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Greek noun (masculine) · G652

ἀπόστολος

apostolosap-os'-tol-os

a fleet, an expedition (Dem.).; a messenger, one sent on a mission (Hdt., LXX, l.with, and π.; In NT, an Apostle of Christ

79 uses in the Greek text, one for each word STEP Bible has tagged with this key

Concordance spelling: apóstolos

Word page · Part of the concordance, one page for every word of the Hebrew and Greek text. Strong's G652is this word's number in James Strong's 1890 index of the King James Bible.

  • 20 of 27
    New Testament books
  • 8
    spellings
  • 3
    meanings

The definition in full

Strong's key (1890) · G652

a delegate; specially, an ambassador of the Gospel; officially a commissioner of Christ ("apostle") (with miraculous powers)

The King James renders it: apostle, messenger, he that is sent.

James Strong, The Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890), public domain. Strong indexed the King James text, and this site quotes his entry as that index.

Summary

apostolos is rendered "a fleet, an expedition (Dem.).; a messenger, one sent on a mission (Hdt., LXX, l.with, and π.; In NT, an Apostle of Christ". It stands 79 times in the Greek text, across twenty books.

  • Twenty-eight of the uses stand in Acts, more than in any other book.
  • The lexicon lists three meanings for it, beginning with "a fleet, an expedition (Dem.).".
  • Its first use in canonical order opens the ledger below.Matthew 10:2These are the names of the twelve apostles: first Simon, called Peter, and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John;
  • The Greek text spells it eight different ways.

The first use

These are the names of the twelve apostles: first Simon, called Peter, and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John;

Matthew 10:2ἀποστόλων

The first use, in the order of the New Testament's books.

Where the word stands

What the word means

The word carries three meanings: a fleet, an expedition (Dem.)., and a messenger, one sent on a mission (Hdt., LXX, l.with, and π., and In NT, an Apostle of Christ.

Each meaning, and the words it is translated by

The English STEP Bible gives each use, word by word, and how many times.
a fleet, an expedition (Dem.).Tagged as
  • apostle7
  • an apostle —1
WhereMatthew 10:2These are the names of the twelve apostles: first Simon, called Peter, and his brother Andrew…
a messenger, one sent on a mission (Hdt., LXX, l.with, and π.see M, Pr., 37 f.; MM, see wordTagged as
  • apostles58
  • a messenger1
  • messenger1
WhereJohn 13:16Truly, truly, I tell you, no servant is greater than his master…
In NT, an Apostle of Christ__(a) with special ref. to the TwelveTagged as
  • an apostle11
WhereMatthew 10:2These are the names of the twelve apostles: first Simon, called Peter, and his brother Andrew…

The words built on the same word-part

Each word below begins with the same letters this one begins with. A shared word-part shows a family. It does not settle what any one of them means, so each word carries its own uses on its own page. Scholars call that shared part the stem.

ἀποστέλλωapostelloto sendUses132
ἀποστρέφωapostrephoto turn awayUses9
ἀποστερέωapostereoto defraudUses6
ἀποσπάωapospaoto draw awayUses4
ἀποστολήapostoleapostleshipUses4
ἀποστάσιονapostasiondivorceUses3
ἀποσυνάγωγοςaposynagogosexcommunicatedUses3
ἀποστασίαapostasiaapostasyUses2
ἀποστυγέωapostygeoto abhorUses1
ἀποσκευάζωaposkeuazoto pack upUses1
ἀποσκίασμαaposkiasmashadowUses1
ἀποστεγάζωapostegazoto unroofUses1

and 1 more on the stem.

The words it stands beside

All 79, in canonical order

Every use, in order

Every use, grouped by book, with its verse.

8 spellings and their grammar

STEP Bible tags every word of the Hebrew and Greek text with its spelling and its grammar. Both lists below count the rows printed underneath, written out in English, with the code beside each one as it was tagged.

