Adjacent Words

Gospel definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

GOS'PEL, n. [L. evangelium, a good or joyful message.]
The history of the birth, life, actions, death, resurrection, ascension and doctrines of Jesus Christ; or a revelation of the grace of God to fallen man through a mediator, including the character, actions, and doctrines of Christ, with the whole scheme of salvation, as revealed by Christ and his apostles. This gospel is said to have been preached to Abraham, by the promise, "in thee shall all nations be blessed." Gal
3:8.
It is called the gospel of God. Rom
1:1.
It is called the gospel of Christ. Rom
1:16.
It is called the gospel of salvation. Eph
1:13.
1. God's word.
2. Divinity; theology.
3. Any general doctrine.
GOS'PEL, v.t. To instruct in the gospel; or to fill with sentiments of religion.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: the four books in the New Testament (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) that tell the story of Christ's life and teachings [syn: Gospel, Gospels, evangel]
2: an unquestionable truth; "his word was gospel" [syn: gospel, gospel truth]
3: folk music consisting of a genre of a cappella music originating with Black slaves in the United States and featuring call and response; influential on the development of other genres of popular music (especially soul) [syn: gospel, gospel singing]
4: the written body of teachings of a religious group that are generally accepted by that group [syn: religious doctrine, church doctrine, gospel, creed]
5: a doctrine that is believed to be of great importance; "Newton's writings were gospel for those who followed"

Merriam Webster's

I. noun Etymology: Middle English, from Old English g?dspel (translation of Late Latin evangelium), from g?d good + spell tale — more at spell Date: before 12th century 1. a. often capitalized the message concerning Christ, the kingdom of God, and salvation b. capitalized one of the first four New Testament books telling of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ; also a similar apocryphal book c. an interpretation of the Christian message <the social gospel> 2. capitalized a lection from one of the New Testament Gospels 3. the message or teachings of a religious teacher 4. something accepted or promoted as infallible truth or as a guiding principle or doctrine <took her words as gospel> <spreading the gospel of conservation — R. M. Hodesh> 5. gospel music • gospelly adjective II. adjective Date: before 12th century 1. a. having a basis in or being in accordance with the gospel ; evangelical <ordained to the gospel ministry — Christian Century> b. marked by special or fervid emphasis on the gospel <a gospel meeting> 2. of, relating to, or being religious songs of American origin associated with evangelism and popular devotion and marked by simple melody and harmony and elements of folk songs and blues

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. 1 the teaching or revelation of Christ. 2 (Gospel) a the record of Christ's life and teaching in the first four books of the New Testament. b each of these books. c a portion from one of them read at a service. 3 a thing regarded as absolutely true (take my word as gospel). 4 a principle one acts on or advocates. 5 (in full gospel music) Black American evangelical religious singing. Phrases and idioms: Gospel side the north side of the altar, at which the Gospel is read. gospel truth something as true as the Gospel. Etymology: OE godspel (as GOOD, spel news, SPELL(1)), rendering eccl.L bona annuntiatio, bonus nuntius = evangelium EVANGEL: assoc. with GOD

