Apostle

Twelve Apostles, mosaic in the Euphrasian Basilica

Aeschines (389–314 BC), who throughout his life was sent as member of some embassy missions

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The Ancient Greek ἀπόστολος (apóstolos) can be translated to "ambassador" and "envoy" and was in some instances used this way in Ancient Greece.^[1]

An apostle (/əˈpɒsəl/), in its literal sense, is an emissary. The word is derived from Ancient Greek ἀπόστολος (apóstolos), literally "one who is sent off", itself derived from the verb ἀποστέλλειν (apostéllein), "to send off". The purpose of such sending off is usually to convey a message, and thus "messenger" is a common alternative translation; other common translations include "ambassador" and "envoy". The term in Ancient Greek also has other related meanings.^[1]

The term derives from the Ancient Greek.

The word apostle has two meanings: the broader meaning of a messenger and the narrower meaning of an early Christian apostle directly linked to Jesus. The more general meaning of the word is translated into Latin as missiō, and from this word we get missionary.^[7]

The term only occurs once in the

"Apostoloi" was the official name given to the men sent by the rulers of Jerusalem to collect the half-shekel tax for the Temple, the tax itself being called "apostolé.[9]

Christianity

New Testament

Before their sending away, the Twelve had been called disciples, or "students" (Latin discipulus; Greek μαθητής mathētḗs; Hebrew לִמּוּד limmûdh; all meaning "one who learns").^[10] Jesus is stated in the Bible to have sent out the Twelve Apostles, "whom he also named apostles" (Luke 6:13), first before his death "to the lost sheep of Israel" (Matthew 10), and after his resurrection, to spread the message of the Gospel to all nations (Matthew 28:16–28:20). There is also a tradition in the Eastern Churches of "Seventy Apostles", derived from the seventy-two disciples mentioned in the Gospel of Luke.

The title apostle from the New Testament was also given to others in the reference to the

A modern-day Apostle in the tradition of the Apostolic-Prophetic movement is one who is "called and sent by Christ to have the spiritual authority, character, gifts and abilities to successfully reach and establish people in Kingdom truth and order, especially through founding and overseeing local churches”, according to Dr. David Cannistraci.^[12] An "apostle" is one who has a call to plant and oversee churches, has verifiable church plants and spiritual sons in the ministry, who is recognized by other apostles and meets the biblical qualifications of an elder.^[13]

Pentecostal movements

In modern usage, missionaries under Pentecostal movements often refer to themselves as apostles, a practice which stems from the Latin equivalent of apostle, i.e. missio, the source of the English word missionary.^{[citation needed]}

Latter Day Saint movement

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints has always had, among its leadership, at least twelve individuals identified as apostles. Their primary role is to teach and testify of Jesus throughout the world.^[14]

In the ChurchofJesusChristofLatter-daySaints

In the Latter Day Saint churches, apostles are members of the

The Catholic Apostolic Church was led by twelve "apostles" until the last one died in 1901.^[18] Some of the denominations that descend from the Catholic Apostolic Church, such as the New Apostolic Church, are led by apostles. The Chief Apostle is the highest ranking minister in the New Apostolic Church.

Islam

In