How it is spelled

  • ἀποστόλων19
  • ἀπόστολος18
  • ἀπόστολοι15
  • ἀποστόλους15
  • ἀποστόλοις6
  • ἀποστόλων.¶3
  • ἀπόστολον2
  • ἀποστόλου1

The grammar of each form

  • noun · genitive (“of”) · masculine plural22N-GPM
  • noun · nominative (subject) · masculine singular18N-NSM
  • noun · accusative (object) · masculine plural15N-APM
  • noun · nominative (subject) · masculine plural14N-NPM
  • noun · dative (“to / for”) · masculine plural6N-DPM
  • noun · accusative (object) · masculine singular2N-ASM
  • noun · genitive (“of”) · masculine singular1N-GSM
  • noun · vocative (address) · masculine plural1N-VPM

Matthew

one use
  • These are the names of the twelve apostles: first Simon, called Peter, and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John;

    Matthew 10:2

    • ἀποστόλωνapostolonnoun · genitive (“of”) · masculine pluraltagged: apostles

Mark

two uses
  • He appointed twelve of them, whom He designated as apostles, to accompany Him, to be sent out to preach,

    Mark 3:14

    • ἀποστόλουςapostolousnoun · accusative (object) · masculine pluraltagged: apostles
  • Meanwhile, the apostles gathered around Jesus and brought Him news of all they had done and taught.

    Mark 6:30

    • ἀπόστολοιapostoloinoun · nominative (subject) · masculine pluraltagged: apostles

Luke

six uses
  • When daylight came, He called His disciples to Him and chose twelve of them, whom He also designated as apostles:

    Luke 6:13

    • ἀποστόλουςapostolousnoun · accusative (object) · masculine pluraltagged: apostles
  • Then the apostles returned and reported to Jesus all that they had done. Taking them away privately, He withdrew to a town called Bethsaida.

    Luke 9:10

    • ἀπόστολοιapostoloinoun · nominative (subject) · masculine pluraltagged: apostles
  • Because of this, the wisdom of God said, ‘I will send them prophets and apostles; some of them they will kill and others they will persecute.’

    Luke 11:49

    • ἀποστόλουςapostolousnoun · accusative (object) · masculine pluraltagged: apostles
  • The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!”

    Luke 17:5

    • ἀπόστολοιapostoloinoun · nominative (subject) · masculine pluraltagged: apostles
  • When the hour had come, Jesus reclined at the table with His apostles.

    Luke 22:14

    • ἀπόστολοιapostoloinoun · nominative (subject) · masculine pluraltagged: apostles
  • It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them who told this to the apostles.

    Luke 24:10

    • ἀποστόλουςapostolousnoun · accusative (object) · masculine pluraltagged: apostles

John

one use
  • Truly, truly, I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him.

    John 13:16

    • ἀπόστολοςapostolosnoun · nominative (subject) · masculine singulartagged: a messenger

Acts

twenty-eight uses
  • until the day He was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles He had chosen.

    Acts 1:2

    • ἀποστόλοιςapostoloisnoun · dative (“to / for”) · masculine pluraltagged: apostles
  • Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias; so he was added to the eleven apostles.

    Acts 1:26

    • ἀποστόλων.¶apostolonnoun · genitive (“of”) · masculine pluraltagged: apostles
  • When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and asked Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”

    Acts 2:37

    • ἀποστόλουςapostolousnoun · accusative (object) · masculine pluraltagged: apostles
  • They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.

    Acts 2:42

    • ἀποστόλωνapostolonnoun · genitive (“of”) · masculine pluraltagged: apostles
  • A sense of awe came over everyone, and the apostles performed many wonders and signs.

    Acts 2:43

    • ἀποστόλωνapostolonnoun · genitive (“of”) · masculine pluraltagged: apostles
  • With great power the apostles continued to give their testimony about the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And abundant grace was upon them all.

    Acts 4:33

    • ἀπόστολοιapostoloinoun · nominative (subject) · masculine pluraltagged: apostles
  • and lay them at the apostles’ feet for distribution to anyone as he had need.

    Acts 4:35

    • ἀποστόλωνapostolonnoun · genitive (“of”) · masculine pluraltagged: apostles
  • Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (meaning Son of Encouragement),

    Acts 4:36

    • ἀποστόλωνapostolonnoun · genitive (“of”) · masculine pluraltagged: apostles
  • sold a field he owned, brought the money, and laid it at the apostles’ feet.

    Acts 4:37

    • ἀποστόλων.¶apostolonnoun · genitive (“of”) · masculine pluraltagged: apostles
  • With his wife’s full knowledge, he kept back some of the proceeds for himself, but brought a portion and laid it at the apostles’ feet.

    Acts 5:2

    • ἀποστόλωνapostolonnoun · genitive (“of”) · masculine pluraltagged: apostles
  • The apostles performed many signs and wonders among the people, and with one accord the believers gathered together in Solomon’s Colonnade.