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Gospel Gos"pel, n. [OE. gospel, godspel, AS. godspell; god God + spell story, tale. See God, and Spell, v.] 1. Glad tidings; especially, the good news concerning Christ, the Kingdom of God, and salvation. And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom. --Matt. iv. 23. The steadfast belief of the promises of the gospel. --Bentley. Note: It is probable that gospel is from. OE. godspel, God story, the narrative concerning God; but it was early confused with god spell, good story, good tidings, and was so used by the translators of the Authorized version of Scripture. This use has been retained in most cases in the Revised Version. Thus the literal sense [of gospel] is the ``narrative of God,'' i. e., the life of Christ. --Skeat. 2. One of the four narratives of the life and death of Jesus Christ, written by Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. 3. A selection from one of the gospels, for use in a religious service; as, the gospel for the day. 4. Any system of religious doctrine; sometimes, any system of political doctrine or social philosophy; as, this political gospel. --Burke. 5. Anything propounded or accepted as infallibly true; as, they took his words for gospel. [Colloq.] If any one thinks this expression hyperbolical, I shall only ask him to read [OE]dipus, instead of taking the traditional witticisms about Lee for gospel. --Saintsbury.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Gospel Gos"pel, a. Accordant with, or relating to, the gospel; evangelical; as, gospel righteousness. --Bp. Warburton.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Gospel Gos"pel, v. t. To instruct in the gospel. [Obs.] --Shak.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(gospels) 1. In the New Testament of the Bible, the Gospels are the four books which describe the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. ...the parable in St Matthew's Gospel. ...an illustrated and illuminated manuscript of the four gospels. N-COUNT; N-IN-NAMES 2. In the Christian religion, the gospel refers to the message and teachings of Jesus Christ, as explained in the New Testament. I didn't shirk my duties. I visited the sick and I preached the gospel. N-SING: the N 3. You can use gospel to refer to a particular way of thinking that a person or group believes in very strongly and that they try to persuade others to accept. ...the gospel according to my mom. N-COUNT: usu N of n, N according to n-proper 4. Gospel or gospel music is a style of religious music that uses strong rhythms and vocal harmony. It is especially popular among black Christians in the southern United States of America. I had to go to church, so I grew up singing gospel... The group perform variations on soul and gospel music. 5. If you take something as gospel, or as gospel truth, you believe that it is completely true. The results were not to be taken as gospel... He wouldn't say this if it weren't the gospel truth. N-UNCOUNT: usu as N

Easton's Bible Dictionary

a word of Anglo-Saxon origin, and meaning "God's spell", i.e., word of God, or rather, according to others, "good spell", i.e., good news. It is the rendering of the Greek _evangelion_, i.e., "good message." It denotes (1) "the welcome intelligence of salvation to man as preached by our Lord and his followers. (2.) It was afterwards transitively applied to each of the four histories of our Lord's life, published by those who are therefore called 'Evangelists', writers of the history of the gospel (the evangelion). (3.) The term is often used to express collectively the gospel doctrines; and 'preaching the gospel' is often used to include not only the proclaiming of the good tidings, but the teaching men how to avail themselves of the offer of salvation, the declaring of all the truths, precepts, promises, and threatenings of Christianity." It is termed "the gospel of the grace of God" (Acts 20:24), "the gospel of the kingdom" (Matt. 4:23), "the gospel of Christ" (Rom. 1:16), "the gospel of peace (Eph. 6:15), "the glorious gospel," "the everlasting gospel," "the gospel of salvation" (Eph. 1:13).

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

gos'-pel (to euaggelion): The word gospel is derived from the Anglo-Saxon word which meant "the story concerning God." In the New Testament the Greek word euaggelion, means "good news." It proclaims tidings of deliverance. The word sometimes stands for the record of the life of our Lord (Mr 1:1), embracing all His teachings, as in Ac 20:24. But the word "gospel" now has a peculiar use, and describes primarily the message which Christianity announces. "Good news" is its significance. It means a gift from God. It is the proclamation of the forgiveness of sins and sonship with God restored through Christ. It means remission of sins and reconciliation with God. The gospel is not only a message of salvation, but also the instrument through which the Holy Spirit works (Ro 1:16).

The gospel differs from the law in being known entirely from revelation. It is proclaimed in all its fullness in the revelation given in the New Testament. It is also found, although obscurely, in the Old Testament. It begins with the prophecy concerning the `seed of the woman' (Ge 3:15), and the promise concerning Abraham, in whom all the nations should be blessed (Ge 12:3; 15:5) and is also indicated in Ac 10:43 and in the argument in Ro 4.

