boðskapurinn

Boðskapurinn is the definite form of the Icelandic noun boðskapur, meaning “the message” or “the gospel.” In everyday Icelandic, the term denotes the central idea or main point communicated in speech, text, or other communication. In religious contexts, boðskapurinn commonly refers to the Gospel—the Christian message of salvation—though the term can also be used more generally to denote an important moral or spiritual message. In Icelandic liturgy and devotional writing, expressions like fagnaðarboðskapurinn “the glad tidings gospel” are used to emphasize proclamation of the Christian message.

Origin and cognates: boðskapur is a compound of boð “message, summons” and a suffix forming a noun; linguistic sources trace its roots to Old Norse boðskapr. It is cognate with Danish budskab, Norwegian budskap, and Swedish budskap, reflecting shared North Germanic heritage. In contemporary Icelandic, boðskapurinn is used both in explicit religious contexts and, more broadly, to denote the main point of any communication, such as a speech or campaign.