    Acts 5:12

    • ἀποστόλωνapostolonnoun · genitive (“of”) · masculine pluraltagged: apostles
  • and arrested the apostles and put them in the public jail.

    Acts 5:18

    • ἀποστόλουςapostolousnoun · accusative (object) · masculine pluraltagged: apostles
  • But Peter and the other apostles replied, “We must obey God rather than men.

    Acts 5:29

    • ἀπόστολοιapostoloinoun · nominative (subject) · masculine pluraltagged: apostles
  • At this, they yielded to Gamaliel. They called the apostles in and had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and released them.

    Acts 5:40

    • ἀποστόλουςapostolousnoun · accusative (object) · masculine pluraltagged: apostles
  • They presented these seven to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them.

    Acts 6:6

    • ἀποστόλωνapostolonnoun · genitive (“of”) · masculine pluraltagged: apostles
  • And Saul was there, giving approval to Stephen’s death. On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria.

    Acts 8:1

    • ἀποστόλων.¶apostolonnoun · genitive (“of”) · masculine pluraltagged: apostles
  • When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them.

    Acts 8:14

    • ἀπόστολοιapostoloinoun · nominative (subject) · masculine pluraltagged: apostles
  • When Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money.

    Acts 8:18

    • ἀποστόλωνapostolonnoun · genitive (“of”) · masculine pluraltagged: apostles
  • Then Barnabas brought him to the apostles and described how Saul had seen the Lord, who spoke to him on the road to Damascus, and how Saul had spoken boldly in that city in the name of Jesus.

    Acts 9:27

    • ἀποστόλουςapostolousnoun · accusative (object) · masculine pluraltagged: apostles
  • The apostles and brothers throughout Judea soon heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God.

    Acts 11:1

    • ἀπόστολοιapostoloinoun · nominative (subject) · masculine pluraltagged: apostles
  • The people of the city were divided. Some sided with the Jews, and others with the apostles.

    Acts 14:4

    • ἀποστόλοιςapostoloisnoun · dative (“to / for”) · masculine pluraltagged: apostles
  • But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul found out about this, they tore their clothes and rushed into the crowd, shouting,

    Acts 14:14

    • ἀπόστολοιapostoloinoun · nominative (subject) · masculine pluraltagged: apostles
  • And after engaging these men in sharp debate, Paul and Barnabas were appointed, along with some other believers, to go up to Jerusalem to see the apostles and elders about this question.

    Acts 15:2

    • ἀποστόλουςapostolousnoun · accusative (object) · masculine pluraltagged: apostles
  • 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.

    Acts 15:4

    • ἀποστόλωνapostolonnoun · genitive (“of”) · masculine pluraltagged: apostles
  • So the apostles and elders met to look into this matter.

    Acts 15:6

    • ἀπόστολοιapostoloinoun · nominative (subject) · masculine pluraltagged: apostles
  • Then the apostles and elders, with the whole church, decided to select men from among them to send to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They chose Judas called Barsabbas and Silas, two leaders among the brothers,

    Acts 15:22

    • ἀποστόλοιςapostoloisnoun · dative (“to / for”) · masculine pluraltagged: apostles
  • and sent them with this letter: The apostles and the elders, your brothers, To the brothers among the Gentiles in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia: Greetings.

    Acts 15:23

    • ἀπόστολοιapostoloinoun · nominative (subject) · masculine pluraltagged: apostles
  • As they went from town to town, they delivered the decisions handed down by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem for the people to obey.

    Acts 16:4

    • ἀποστόλωνapostolonnoun · genitive (“of”) · masculine pluraltagged: apostles

Romans

three uses
  • Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, and set apart for the gospel of God—

    Romans 1:1

    • ἀπόστολοςapostolosnoun · nominative (subject) · masculine singulartagged: apostle
  • I am speaking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch as I am the apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry

    Romans 11:13

    • ἀπόστολοςapostolosnoun · nominative (subject) · masculine singulartagged: apostle
  • Greet Andronicus and Junia, my fellow countrymen and fellow prisoners. They are outstanding among the apostles, and they were in Christ before I was.

    Romans 16:7

    • ἀποστόλοιςapostoloisnoun · dative (“to / for”) · masculine pluraltagged: apostles

1 Corinthians

ten uses
  • Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and our brother Sosthenes,

    1 Corinthians 1:1

    • ἀπόστολοςapostolosnoun · nominative (subject) · masculine singulartagged: apostle
  • For it seems to me that God has displayed us apostles at the end of the procession, like prisoners appointed for death. We have become a spectacle to the whole world, to angels as well as to men.

