I. ˈgäspəl sometimes ