Word 12: Euangelion

Greek: εὐαγγέλιον (euangelion) – good news royal proclamation

Hebrew equivalents: בְּשׂוֹרָה (besorah) – good news joyful royal message

Not Just Good News—The News That Overthrows the the rival kingdoms and confronts the powers reigning in this broken World

“Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the euangelion of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God (basileia tou theou) is at hand. Repent and believe the euangelion.’”

— Mark 1:14–15

❌ Mistranslated & Misunderstood

Few words in the entire Bible have suffered more distortion than euangelion.

We translate it as “gospel” or “good news.”

But that translation, while technically accurate, has become so theologically warped and stripped of context that most people today hear it as:

• “How to go to heaven when you die”
  
• “The story of how Jesus forgives my sins”
  
• “The steps to personal salvation”
  

But that’s not how first-century Jews or Romans would have heard it.

And it’s not what the Gospels mean when they say Jesus preached the euangelion.

📜 What Euangelion Actually Meant

The Greek word euangelion wasn’t originally a religious term at all.

It was a political and imperial announcement.

When a new emperor took the throne, or when a general won a major military victory, messengers were sent throughout the Roman world with a euangelion—a royal proclamation:

“Good news! A new king reigns!”

“Good news! Peace has been secured!”

“Good news! A new age has begun!”

The Hebrew equivalent—besorah—worked the same way:

It was the announcement of God’s victory or return to reign.

Isaiah uses it repeatedly:

“How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news (besorah), who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, ‘Your God reigns!’”

— Isaiah 52:7

Let that last line land:

“Your God reigns.”

Not you can go to heaven.

Not God has a wonderful plan for your life.

But: God is taking back the throne.

🌀 The Word That Turns Everything

This is the turning point of the entire biblical story.

In the beginning, as we saw in Shabbat and Basileia, the world was made to be ruled by the God of wisdom, love, and peace.

But through hamartia and anomia, humanity handed that world over to hostile powers—rival kingdoms of darkness, death, and domination.

The basileia of God was abandoned.

But now, here comes the euangelion:

“The reign of God is at hand!”

This isn’t a suggestion.

It’s a collision with every other kingdom.

🛑 Euangelion Is Not Just Information—It’s Invasion

The euangelion is not advice.

It’s not a set of doctrines.

It’s not even primarily a message about what you must do.

It is the royal proclamation that:

• The true King’s reign is returning
  
• The false rulers are being exposed
  
• A new world is breaking into the old
  
• And every rival allegiance must now respond
  

That’s why in the very same breath Jesus says:

“Repent (metanoia) and believe the euangelion.”

Because if God’s reign is truly returning, then every other reign—be it Rome, Babylon, Mammon, Self, or Satan—must be abandoned.

This is good news only if you’re ready to let go of the powers currently in charge but that is good news because humans and creation were not intended to live under those oppressive powers. Instead, the good news is that the Kingdom reign of agape love that we were humans long for and are created for is coming and being announced by Jesus! However, this announcement though truly good for all people is dangerous because it threatens the other reigns we established and handed this world over to.

🕯️ A Dangerous Announcement

This is why the euangelion got Jesus killed.

Not because He told people to be nice.

Not because He upset religious customs.

But because He declared:

“God’s reign is reclaiming the world.”

That is a dangerous thing to say in a world where:

• Caesar claims lordship
  
• Priests claim power
  
• Mammon demands loyalty
  
• Death wields dominion
  
• Satan and the Powers of darkness have their reign

The euangelion was never safe.

It was revolutionary.

It threatened the whole world order by declaring:

The world belongs to God again.

📣 The Call of the Euangelion

The euangelion isn’t just about something that happened.

It demands a response:

• Not just believe it happened—but align your life with its implications
  
• Not just be happy about it—but abandon every rival kingdom
  

In Jesus’ day, euangelion was the news that everything had changed.

A new government had arrived.

A new world was dawning.

And now everything and everyone must decide:

Who really reigns?

🧠 Word Summary: 

Euangelion

• Literal Meaning: A royal announcement of victory and reign
  
• Biblical Function: The proclamation that God’s rule is breaking back into the world
  
• Theological Meaning: The hinge point of history—declaring that the reign of sin, death, and darkness is being overthrown
  
• In Our Words:
  
  Euangelion is not good advice. It’s the dangerous declaration that God’s reign is returning, and all other kingdoms must bow.
  

🔜 Next Word: 

Christos

But who is this King whose reign is returning?

Who has the authority to confront the powers, and reclaim the throne?

That question brings us to the next word—perhaps the most loaded title in all of Scripture:

Christos — The Anointed One.

Mistranslated Series: Word 11- Christos