    1 Corinthians 4:9

    • ἀποστόλουςapostolousnoun · accusative (object) · masculine pluraltagged: apostles
  • Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are you yourselves not my workmanship in the Lord?

    1 Corinthians 9:1

    • ἀπόστολοςapostolosnoun · nominative (subject) · masculine singulartagged: an apostle
  • Even if I am not an apostle to others, surely I am to you. For you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.

    1 Corinthians 9:2

    • ἀπόστολοςapostolosnoun · nominative (subject) · masculine singulartagged: an apostle
  • Have we no right to take along a believing wife, as do the other apostles and the Lord’s brothers and Cephas?

    1 Corinthians 9:5

    • ἀπόστολοιapostoloinoun · nominative (subject) · masculine pluraltagged: apostles
  • And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, and those with gifts of healing, helping, administration, and various tongues.

    1 Corinthians 12:28

    • ἀποστόλουςapostolousnoun · accusative (object) · masculine pluraltagged: apostles
  • Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles?

    1 Corinthians 12:29

    • ἀπόστολοιapostoloinoun · nominative (subject) · masculine pluraltagged: apostles
  • Then He appeared to James, then to all the apostles.

    1 Corinthians 15:7

    • ἀποστόλοιςapostoloisnoun · dative (“to / for”) · masculine pluraltagged: apostles
  • For I am the least of the apostles and am unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.

    1 Corinthians 15:9

    • ἀποστόλωνapostolonnoun · genitive (“of”) · masculine pluraltagged: apostles
    • ἀπόστολοςapostolosnoun · nominative (subject) · masculine singulartagged: an apostle

2 Corinthians

six uses
  • Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, To the church of God in Corinth, together with all the saints throughout Achaia:

    2 Corinthians 1:1

    • ἀπόστολοςapostolosnoun · nominative (subject) · masculine singulartagged: apostle
  • As for Titus, he is my partner and fellow worker among you. As for our brothers, they are messengers of the churches, to the glory of Christ.

    2 Corinthians 8:23

    • ἀπόστολοιapostoloinoun · nominative (subject) · masculine pluraltagged: apostles
  • I consider myself in no way inferior to those “super-apostles.”

    2 Corinthians 11:5

    • ἀποστόλωνapostolonnoun · genitive (“of”) · masculine pluraltagged: apostles
  • For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ.

    2 Corinthians 11:13

    • ἀποστόλουςapostolousnoun · accusative (object) · masculine pluraltagged: apostles
  • I have become a fool, but you drove me to it. In fact, you should have commended me, since I am in no way inferior to those “super-apostles,” even though I am nothing.

    2 Corinthians 12:11

    • ἀποστόλωνapostolonnoun · genitive (“of”) · masculine pluraltagged: apostles
  • The true marks of an apostle—signs, wonders, and miracles—were performed among you with great perseverance.

    2 Corinthians 12:12

    • ἀποστόλουapostolounoun · genitive (“of”) · masculine singulartagged: apostle

Galatians

three uses
  • Paul, an apostle—sent not from men nor by man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised Him from the dead—

    Galatians 1:1

    • ἀπόστολοςapostolosnoun · nominative (subject) · masculine singulartagged: an apostle
  • nor did I go up to Jerusalem to the apostles who came before me, but I went into Arabia and later returned to Damascus.

    Galatians 1:17

    • ἀποστόλουςapostolousnoun · accusative (object) · masculine pluraltagged: apostles
  • But I saw none of the other apostles except James, the Lord’s brother.

    Galatians 1:19

    • ἀποστόλωνapostolonnoun · genitive (“of”) · masculine pluraltagged: apostles

Ephesians

four uses
  • Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To the saints in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus:

    Ephesians 1:1

    • ἀπόστολοςapostolosnoun · nominative (subject) · masculine singulartagged: an apostle
  • built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus Himself as the cornerstone.

    Ephesians 2:20

    • ἀποστόλωνapostolonnoun · genitive (“of”) · masculine pluraltagged: apostles
  • which was not made known to men in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God’s holy apostles and prophets.

