Quick Definition
ἐπιστέλλω v. I write, send by letter to.
Strong's Definition
to enjoin (by writing), i.e. (genitive case) to communicate by letter (for any purpose)
Derivation: from G1909 (ἐπί) and G4724 (στέλλω);
KJV Usage: write (a letter, unto)
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament © United Bible Societies, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
ἐπι-στέλλω : 1 aor. ἐπέστειλα; prop. to send to one a message, command, (Hdt. et sqq.); ἐπιστολάς, to send by letter, write a letter, Plato, epp. p. 363 b., hence simply to write a letter [cf. W. § 3, 1 b.]: revi, Heb. xiii. 22 (Clem. Rom. 1 Cor. 7,1; 47, 3; 62,1; and often in Grk. writ.) ; to enjoin by letter, to write instructions: Acts xxi. 25 RGTTrmrg.WHmrg.; foll. by τοῦ with an inf. expressing purpose [cf. W. 326 (306); B. 270 (232)]: Acts xv. 20.
Mounce Concise Greek Dictionary
ἐπιστέλλω epistellō 3x
to send word to, to send injunctions, Acts 15:20; 21:25; to write to, write a letter, Heb. 13:22*
Abbott-Smith Greek Lexicon
ἐπι-στέλλω
[in LXX: III Ki 5:8(22) Ne 6:19 (שָׁלַח), Jth 15:4, I Mac 10:25 12:7 13:18 (in each case with v.l. ἀποσ-) * ;]
to send to.
to send a message by letter, to write word (MM, Exp., xiv): c. dat. pers., Ac 21:25, He 13:22; seq. τοῦ, c. inf., Ac 15:20.†
Moulton & Milligan — Vocabulary of the Greek NT
ἐπιστέλλω. For the meaning ‘“‘send,”’ ‘‘send to,”’ cf. P Amh II. 332° (c. B.C. 157) αὐτόν τε πρὸς ἡμᾶς μετὰ φυλακῆς ἐπιστείλατε, P Oxy II. 2763 (A.D. 77) παριληφέναι παρ] αὐτῶν τὰς ἐπισ[τ]αλείσας (sc. ἀρτάβας) α[ὐτ]οῖς. The general use of the verb, however, is in connexion with sending a letter or other written communication, as in P Par 61° (B.C. 156) τῆς πρὸς Awplova ἐπιστολῆς τὸ ἀντίγραφον ὑπόκειται" νομίσαντες οὖν καὶ πρὸς ὑμᾶς τὰ αὐτὰ ἐπεστάλθαι, σκοπεῖτε ἵνα, μηδὲν παρὰ ταῦτα γίνηται, 10. 63155 (B.C. 164) (= P Petr III. Ρ. 34) ἐν τοῖς περὶ τούτων [ἐπ]εσταλμένοις χρηματισμοῖς, ‘in the communications we have sent to you dealing with these matters” (Mahaffy), P Fay 264(a.p. 150) πρὸς [τὸ] ἐπισταλὲν ἡμεῖν ὑπὸ σοῦ ἐπίσταλμα, BGU IV. τοϑι5 (ii/ili A.D.) εὖ ποιήστει]ς ἐπιστείλας ἡμεῖν περὶ τῆς σῆς ὑγίας, P Fay 13313 (a letter—iv/A.D.) μοι ἐπίστειλον, “send me word.” From the usage of the word in official documents the meaning readily passed over into ‘‘instruct,” ‘‘ enjoin,” ᾽ i? ἐπιστήμων as in Ac 152° (ἈΝ marg.), Heb 1335: cf. e.g. P Ryl II. 12115 (ii/A.D.) ἀξιῶ [ἐ]πισταλῆ[ν]αι τοῖς τῆς [π]όλεως γραμματεῦσι [ἐϊπίτροπον αὐτῷ καταστα[θῆ]ναι, ‘I request that an order be sent to the scribes of the city for the appointment of a guardian for him” (Edd.), P Fay 317° (ἐς. a.p. 129) διὸ προσαγγέλλωι ὅπως ἐπισταλῆι τῷ τὸ γραφεῖον Θεαδελφείας συνχρημα[τίζ]ειν μοι ὡς καθήκει, “1 therefore give notice, in order that instructions may be sent to the director of the record office of Theadelphia, duly to join me in the transaction of the business’’ (Edd.), P Strass I. 518 (a decision of the prefect—a.D. 262) ἐπ]ισ[τ]ελῶ τῷ στρατη[γ]ῷ, P Oxy IX. 11948 (c. A.D. 265) δύναται ἐπισταλῆναι TO στρατηγ[ῷ τ]ὰ δέοντα, ‘‘ the proper measures can be communicated to the strategus,’’ and hence in BGU I. 144! 8 (iii/A.D.) ἐπεστάλ(η) ὑπὸ ἐμοῦ, virtually = ‘‘he was confirmed by me” in a certain office. See further Laqueur Quaestiones, p. 16 f. where it is shown that in letters written by Roman Emperors or Magistrates ἐπιστέλλω is always = “write ”’ rather than ‘‘send,’’ e.g. C/G III. 38354 ἐπέστειλα αὐτῷ δηλῶν τὸ πρᾶγμα ὅλον. ἐπέστειλα δὲ “Horépw τῷ ἐπιτρόπῳ, and cf. P Hamb I. p. 77 for the ending of ἐπιστάλpata, official acts or decisions in letter form, with émστέλλω, or ἐπέστειλα, or ἐπιστέλλεταί σοι. With this the NT usage cited szpra corresponds: cf. also Ac 21”.
Liddell-Scott-Jones — Greek-English Lexicon
ἐπιστέλλω (epistellō) — to write to. ἐπιστέλλω, send to, γράψας ἐς βυβλίον τάδε ἐπέστειλε ἐς Σάμον [Refs 5th c.BC+]; send a message, τάδε [Refs 5th c.BC+]; especially by letter, write word, τοιαῦτα [Refs 5th c.BC+]; περί τινος ὡς ἀδικοῦντος [Refs 5th c.BC+]; τὰ ἐπισταλέντα ἐκ τῆς Σάμου the news received from Samos,[Refs 1st c.AD+]
2. enjoin, command, τισί τι [Refs 5th c.BC+]; τὸν ἄγγελον ἐπιστείλας ταῦτα ἔπεμψε [Refs 5th c.BC+]: c.infinitive, ἐ. τινὶ ἀπίστασθαι [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ὁ Κῦρος αὐτῷ ἐπέστελλε πρὸς Πέρσας λέγειν [Refs 5th c.BC+]; also ἐ. τινὰ ποιεῖν τι [Refs 5th c.BC+]: without any case, give orders to do, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; give orders in writing, [Refs 4th c.BC+] — passive, ἔφη οὐδέν οἱ ἐπεστάλθαι ἄλλο ἢ ἀπαλλάσσεσθαι he had received orders to.., [Refs 5th c.BC+]; αἷς ἐπέσταλται τέλος to whom the office has been committed, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἀξιῶ ἐπισταλῆναί τισι c.infinitive, [Refs 2nd c.AD+] having received these instructions, [Refs 5th c.BC+]: in later writers, usually of orders given in writing, [NT+2nd c.AD+], etc.; of orders for payment, [Refs 2nd c.AD+]