In the New Testament the gospel never means simply a book, but rather the message which Christ and His apostles announced. In some places it is called "the gospel of God," as, for example, Ro 1:1; 1Th 2:2,9; 1Ti 1:11. In others it is called "the gospel of Christ" (Mr 1:1; Ro 1:16; 15:19; 1Co 9:12,18; Ga 1:7). In another it is called "the gospel of the grace of God" (Ac 20:24); in another "the gospel of peace" (Eph 6:15); in another "the gospel of your salvation" (Eph 1:13); and in yet another "the glorious gospel" (2Co 4:4 the King James Version). The gospel is Christ: He is the subject of it, the object of it, and the life of it. It was preached by Him (Mt 4:23; 11:5; Mr 1:14; Lu 4:18 margin), by the apostles (Ac 16:10; Ro 1:15; 2:16; 1Co 9:16) and by the evangelists (Ac 8:25).

We must note the clear antithesis between the law and the gospel. The distinction between the two is important because, as Luther indicates, it contains the substance of all Christian doctrine. "By the law," says he, "nothing else is meant than God's word and command, directing what to do and what to leave undone, and requiring of us obedience of works. But the gospel is such doctrine of the word of God that neither requires our works nor commands us to do anything, but announces the offered grace of the forgiveness of sin and eternal salvation. Here we do nothing, but only receive what is offered through the word." The gospel, then, is the message of God, the teaching of Christianity, the redemption in and by Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, offered to all mankind. And as the gospel is bound up in the life of Christ, His biography and the record of His works, and the proclamation of what He has to offer, are all gathered into this single word, of which no better definition can be given than that of Melanchthon: "The gospel is the gratuitous promise of the remission of sins for Christ's sake." To hold tenaciously that in this gospel we have a supernatural revelation is in perfect consistency with the spirit of scientific inquiry. The gospel, as the whole message and doctrine of salvation, and as chiefly efficacious for contrition, faith, justification, renewal and sanctification, deals with facts of revelation and experience.

David H. Bauslin

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

n. 1. [With The prefixed.] Christianity, revelation by Christ, Christian religion, divine revelation, the cross. 2. History of Christ (as given in the New Testament by one evangelist or collectively by all). 3. Doctrine, creed, principle of action.

Moby Thesaurus

Acts, Agnus Dei, Alleluia, Anamnesis, Apocalypse, Biblical, Blessing, Canon, Collect, Communion, Consecration, Credo, Dismissal, Epistle, Epistles, Fraction, Glad Tidings, Gloria, Good News, Gradual, Introit, Kyrie, Kyrie Eleison, Last Gospel, Lavabo, Mosaic, New Testament, New-Testament, Offertory, Old-Testament, Paternoster, Pax, Post-Communion, Preface, Revelation, Sanctus, Secreta, Synoptic Gospels, Tersanctus, Tract, apocalyptic, apostolic, canonical, evangelic, evangelistic, gospel, inspired, prophetic, revealed, revelational, scriptural, textual, textuary, theopneustic

Moby Thesaurus

Bible truth, Biblical, Gospel, Mosaic, Negro spiritual, New-Testament, Old-Testament, Weltanschauung, anthem, apocalyptic, apostolic, articles of religion, bad news, canonical, cantata, canticle, catechism, certainty, chorale, church music, credenda, credo, creed, cult, dinkum oil, doctrinal statement, doxology, evangel, evangelic, evangelistic, fact, faith, formulated belief, glad tidings, good news, good word, gospel music, gospel truth, how it is, how things are, hymn, hymn-tune, hymnody, hymnology, ideology, inspired, introit, ism, like it is, mass, motet, offertory, offertory sentence, oratorio, paean, passion, political faith, political philosophy, prophetic, prosodion, psalm, psalmody, recessional, religion, requiem, requiem mass, revealed, revealed truth, revelational, sacred music, school, scriptural, spiritual, system of belief, textual, textuary, the absolute truth, the case, the exact truth, the hard truth, the honest truth, the intrinsic truth, the naked truth, the plain truth, the simple truth, the sober truth, the stern truth, the truth, the unalloyed truth, the unqualified truth, the unvarnished truth, theopneustic, truism, truth, veracity, white spiritual, world view