apostle Hear it!

apostle Definition

apos·tle (ə päs′əl)

noun

  1. a person sent out on a special mission
  2. any of the twelve disciples sent out by Christ to teach the gospel: originally, Andrew, Bartholomew, James (the younger, son of Alphaeus), James (the elder) and John (sons of Zebedee), Jude (or Lebbaeus or Thaddaeus), Judas Iscariot, Matthew (or Levi), Philip, Simon the Canaanite, Simon (called Peter), and Thomas (or Didymus); Paul, the “Apostle to the Gentiles,” was not among the original twelve; Judas was replaced by Matthias
  3. the first Christian missionary in a place
  4. any of a group of early Christian missionaries
  5. an early advocate or leader of a new principle or movement, esp. one aimed at reform
  6. any of the twelve administrative officials of the Mormon Church

Etymology: ME < OE apostol < LL(Ec) apostolus < Gr apostolos, person sent forth < apostellein < apo-, from + stellein, to send: see still

apostle Synonyms

apostle

n.

messenger, witness, disciple, evangelist; see disciple 2, follower, missionary.

apostle Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • appoint: His own letters tell us he had fallen out with the apostles appointed by Christ.
  • inspire: But they are the words of an inspired Apostle; and to reject such testimony is to undermine the authority of Holy Scripture.
  • say: THEREFORE let no man glory in men, " says the apostle ( i Cor.
  • choose: It was the truth, revealed to him as the chosen apostle to the Gentiles by the author of all truth God himself.

Converse of subject

  • appoint: Timothy was a young man, appointed by the apostle Paul to lead the church in Ephesus.
  • write: These words were written by the apostle who had learned how to live in hope.

Adjective modifier

  • inspired: And if the inspired apostle did not cherish that belief, his language to the Corinthians and Philippians seems scarcely intelligible.
  • false: In chapter 11 Paul calls them " false apostles " .
  • holy: In Eph 3,5 the revelation of the mystery is said to be given to " his holy apostles and prophets in the spirit " .
  • chief: Home Secretary David Blunkett and Foreign Secretary Jack Straw are Blair's chief apostles.
  • true: A true apostle is one who in times of persecution will always have dust to shake off his feet.
  • great: This is the humble heart of the great Apostle.

Modifies a noun

  • par: Thus ( according to Wright et al ) Mary is the apostle par excellence.
  • excellence: Thus ( according to Wright et al ) Mary is the apostle par excellence.

Noun used with modifier

  • twelve: How many of the twelve apostles wrote an account of the episode?
  • eleven: The two disciples found the eleven apostles and the others gathered together.
  • O: He answered, " O apostle of God, we shall have to tell lies " .

Possessives

  • preaching: And its importance is seen in the apostles ' preaching.
  • teaching: Look at verse 42: They devoted themselves to the apostles ' teaching.

Preposition: of

  • Gentile: In the Church of this Gentile dispensation the pre-eminence is with " the Apostle of the Gentiles.
apostle Quotes

The great apostle of the Philistine, Lord Macaulay.

—Arnold, Matthew

Omnes nimirum, ex quo monachi sumus, infirmos stomachos habemus, et tam necessarium Apostoli de utendo vino consilium merito non negligimus. Modico, tamen quod ille praemissit, nescio cur praetermisso. Being monks, we all naturally have a weak stomach, and we therefore justly attend to the Apostle's advice to use wine. He adds, however, the words 'a little'; I can't think why I have omitted them.

—St Bernard of Clairvaux