1876. epanagkes
Lexical Summary
epanagkes: Necessary, Compulsory

Original Word: ἐπαναγκαῖς
Part of Speech: Adverb
Transliteration: epanagkes
Pronunciation: ep-an-ang-KACE
Phonetic Spelling: (ep-an'-ang-kes)
KJV: necessary
NASB: essentials
Word Origin: [neuter of a presumed compound of G1909 (ἐπί - over) and G318 (ἀναγκή - compulsion)]

1. (adverbially) on necessity, i.e. necessarily

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
necessary.

Neuter of a presumed compound of epi and anagke; (adverbially) on necessity, i.e. Necessarily -- necessary.

see GREEK epi

see GREEK anagke

HELPS Word-studies

1876 epánagkes (an adverb, derived from 1909 /epí, "on, fitting" and 318 /anágkē, "necessity") – properly, what seems necessary (suitable), given the particular situation (used only in Ac 15:28).

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
from epi and anagké
Definition
necessary, of necessity
NASB Translation
essentials (1).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon
STRONGS NT 1876: ἐπάναγκες

ἐπάναγκες (ἀνάγκη (hence, literally, on compulsion)), necessarily: πλήν τῶν ἐπάναγκες τούτων, besides these things which are necessarily imposed, Acts 15:28 (Buttmann, 27. (24)). (Herodotus, Andocides (), Plato, Demosthenes, Aristotle, Dionysius Halicarnassus, Plutarch, Aelian, Epictetus.)

Topical Lexicon
Term Overview

Strong’s Greek 1876 underscores the idea of what is indispensable or inescapably required. The single New Testament occurrence sets the word within the deliberations of the Jerusalem Council, where the leaders, guided by the Holy Spirit, distinguished between matters that are essential to the gospel and those that are not.

Biblical Occurrence

Acts 15:28: “It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond these essential requirements:” (Berean Standard Bible).

Historical Setting of Acts 15

The Jerusalem Council convened to address tension between Jewish believers who valued the Mosaic Law and Gentile converts who had never lived under it. By the mid-first century, churches in Antioch, Galatia, and beyond faced conflicting teachings that threatened unity (Acts 15:1-5; Galatians 2:4-5). The council sought God’s mind on whether circumcision and full Torah observance should be imposed on Gentiles. Luke records that after testimony, debate, and James’s scriptural appeal (Acts 15:13-18), the assembled apostles and elders crafted a pastoral letter. The inclusion of ἐπάναγκες signaled that the listed items—abstaining from food sacrificed to idols, blood, meat of strangled animals, and sexual immorality—were not arbitrarily chosen concessions but truly necessary for fellowship between Jewish and Gentile believers.

Theological Significance

1. Harmony of Spirit and Scripture. The phrase “It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us” (Acts 15:28) reveals decision-making grounded in both divine guidance and collective discernment. The essentials named in the decree align with Old Testament ethics (Leviticus 17–18) while maintaining gospel freedom (Galatians 5:1).
2. Definition of Gospel Essentials. By limiting compulsory obligations, the council clarified that salvation rests on grace through faith in Jesus Christ (Acts 15:11; Ephesians 2:8-9). The essentials protect moral purity and table fellowship without re-erecting the ceremonial wall the cross has broken down (Ephesians 2:14-16).
3. Burden and Freedom. The contrast between “no greater burden” (Acts 15:28) and the oppressive yoke of legalism mirrors Jesus’ invitation: “My yoke is easy and My burden is light” (Matthew 11:30). The council’s letter upholds liberty while guarding against license (1 Peter 2:16).

Implications for Christian Liberty

• Essentials vs. Preferences. The occurrence reminds believers to discern carefully between doctrines that preserve the gospel and cultural or ceremonial preferences that can be surrendered for the sake of love (Romans 14:13-19).
• Unity in Diversity. By identifying a concise list of necessities, the apostles modeled a pathway for multiethnic churches to maintain fellowship without uniformity in secondary matters (Ephesians 4:3-6).
• Spirit-Led Decision-Making. Modern assemblies look to this precedent when navigating controversy, seeking unanimity that reflects the Spirit’s leading rather than mere majority vote (Philippians 2:1-4).

Pastoral Application

1. Teaching Core Doctrine. Congregations are strengthened when leaders articulate what is truly “necessary” for salvation and discipleship, avoiding both legalism and antinomianism.
2. Guarding the Lord’s Table. The decree’s concern for purity and fellowship instructs churches to approach communion with reverence and mutual consideration (1 Corinthians 11:27-29).
3. Missional Sensitivity. Missionaries and church planters can apply the principle by distinguishing gospel essentials from cultural forms, thereby removing unnecessary stumbling blocks for new believers (1 Corinthians 9:19-23).

Related Scriptural Themes

• Burden-Bearing: Galatians 6:2; Acts 15:10
• Necessity of Holiness: Hebrews 12:14; 1 Thessalonians 4:3
• Liberty in Christ: Galatians 5:13; 2 Corinthians 3:17

Summary

The lone New Testament appearance of Strong’s Greek 1876 crystallizes a watershed moment in early church history. By marking certain practices as “essential requirements,” the Jerusalem Council preserved gospel purity, safeguarded Christian liberty, and fostered unity across cultural lines. The term continues to guide believers in distinguishing the non-negotiable core of the faith from secondary issues, ensuring that the church remains both free and faithful.

Forms and Transliterations
επαναγκες επάναγκες ἐπάναγκες epanankes epánankes
Links
Interlinear GreekInterlinear HebrewStrong's NumbersEnglishman's Greek ConcordanceEnglishman's Hebrew ConcordanceParallel Texts
Englishman's Concordance
Acts 15:28 Adv
GRK: τούτων τῶν ἐπάναγκες
NAS: than these essentials:
KJV: than these necessary things;
INT: of these these necessary things

Strong's Greek 1876
1 Occurrence


ἐπάναγκες — 1 Occ.

1875
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