I. In the active (rare in Greek authors also, in fact found only in later Greek, as Polyaen. 5, 7; ἐυηγγελικει αὐτῷ, Dio Cassius, 61, 13; cf. Lob. ad Phryn., p. 268; (Winer's Grammar, 24)): with the dative of the person to whom the news is brought, Revelation 10:7 Rec.; with the accusative of the person to whom the announcement is made, ibid. G L T Tr WH, Revelation 14:6 R G; by a construction not found elsewhere, ἐπί τινα (cf. German dieBorschaftaneinenbringen), ibid. G L T Tr WH.

II. Passive (cf. Winers Grammar, 229 (215); Buttmann, 188 (163)); of persons, glad tidings are brought to one, one has glad tidings proclaimed to him: Matthew 11:5; Luke 7:22; Hebrews 4:2, 6; of things, to be proclaimed: εὐαγγελίζεται ἡ βασιλεία τοῦ Θεοῦ, the glad tidings are published of the kingdom of God close at hand, Luke 16:16; τό εὐαγγέλιον, the joyful announcement of man's salvation is delivered, Galatians 1:11 (Buttmann, 148 (129f)); τό ῤῆμα τό εὐαγγελισθέν εἰς ὑμᾶς, the word of good tidings brought unto you (see εἰς, A. I. 5 b. (cf. Winer's Grammar, 213 (200))), 1 Peter 1:25; impersonally, εὐηγγελίσθη τίνι, the good news of salvation was declared, 1 Peter 4:6.

III. as deponent middle (in Greek writings from Aristophanes eqq. 643 down), to proclaim glad tidings; specifically, to instruct (men) concerning the things that pertain to Christian salvation: simply, Luke 9:6; Luke 20:1; Acts 14:7; Romans 15:20; 1 Corinthians 1:17; 1 Corinthians 9:16, 18; τίνι λόγῳ εὐηγγελισάμην ὑμῖν εἰ κατέχετε, if ye hold fast in your minds with what word (i. e. with what interpretation; for he contrasts his own view of Christian salvation with his opponents' doctrine of the resurrection) I preached to you the glad tidings of salvation, 1 Corinthians 15:2. with the dative of person (as common in Greek writings), to anyone: Luke 4:18 from Isaiah 61:1; specifically, to bring to one the good tidings concerning Jesus as the Messiah: Galatians 1:8; Galatians 4:13; Romans 1:15; ἐυαγγελίζειν with the accusative of the thing: universally, τήν πίστιν τίνος, to bring good tidings of the faith in which one excels, 1 Thessalonians 3:6; of Messianic blessings: εἰρήνην, Acts 10:36; Romans 10:15 (R G Tr marginal reading brackets) (from Isaiah 52:7); τήν βασιλείαν τοῦ Θεοῦ, Luke 8:1; τά περί τῆς βασιλείας τοῦ Θεοῦ, Acts 8:12 (where G L T Tr WH omit τά; cf. Josephus, Antiquities 15, 7, 2 ὁ μέν ... τῇ γυναικί περί τούτων εὐηγγελίζετο); τήν πίστιν, the necessity of having faith in Christ, Galatians 1:23. τί τίνι (Buttmann, 150 (131)), Luke 1:19; Luke 2:10; Acts 17:18 (T Tr WH omit the dative); Ephesians 2:17; τίνι τῆς βασιλείας τοῦ Θεοῦ, Luke 4:43; ἐυαγγελίζειν Ἰησοῦν τόν Χριστόν or (so L T Tr WH) τόν Χριστόν Ἰησοῦν, to proclaim the glad news of Jesus the Christ, Acts 5:42, and (which comes to the same thing) τόν κύριον Ἰησοῦν, Acts 11:20; τόν υἱόν τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐν τοῖς ἔθνεσι, among the Gentiles, Galatians 1:16; τόν Ἰησοῦν τίνι, Acts 8:35; with καί τήν ἀνάστασιν τίνι added, Acts 17:18 (where T Tr WH omit αὐτοῖς); τόν λόγον, to announce the glad tidings of the Messiah, or of the kingdom of God, or of eternal salvation offered through Christ, Acts 8:4; τόν λόγον τοῦ κυρίου, Acts 15:35; τό εὐαγγέλιον, 1 Corinthians 15:1; with the dative of the person added to whom it is preached, 2 Corinthians 11:7; τόν πλοῦτον (τό πλοῦτος) τοῦ Χριστοῦ ἐν τοῖς ἔθνεσι, among the Gentiles (but L T Tr WH omit ἐν), Ephesians 3:8. By a construction unknown to the earlier Greeks (cf. Lob. ad Phryn., p. 268), with the accusative of the person to whom the announcement is made (Winer's Grammar, 223 (209)): Luke 3:18; Acts 16:10; Galatians 1:9 (where it is interchanged with ἐυαγγελίζειν τίνι, Galatians 1:8); 1 Peter 1:12 (Justin Martyr, Apology 1, 33); τινα τί, accusative of the thing (Alciphron, epistles 3, 12; Heliodorus 2, 10; Eusebius, h. e. 3, 4; (cf. Winers Grammar, 227 (213); Buttmann, 150 (131))), followed by ὅτι etc. Acts 13:32; τινα followed by an infinitive Acts 14:15; τάς κώμας, τάς πόλεις, Acts 8:25, 40; Acts 14:21; (εἰς τά ὑπερέκεινα, 2 Corinthians 10:16 (cf. Winer's Grammar, 213 (200), and II. above). Compare: προευαγγελίζομαι.)

