ἐπιστέλλω G1989
write to, send word; communicate by letter, especially official instructions
This verb means to send a message or write to someone, especially by letter. Classical usage includes sending news, giving orders, or enjoining commands in writing. In the New Testament it appears in contexts of official apostolic communication—the Jerusalem Council's letter to Gentile believers (Acts 15:20, 21:25) and the author of Hebrews describing his letter (Hebrews 13:22). The word carries a sense of authoritative written instruction.
Senses
1. sense 1 — The multilingual witnesses use writing and sending terminology: Spanish escribimos/escribirles ('we wrote, to write to them'), French écrire ('write'), German schreiben ('write'). Acts 15:20 contains the council's decision: 'we should write to them to abstain from...' Acts 21:25 references the same letter: 'we have sent a letter with our judgment.' Hebrews 13:22 describes the epistle itself: 'I have written to you briefly.' In each case, the verb indicates formal written communication conveying apostolic instruction to churches. 3×
AR["أَرْسَلْنَا-رِسَالَةً", "أَن-نُرسِلَ", "كَتَبْتُ"]·ben["আমি-লিখেছি", "চিঠি-লিখতে", "পত্র-পাঠিয়েছিলাম"]·DE["schreiben", "schreibt-Brief"]·EN["I-wrote", "sent-letter", "to-write"]·FR["écrire"]·heb["-", "כָּתַבְתִּי", "שָׁלַחְנוּ"]·HI["भेजा", "लिखना", "लिखा-है"]·ID["aku-menulis", "mengirim-surat", "menulis"]·IT["epesteila", "scrivere"]·jav["kawula-sampun-serat", "nyerat", "sampun-ngirim,"]·KO["내가-썼다", "편지를-썼다", "편지하여"]·PT["enviamos,", "escrever", "vos-escrevi"]·RU["написал", "написали,", "написать"]·ES["escribimos", "escribirles", "os-he-escrito"]·SW["kuwaandikia", "nimewaandikia", "tuliandika"]·TR["mektup-yazdık", "yazdım", "yazmak"]·urd["خط-لکھا", "خط-لکھنا", "لکھا-ہے"]
Related Senses
H0559 1. say, speak, tell (5297×)G3004 1. say, tell, speak (2226×)H1696 1. speak, say, tell (Piel) (1105×)H7121 1. call, summon, name (575×)H6680 1. command, order, charge (483×)H6030b 1. answer, respond, reply (289×)G2980 1. speak, talk (277×)H5046 1. Hifil: to tell, report (237×)G0611 1. answer or respond verbally (232×)H1288 1. Piel: bless, invoke blessing (227×)H7650 1. swear, take an oath (Niphal) (154×)H3789 1. Qal passive participle: written, recorded (112×)H1984b 1. praise, laud (Piel) (111×)H7592 1. ask, inquire, question (96×)H3034 1. give thanks, praise (Hifil) (94×)G1321 1. teach, instruct actively (92×)H3789 2. Qal active: write, compose (89×)G1125 1. to write, compose (a letter or document) (84×)H5046 2. Hifil: to declare, proclaim (79×)H7892a 1. song, musical composition (78×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
ἐπιστέλλω, send to, γράψας ἐς βυβλίον τάδε ἐπέστειλε ἐς Σάμον Refs 5th c.BC+; send a message, τάδε Refs 5th c.BC+; especially by letter, write word, τοιαῦτα Refs 5th c.BC+; περί τινος ὡς ἀδικοῦντος Refs 5th c.BC+; τὰ ἐπισταλέντα ἐκ τῆς Σάμου the news received from Samos,Refs 1st c.AD+ __2. enjoin, command, τισί τι Refs 5th c.BC+; τὸν ἄγγελον ἐπιστείλας ταῦτα ἔπεμψε Refs 5th c.BC+: c.infinitive,…