κηρύσσω G2784
kerusso -- to proclaim publicly, preach, herald; to announce a message with authority
The verb kerusso carries the image of a herald (kerux) making an authoritative public proclamation. In classical Greek it described the town crier or the official who announced games and treaties; in the New Testament it becomes the primary verb for preaching the gospel. John the Baptist 'proclaimed' repentance in the wilderness (Matt 3:1), Jesus 'preached' the kingdom throughout Galilee (Matt 4:23), and the risen Lord commissioned his followers to 'proclaim' the good news to every creature (Mark 16:15). The word insists on public, vocal, authoritative announcement -- not private persuasion or philosophical discourse. Spanish predicar, French precher, and German verkündigen all preserve the sense of formal proclamation.
Senses
1. proclaim, preach, herald — To publicly proclaim or herald a message with official authority, encompassing both John the Baptist's wilderness preaching of repentance (Matt 3:1) and Jesus's proclamation of the kingdom (Matt 4:17, 23). The word's etymological link to kerux ('herald') underscores that this is not casual conversation but authoritative announcement meant for wide hearing. Cross-lingual renderings -- Spanish predicar, French precher, German verkündigen -- consistently reflect the formal proclamation sense across all 61 occurrences. 61×
AR["أَنْ-نَكْرِزَ", "كارِزًا", "كَارِزًا", "كَرَزَ", "لِيَكْرِزوا", "يَكرِزَ", "يَكرِزُ", "يَكْرِزُ", "يُنَادِي"]·ben["ঘোষণা-করছে", "ঘোষণা-করছেন", "ঘোষণা-করতে", "ঘোষণা-করিতেছিল", "প্রচার-করছিল", "প্রচার-করছিল,", "প্রচার-করছিলেন", "প্রচার-করতে"]·DE["verkuendigen", "verkündet"]·EN["he-was-proclaiming", "preaching", "proclaiming", "to-proclaim", "was-proclaiming"]·FR["prêcher"]·heb["הִכְרִיז", "לְ-הַכְרִיז", "לְהַכְרִיז", "מַכְרִיז"]·HI["गलील", "प्रचअर-करने", "प्रचार-करता", "प्रचार-करता-था", "प्रचार-करता-हुआ", "प्रचार-करते-हुए", "प्रचार-करना", "प्रचार-करने", "प्रचार-करने-लगा", "प्रचार-करने-वाला"]·ID["berkhotbah", "ia-memberitakan,", "memberitakan", "untuk-memberitakan"]·IT["predicare"]·jav["martosaken", "ngabaraken", "ngabaraké", "nggelaraken", "ngmartosaken", "ngumumaken", "nguwuh-uwuh", "nguwuh-uwuh,", "nguwuh-wartosaken"]·KO["선포하기", "선포하기-를", "선포하기를", "선포하는", "선포하려", "선포하며", "선포하시며", "선포했다", "전파하는-자", "전파하도록", "전파하며", "전파했다", "전하며"]·PT["a-pregar", "a-proclamar", "pregando", "pregar", "pregava", "pregava,", "proclamando"]·RU["проповедовал", "проповедовать", "проповедующий", "проповедуя"]·ES["a-proclamar", "predicando", "predicar", "proclamaba", "proclamando", "proclamar"]·SW["akawahubiria", "akihubiri", "alihubiri,", "kuhubiri", "nikihubiri"]·TR["duyuran", "duyurarak", "duyurmaya", "duyuruyordu,", "ilan-ederek", "ilan-etmeye", "vaaz-ederek", "vaaz-ediyordu", "vaaz-etmek", "vaaz-etmemizi"]·urd["منادی-کرتا", "منادی-کرتا-تھا", "منادی-کرتا-ہوا", "منادی-کرتے-ہوئے", "منادی-کرنا", "منادی-کرنے"]
Matt 3:1, Matt 4:17, Matt 4:23, Matt 9:35, Matt 10:7, Matt 10:27, Matt 11:1, Matt 24:14, Matt 26:13, Mark 1:4, Mark 1:7, Mark 1:14 (+38 more)
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
κηρύσσω, Attic dialect κηρύττω, Doric dialect κᾱρύσσω: imperfect ἐκήρυσσον Refs 8th c.BC+: future -ύξω Refs 5th c.BC+, Doric dialect καρυξῶ Refs: aorist ἐκήρυξα Refs 5th c.BC+, etc., Aeolic dialect participle καρύξαισα Refs 5th c.BC+perfect κεκήρῡχα (ἐπι-) Refs 4th c.BC+:—passive, future κηρυχθήσομαι Refs 5th c.BC+: aorist ἐκηρύχθην Refs 5th c.BC+: perfect κεκήρυγμαι Refs 5th c.BC+:—to be a…