ἐπαγγελία

ἐπαγγελία, ας, ἡ (s. ἀγγέλλω; Demosth. et al.; Aristot., EN 10, 1 p. 1164a, 29; ins, pap, LXX, pseudepigr., Philo, Joseph.) in many authors ἐ. refers to the act of making someth. known publicly, but in our lit. it most often bears the sense of

① declaration to do someth. with implication of obligation to carry out what is stated, promise, pledge, offer (Polyb. 1, 43, 6; 7, 13, 2; 18, 11, 1 al.; Diod S 1, 5, 3; 4, 16, 2; Epict. 1, 4, 3 ἡ ἀρετὴ ταύτην ἔχει τὴν ἐπαγγελίαν εὐδαιμονίαν ποιῆσαι; Michel 473, 10; IPriene 123, 9; 1 Macc 10:15; Philo, Mut. Nom. 201; Jos., Ant. 5, 307).

ⓐ of humans ὅπως ἀποδῶμεν τὴν ἐ. ἣν ἐπειγγειλάμεθα so that we might keep our promise GJs 7:1. Of one who lays claim to being a Christian IEph 14:2.

ⓑ in our lit. more generally of divine promises (Herm. Wr. in Stob. I 387, 15 W.; Fgm. XXIII 8 v.l.; cp. Herm. Wr. 18, 14; Jos., Ant. 2, 219; Prayer of Manasseh [=Odes 12] 6; PsSol 12:6; perh. Ps 55:9).

α. God’s promise sg. Ac 2:39; Ro 4:13f, 16; 9:9 (where λόγος is to be supplied w. the gen. ἐπαγγελίας: this word is a word of promise); Gal 3:17; 2 Pt 3:9; 1 Cl 26:1; 2 Cl 15:4; B 5:7; 16:9. Pl. Ro 9:4; 2 Cor 7:1; Gal 3:16; Hb 7:6; 8:6; 11:17; 1 Cl 27:1; H 3, 4; ApcPt Rainer (figura etymol.; cp. 1a and 1bβ). Prep. phrases: διʼ ἐπαγγελίας by or because of a promise Gal 3:18b; 4:23; also ἐξ ἐπαγγελίας 3:18a. ἐν ἐπαγγελίᾳ with promise Eph 6:2. κατʼ ἐπαγγελίαν in accordance w. the promise (PSI 281, 58 κατὰ τ. ἐπανγελίας αὐτου; sim. IK IX–X/2: Nikaia II/1, 702, 6; 1 Esdr 1:7; Orig., C. Cels. 1, 68, 43) Ac 13:23; Gal 3:29; cp. 2 Ti 1:1 (on these three s. New Docs 4, 147).—For var. reasons the gen. is used w. ἐ.: to denote the one fr. whom the promise comes (τ.) θεοῦ Ro 4:20; 2 Cor 1:20; Gal 3:21; 2 Cl 11:1; 1 Ti 1:1 v.l.; to denote the thing promised (Jos., Ant. 3, 77 τ. ἀγαθῶν) ἐ. τ. αἰωνίου κληρονομίας Hb 9:15. τ. ζωῆς 1 Ti 4:8; τ. παρουσίας 2 Pt 3:4; to denote the one(s) for whom the promise is intended τ. πατέρων Ro 15:8 (TestJob 20:1; on βεβαιῶσαι τὰς ἐ. cp. InsPriene 123, 9 ἐβεβαίωσεν τ. ἐπαγγελίαν).—On the other hand, τῆς ἐπαγγελίας is oft. added, as a kind of gen. of quality, to indicate the relation of the noun in question to the promise: γῆ τ. ἐ. the promised land Hb 11:9 (TestAbr A 8 p. 85, 16 [Stone p. 18] al).; τέκνα τ. ἐ. children of the promise, i.e. those born because of the promise Ro 9:8; Gal 4:28; πνεῦμα τ. ἐ. Eph 1:13; διαθῆκαι τ. ἐ. 2:12. As an obj. gen. in πίστις τῆς ἐ. faith in the promise B 6:17.—ἐ. w. inf. foll. εἰσελθεῖν to enter Hb 4:1.—ἐ. γενομένη πρὸς τ. πατέρας a promise made to the fathers Ac 13:32; also εἰς τ. πατ. 26:6 (Diod S 2, 60, 4 γεγενημένη ἐ.=a promise given).—Of Christ’s promise (Orig., C. Cels. 2, 2, 43) 2 Cl 5:5.

β. w. specification of what was promised (Vi. Aesopi G 79 P.; PsSol 12:6) 1J 2:25 (figura etymol. as Hs 1, 7). Hv 3, 2, 1 (ἐπαγγελίαι w. δῶρα). δεκτὸς τῆς ἐ. recipient of the promised benefit ApcPt Rainer 20. W. epexeg. gen. foll. ἡ ἐ. τοῦ πνεύματος what was promised, namely the Spirit Ac 2:33; Gal 3:14. Foll. by gen. of the one who promises ἐ. τοῦ πατρός Lk 24:49; Ac 1:4; κομίσασθαι τὴν ἐ. Hb 10:36; 11:13 v.l., 39. λαβεῖν Hb 11:13; 2 Cl 11:7; ἀπολαβεῖν B 15:7; Hv 2, 2, 6; ἡ μέλλουσα ἐ. 2 Cl 10:3f.

γ. It is not always poss. to draw a hard and fast line betw. α and β (cp. Hippol., Ref. 5, 7, 19: ἐ. τοῦ λουτροῦ): Ac 7:17; Gal 3:22; Eph 3:6; Hb 6:12, 15, 17; 11:9b, 33; 1 Cl 10:2; 34:7.—FBaumgärtel, Verheissung: Zur Frage des evang. Verständnisses des AT ’52.

② The pregnant use of ἐ. Ac 23:21 is in effect an extension of mng. 1 and involves two major components: entertainment of a request and approval of it assurance of agreement προσδέχεσθαι τὴν ἀπό τινος ἐ. wait for assurance fr. someone or consent (namely, to do what has been proposed).—DELG s.v. ἄγγελος. M-M. EDNT. TW.