ἀποστέλλω G0649
To send forth on a mission or commission; to dispatch an authorized representative, messenger, or agent; passive, to be sent.
Apostello is the verb behind the noun apostolos ('apostle'), and it carries a weight that a simple 'send' cannot convey. Unlike the more general pempo, apostello implies authorization — the one sent goes with the sender's authority and purpose. When Jesus 'sends out' the Twelve (Matt 10:5), or when the Father 'sends' the Son (John 5:36), the verb frames the act as commissioning rather than mere dispatching. Spanish enviar, German senden, and French envoyer all translate both pempo and apostello, but the pattern of usage in the New Testament consistently reserves apostello for moments of purposeful, delegated mission. The rare dismissal sense in Mark 5:10 and 12:3 preserves the older Classical Greek meaning of sending away from one's presence.
Senses
1. send on a mission — The dominant active sense: to send someone forth on a specific mission or errand with the sender's authority. This accounts for 112 of 133 occurrences and is the core from which the noun apostolos derives. Jesus sends the Twelve (Matt 10:5), landowners send servants to collect from tenants (Matt 21:34), and God sends prophets and angels. Spanish envio, German sendet, and French envoyer all converge on purposeful dispatching. The key distinction from pempo is that apostello foregrounds the commission — the sender's purpose travels with the one sent. 112×
AR["أَرسَلَ", "أَرسَلَنا", "أَرسَلَني", "أَرسَلَهُ", "أَرسَلَهُم", "أَرْسَلَ", "أَرْسَلَتْ", "أَرْسَلَهُ", "أَرْسَلَهُمْ"]·ben["তিনি-পাঠালেন", "পাঠালেন", "পাঠিয়েছেন"]·DE["senden", "sendet"]·EN["He-has-sent", "has-sent", "he-sent", "sent"]·FR["envoyer"]·heb["שִׁלְּחַ", "שִׁלְּחָם", "שִׁלְּחוֹ", "שָׁלְחָה", "שָׁלַח"]·HI["भेज", "भेजा", "भेजा-है"]·ID["Dia-mengirim", "Dia-telah-mengutus", "Ia-mengutus", "dia-mengutus", "ia-mengirim", "mengirim", "mengutus", "telah-mengutus"]·IT["mandare"]·jav["Sampun-ngutus", "kautus", "ngutus", "panjenenganipun-ngutus"]·KO["보내셨다", "보내셨으니", "보냈다"]·PT["enviou"]·RU["Послал", "послал", "послала"]·ES["Ha-enviado", "envió", "los-envió"]·SW["-", "akamtuma", "akatuma", "akawatuma", "akiwaambia", "alimtumia", "alituma", "alitutuma", "aliwatuma", "amenituma", "kwao", "wengine"]·TR["gönderdi"]·urd["-کی-طرف", "-کے-پاس", "بھیجا", "بھیجا-ہے", "بھیجے", "نے-بھیجا"]
Matt 10:5, Matt 14:35, Matt 20:2, Matt 21:1, Matt 21:34, Matt 21:36, Matt 21:37, Matt 22:3, Matt 22:4, Matt 27:19, Mark 3:31, Mark 8:26 (+38 more)
2. be sent / commissioned — The passive or divine passive: to be sent forth, to be commissioned as an emissary. Appearing 19 times, this form often carries profound theological weight — Jesus declares 'I was sent' to the lost sheep of Israel (Matt 15:24), and the angel Gabriel announces 'I was sent' to speak to Zechariah (Luke 1:19). Spanish enviado and German gesandt both reflect the passive commissioning. The construction emphasizes the authority behind the sending rather than the act of departure, making it the theological backbone of New Testament mission language. 19×
AR["أُرسِلتُ", "أُرسِلَ", "أُرْسَلْ", "أُرْسِلَ", "أُرْسِلْتُ", "المُرسَلةُ", "المُرسَلونَ", "المُرسَلينَ", "المُرسَلِ", "المُرْسَلِينَ", "الْمُرْسَلُونَ", "مُرسَل", "مُرْسَلٌ", "مُرْسَلَةً", "مُرْسَلُونَ", "يُرْسَلُوا", "ٱلْمُرْسَلُونَ", "ٱلْمُرْسَلِينَ"]·ben["তাদের-পাঠানো-হয়", "পাঠানো", "পাঠানো-হইয়াছে", "পাঠানো-হয়েছি", "পাঠানো-হল", "পাঠানো-হলাম", "প্রেরিত", "প্রেরিত-হয়েছে", "প্রেরিতদের", "প্রেরিতরা"]·DE["senden", "sendet"]·EN["Having-been-sent", "I-was-sent", "Sent", "being-sent-out", "having-been-sent", "having-been-sent-out", "ones-having-been-sent", "sent", "they-are-sent", "was-sent"]·FR["envoyer"]·heb["יִשָּׁלְחוּ", "נִשְׁלְחָה", "נִשְׁלַח", "נִשְׁלַחְתִּי", "נִשְׁלָחִים", "שְׁלוּחִים", "שָׁלוּחַ"]·HI["भेज-गय", "भेजा-गया", "भेजा-गया-हूं", "भेजा-गया-है", "भेजा-हुआ", "भेजा-हुआ।", "भेजे-गए", "भेजे-गए-थे", "भेजे-गए-लोगों-को", "भेजे-जाएं", "भेजे-जाते-हुए", "भेजे-हुए", "भेजे-हुओं-ने"]·ID["Aku-diutus", "Diutus", "Yang-Diutus", "aku-diutus", "diutus", "mereka-diutus", "yang-diutus"]·IT["apostolo", "mandare"]·jav["Dipun-utus", "Kautus.", "Kawula-kautus", "Kula-dipun-utus.", "dipun-utus", "dipunkintun", "ingkang-kautus", "kang-dipunkintun", "kautus", "kautus?", "kula-dipun-utus", "tiyang-ingkang-dipun-utus,"]·KO["보내심을-받은", "보내심을-받은-자들을", "보내어졌다", "보내졌다", "보내지면", "보내진", "보내진-자들-을", "보내짐-받은-자", "보내짐-받은-자들이", "보냄을-받은", "보냄을-받은-자들이", "보냄을-받은-자로"]·PT["Enviado", "enviado", "enviados", "foi-enviada", "foi-enviado", "forem-enviados?", "fui-enviado"]·RU["Посланный", "Посланный.", "как", "послан", "послан-Я", "послан-Я.", "послан-был", "посланном", "посланные", "посланный", "посланным", "посланных", "послано", "посылаемые"]·ES["Enviado", "enviado", "enviados", "fue-enviada", "fue-enviado", "fui-enviado", "siendo-enviados", "son-enviados"]·SW["Aliyetumwa", "Nimetumwa", "alitumwa", "aliyetumwa", "imetumwa", "kutumwa?", "kwako", "nimetumwa", "sikutumwa", "wakitumwa", "waliotumwa", "zilizotumwa"]·TR["Gönderilmiş", "bu", "gönderildi", "gönderildim", "gönderilen", "gönderilenler", "gönderilenleri", "gönderilmezlerse", "gönderilmiş", "gönderilmişler"]·urd["بھیجا-گیا", "بھیجا-گیا-ہوں۔", "بھیجا-ہوا", "بھیجی-گئی", "بھیجی-ہوئی", "بھیجے-جائیں؟", "بھیجے-گئے", "بھیجے-ہوؤں-کو", "بھیجے-ہوئوں", "بھیجے-ہوئوں-نے", "بھیجے-ہوئے"]
Matt 15:24, Matt 23:37, Luke 1:19, Luke 1:26, Luke 4:43, Luke 13:34, Luke 19:32, John 1:6, John 1:24, John 3:28, John 9:7, Acts 10:17 (+7 more)
3. send away / dismiss — To send away or dismiss from one's presence, with emphasis on departure rather than mission. Only 2 clear occurrences: the demons beg Jesus not to 'send them away' from the region (Mark 5:10), and the tenants 'sent away' the servant empty-handed (Mark 12:3). This preserves the older Classical Greek sense of apo-stello as 'send off/away,' closer to banishment than commissioning. Spanish enviaron and German senden still render it generically, but the context clearly marks the dismissal meaning. 2×
AR["أَرسَلوهُ", "يُرْسِلَها"]·ben["তারা-পাঠাল", "পাঠান"]·DE["senden"]·EN["he-send-away", "sent-away"]·FR["envoyer"]·heb["יְשַׁלֵּח", "שִׁלְּחוּ"]·HI["बाहर", "भेज-दिया"]·ID["mengirim-pulang", "mengusir"]·IT["mandare"]·jav["ngutus", "sami-ngutus-wangsul"]·KO["보내지", "보냈다"]·PT["enviaram", "enviasse"]·RU["отослали", "послал"]·ES["enviara", "enviaron"]·SW["awatoe", "wakamrudisha"]·TR["gönderdiler", "göndersin"]·urd["بھیج-دیا", "بھیجے"]
Related Senses
H0935 1. come, arrive (Qal) (2413×)G1473 1. first person singular pronoun (2084×)H3318 1. Qal: go out, depart, come forth (891×)H7725 1. to return, come/go back (Qal) (874×)H5927 1. go up, ascend (Qal) (779×)H7971 1. to send, dispatch (Qal) (701×)G2064 1. come / arrive (physical movement toward) (588×)H5307 1. Qal: fall down physically (339×)H5375 1. Qal: to lift up, raise (330×)H5975 1. to stand, stand up (310×)H5674a 1. Qal: pass by, pass through (256×)H3381 1. Qal: to go down, descend (physical movement) (242×)G1831 1. go/come out physically (193×)H5337 1. deliver, rescue, save (Hifil) (188×)H7901 1. lie down, rest, sleep (183×)G1525 1. enter a place physically (179×)H7812 1. prostrate oneself, bow down, worship (173×)H3318 2. Hifil: bring out, lead out, take out (persons) (172×)H7725 2. to bring back, restore (Hifil) (151×)H5674a 2. Qal: cross over (134×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
ἀποστέλλω, future -στελῶ: aorist ἀπέστειλα (see. below):— send off or away from, μή μ᾽.. τῆσδ᾽ ἀποστείλητε γῆςRefs 5th c.BC+; send away, banish, τὰ δίκαιαRefs 5th c.BC+:—passive, go away, depart, Refs 5th c.BC+ __II dispatch, on some mission or service, Refs 5th c.BC+; frequently of messengers or forces, Refs 5th c.BC+; οἰκιστάς (as a form of banishment), Refs 5th c.BC+:—passive, with infinitive,…