Strong’s 2097 consistently depicts the verbal act of announcing, heralding, or proclaiming the glad tidings that God Himself has acted in history to save. Whether voiced by angels (Luke 2:10), prophets (Luke 4:18), apostles (Acts 5:42) or the glorified Church (Revelation 14:6), the term always stresses an authoritative, public declaration that demands a response of faith and obedience.

Old Testament Anticipation

The Septuagint regularly employs the verb to translate Hebrew roots meaning “bring good news” (for example, Isaiah 52:7). Thus Jesus can open His Nazareth sermon by reading, “The Spirit of the Lord is on Me, because He has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor” (Luke 4:18), identifying Himself as the fulfillment of these messianic promises.

Usage in the Synoptic Gospels

1. Incarnational announcement: Luke 2:10 records the angelic proclamation at Christ’s birth—“I bring you good news of great joy.”
2. Messianic ministry: Jesus applies the prophecy of Isaiah to His own preaching (Luke 4:18–21) and summarizes His mission: “I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns as well” (Luke 4:43).
3. Evidential testimony: When John the Baptist queries Jesus’ identity, the Lord cites the healing of the blind, lame, and poor “who are preached good news” (Matthew 11:5; Luke 7:22) as proof that the kingdom has arrived.

Acts and the Expansion of the Church

The book of Acts records the word in strategic progress reports:
• Daily within Jerusalem (Acts 5:42).
• Scattered believers in Judea and Samaria (Acts 8:4).
• Philip to the Ethiopian eunuch (Acts 8:35; 8:40).
• Paul and Barnabas throughout Asia Minor (Acts 14:7, 21).
• The Hellenists to Greeks in Antioch (Acts 11:20).

The pattern shows the Spirit driving the proclamation ever outward, in line with Acts 1:8.

Pauline Theology of Proclamation

Paul employs the term to express both his calling and his methodology.
• “For if I preach the gospel, I have no reason to boast, because I am compelled to do so. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!” (1 Corinthians 9:16).
• “From Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum, I have fully proclaimed the gospel of Christ” (Romans 15:19).
• His missional aim is “to preach the gospel where Christ was not known” (Romans 15:20).

For Paul, the act of proclaiming is inseparable from the content—Christ’s death and resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:1–4)—and from the calling to do so without charge (1 Corinthians 9:18).

Petrine Emphasis

Peter links the preached word to prophetic fulfillment and new birth.
• The prophets “were serving you when they spoke of the things that have now been announced to you by those who preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit” (1 Peter 1:12).
• “The word of the Lord stands forever. And this is the word that was proclaimed to you as the gospel” (1 Peter 1:25).
• Even the dead were “preached good news” so that judgment might be according to God (1 Peter 4:6).

Hebrews and the Wilderness Parallel

Hebrews 4:2 warns that Israel of old had “the gospel preached to them” but failed to mix it with faith, illustrating that mere hearing apart from belief forfeits rest.

Apocalyptic Proclamation

Revelation frames the verb in cosmic scope. Before final judgment an “angel flying overhead proclaim[s] an eternal gospel to those who dwell on the earth” (Revelation 14:6). Earlier, “the mystery of God will be fulfilled, as He proclaimed to His servants the prophets” (Revelation 10:7). The announcement of good news stands as a final mercy even in eschatological crisis.

Key Theological Motifs

• Christological Center: Every occurrence ultimately concerns the person and work of Jesus Christ.
• Spirit-Empowered Speech: Luke–Acts links the verb with the Spirit’s anointing, underscoring divine initiative.
• Universal Reach: Jews, Samaritans, Gentiles, poor, rich, living, and dead are recipients, attesting the gospel’s unlimited audience.
• Urgency and Necessity: Repeated imperatives and expressions of compulsion mark the ministry of those who proclaim.

Historical Trajectory in the Early Church

The apostolic era saw itinerant heralds, local teachers, and even persecuted refugees carrying the message. By the second century the term became a technical label for written accounts—the “Gospels”—while oral proclamation remained central in worship and mission.

Contemporary Ministry Implications

1. Proclamation remains primary: teaching, counseling, and social action flow from, but never replace, the verbal declaration of Christ’s finished work.
2. Faithful content: the death, burial, and resurrection “according to the Scriptures” must shape every sermon.
3. Cross-cultural priority: Paul’s ambition to preach where Christ is not known calls modern believers to unreached peoples.
4. Compassionate context: Jesus’ ministry to the poor and afflicted (Luke 7:22) models holistic concern.

Summary

Strong’s 2097 traces a golden thread through Scripture, from angelic announcement to eschatological proclamation. It reminds the Church that her primary vocation is to herald the good news of God’s kingdom accomplished in Christ, in the power of the Holy Spirit, until every nation has heard.