Hollow Profession

True profession (1 Timothy 2:10) produces observable godliness. Counterfeits appear in 1 Timothy 6:21, where some “have professed it and thereby swerved from the faith,” and in 2 Peter 2:19, where false teachers “promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves to corruption.” The term thus exposes empty talk and calls for integrity.

Pastoral and Ministry Implications

• Preaching anchors assurance in God’s sworn word.
• Counseling directs doubters to the Promiser’s character, not self-evaluation.
• Discipleship cultivates lifestyles that validate profession.
• Evangelism proclaims God’s eternal-life promise to the nations.

Historical Reception

Patristic writers cited God’s promises to affirm Christ’s two natures and believers’ security. Reformers grounded justification by faith in the reliability of divine promises. Puritan pastors used them for soul-care, urging saints to “plead the promises” in prayer.

Key References

Mark 14:11; Acts 7:5; Romans 4:21; Galatians 3:19; Hebrews 6:13; Hebrews 10:23; Hebrews 11:11; Hebrews 12:26; 1 Timothy 2:10; 1 Timothy 6:21; 2 Peter 2:19; Titus 1:2; James 1:12; James 2:5; 1 John 2:25.

Forms and Transliterations
επαγγειλαμενον επαγγειλάμενον ἐπαγγειλάμενον επαγγειλαμενος επαγγειλάμενος ἐπαγγειλάμενος επαγγελλομεναις επαγγελλομέναις ἐπαγγελλομέναις επαγγελλομενοι επαγγελλόμενοι ἐπαγγελλόμενοι επαγγελλομένου επηγγειλαντο επηγγείλαντο ἐπηγγείλαντο επηγγειλατο επηγγείλατο ἐπηγγείλατο επηγγελται επήγγελται ἐπήγγελται epangeilamenon epangeilámenon epangeilamenos epangeilámenos epangellomenais epangelloménais epangellomenoi epangellómenoi epengeilanto epengeílanto epēngeilanto epēngeílanto epengeilato epengeílato epēngeilato epēngeílato epengeltai epēngeltai epḗngeltai
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Englishman's Concordance
Mark 14:11 V-AIP-3P
GRK: ἐχάρησαν καὶ ἐπηγγείλαντο αὐτῷ ἀργύριον
NAS: when they heard [this], and promised to give
KJV: and promised to give
INT: they rejoiced and promised him money

Acts 7:5 V-AIM-3S
GRK: ποδός καὶ ἐπηγγείλατο δοῦναι αὐτῷ
NAS: child, He promised that HE WOULD GIVE
KJV: yet he promised that he would give
INT: a foot but promised to give to him

Romans 4:21 V-RIM/P-3S
GRK: ὅτι ὃ ἐπήγγελται δυνατός ἐστιν
NAS: that what God had promised, He was able
KJV: what he had promised, he was
INT: that what he has promised able he is

Galatians 3:19 V-RIM/P-3S
GRK: σπέρμα ᾧ ἐπήγγελται διαταγεὶς δι'
NAS: to whom the promise had been made.
KJV: to whom the promise was made; [and it was] ordained
INT: seed to whom promise has been made having been ordained through

1 Timothy 2:10 V-PPM/P-DFP
GRK: πρέπει γυναιξὶν ἐπαγγελλομέναις θεοσέβειαν δι'
NAS: for women making a claim to godliness.
KJV: women professing godliness)
INT: is becoming to women professing [the] fear of God by

1 Timothy 6:21 V-PPM/P-NMP
GRK: ἥν τινες ἐπαγγελλόμενοι περὶ τὴν
NAS: some have professed and thus gone astray
KJV: some professing have erred
INT: which some professing in reference to the

Titus 1:2 V-AIM-3S
GRK: αἰωνίου ἣν ἐπηγγείλατο ὁ ἀψευδὴς
NAS: who cannot lie, promised long ages
KJV: that cannot lie, promised before
INT: eternal which promised the one who cannot lie

Hebrews 6:13 V-APM-NMS
GRK: γὰρ Ἀβραὰμ ἐπαγγειλάμενος ὁ θεός
NAS: For when God made the promise to Abraham,
KJV: when God made promise to Abraham,
INT: For to Abraham having promised God

Hebrews 10:23 V-APM-NMS
GRK: γὰρ ὁ ἐπαγγειλάμενος
NAS: without wavering, for He who promised is faithful;
KJV: (for he [is] faithful that promised;)
INT: indeed [is] the [one] having promised

Hebrews 11:11 V-APM-AMS
GRK: ἡγήσατο τὸν ἐπαγγειλάμενον
NAS: Him faithful who had promised.
KJV: him faithful who had promised.
INT: she considered the [one] having promised

Hebrews 12:26 V-RIM/P-3S
GRK: νῦν δὲ ἐπήγγελται λέγων Ἔτι
NAS: but now He has promised, saying,
KJV: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet
INT: now moreover he has promised saying Yet

James 1:12 V-AIM-3S
GRK: ζωῆς ὃν ἐπηγγείλατο τοῖς ἀγαπῶσιν
NAS: which [the Lord] has promised to those
KJV: the Lord hath promised to them that love
INT: of life which he promised to those that love

James 2:5 V-AIM-3S
GRK: βασιλείας ἧς ἐπηγγείλατο τοῖς ἀγαπῶσιν
NAS: which He promised to those
KJV: which he hath promised to them that love
INT: kingdom which he promised to those that love

2 Peter 2:19 V-PPM/P-NMP
GRK: ἐλευθερίαν αὐτοῖς ἐπαγγελλόμενοι αὐτοὶ δοῦλοι
NAS: promising them freedom
KJV: While they promise them liberty,
INT: freedom them promising themselves slaves

1 John 2:25 V-AIM-3S
GRK: ἣν αὐτὸς ἐπηγγείλατο ἡμῖν τὴν
NAS: He Himself made to us: eternal
KJV: he hath promised us,
INT: which he promised us

Strong's Greek 1861
15 Occurrences


ἐπαγγειλάμενον — 1 Occ.
ἐπαγγειλάμενος — 2 Occ.
ἐπαγγελλομέναις — 1 Occ.
ἐπαγγελλόμενοι — 2 Occ.
ἐπηγγείλαντο — 1 Occ.
ἐπηγγείλατο — 5 Occ.
ἐπήγγελται — 3 Occ.

1860
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