euangelion

Euangelion is a Greek term that means "good news" or "gospel." It is formed from eu- "good" and angelion "news, message," with the related noun angelos meaning "messenger." In English, the term is usually rendered as "gospel."

Classical usage: In ancient Greek literature, euangelion denotes a report of good news, often relating to military or political victories or other favorable announcements.

Christian usage: From the 1st century CE, euangelion acquired a specialized technical sense: the proclamation about Jesus Christ—the core message of salvation—often called the gospel. Paul's epistles deploy euangelion to contrast the message with "the works of the law." The four canonical Gospels are in Greek manuscripts sometimes called euangelia (plural) or evangelia.

Legacy and derivatives: The term gave Latin evangelium, from which English "evangel" and "evangelist" and "evangelical" are derived. In modern scholarship, "euangelion" is used in discussions of early Christian kerygma and the formation of the gospel tradition.