    Ephesians 3:5

    • ἀποστόλοιςapostoloisnoun · dative (“to / for”) · masculine pluraltagged: apostles
  • And it was He who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers,

    Ephesians 4:11

    • ἀποστόλουςapostolousnoun · accusative (object) · masculine pluraltagged: apostles

Philippians

one use
  • But I thought it necessary to send back to you Epaphroditus, my brother, fellow worker, and fellow soldier, who is also your messenger and minister to my needs.

    Philippians 2:25

    • ἀπόστολονapostolonnoun · accusative (object) · masculine singulartagged: messenger

Colossians

one use
  • Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother,

    Colossians 1:1

    • ἀπόστολοςapostolosnoun · nominative (subject) · masculine singulartagged: an apostle

1 Timothy

two uses
  • Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus our hope,

    1 Timothy 1:1

    • ἀπόστολοςapostolosnoun · nominative (subject) · masculine singulartagged: an apostle
  • For this reason I was appointed as a preacher, an apostle, and a faithful and true teacher of the Gentiles. I am telling the truth; I am not lying about anything.

    1 Timothy 2:7

    • ἀπόστολοςapostolosnoun · nominative (subject) · masculine singulartagged: an apostle —

2 Timothy

two uses
  • Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, according to the promise of life in Christ Jesus,

    2 Timothy 1:1

    • ἀπόστολοςapostolosnoun · nominative (subject) · masculine singulartagged: an apostle
  • to which I was appointed as a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher.

    2 Timothy 1:11

    • ἀπόστολοςapostolosnoun · nominative (subject) · masculine singulartagged: an apostle

Titus

one use
  • Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ for the faith of God’s elect and their knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness,

    Titus 1:1

    • ἀπόστολοςapostolosnoun · nominative (subject) · masculine singulartagged: an apostle

Hebrews

one use
  • Therefore, holy brothers, who share in the heavenly calling, set your focus on Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess.

    Hebrews 3:1

    • ἀπόστολονapostolonnoun · accusative (object) · masculine singulartagged: apostle

1 Peter

one use
  • Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To the elect who are exiles of the Dispersion throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, chosen

    1 Peter 1:1

    • ἀπόστολοςapostolosnoun · nominative (subject) · masculine singulartagged: an apostle

2 Peter

two uses
  • Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ have received a faith as precious as ours:

    2 Peter 1:1

    • ἀπόστολοςapostolosnoun · nominative (subject) · masculine singulartagged: apostle
  • by recalling what was foretold by the holy prophets and commanded by our Lord and Savior through your apostles.

    2 Peter 3:2

    • ἀποστόλωνapostolonnoun · genitive (“of”) · masculine pluraltagged: apostles

Jude

one use
  • But you, beloved, remember what was foretold by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ

    Jude 1:17

    • ἀποστόλωνapostolonnoun · genitive (“of”) · masculine pluraltagged: apostles

Revelation

three uses
  • I know your deeds, your labor, and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate those who are evil, and you have tested and exposed as liars those who falsely claim to be apostles.

    Revelation 2:2

    • ἀποστόλουςapostolousnoun · accusative (object) · masculine pluraltagged: apostles
  • Rejoice over her, O heaven, O saints and apostles and prophets, because God has pronounced for you His judgment against her.

    Revelation 18:20

    • ἀπόστολοιapostoloinoun · vocative (address) · masculine pluraltagged: apostles
  • The wall of the city had twelve foundations bearing the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

    Revelation 21:14

    • ἀποστόλωνapostolonnoun · genitive (“of”) · masculine pluraltagged: apostles

Where it leads

How the numbers are counted

Every count on this page comes from STEP Bible's tagged Hebrew and Greek text, the same text the ledger prints. A use is counted once each time the tagging marks a word with this key.

Spellings are counted as the Greek text spells them, with the sentence's own punctuation taken off the word first, so a form that ends a clause is not counted as a second spelling.

The words it stands beside are the nouns, verbs and adjectives immediately before or after it, counted in every verse where the word stands. The article, the conjunctions and the prepositions are left out, because they stand beside every word.

The family is read from the lexicon by the stem the two words share, with the accents off, and a person or a place named on the stem is left out.

Hebrew and Greek text, word tagging and grammar: STEP Bible (www.STEPBible.org), Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0. Their grammar codes are written out in English here and shown as tagged beside each one.

Meaning and senses: STEP Bible TBESG (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0), the Brief lexicon based on Abbott-Smith (1922).

Dictionary key: Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890, public domain). English verse text: Berean Standard Bible (public domain, 2023).

Revised 2026-09-05. Every cited work, the sources registry →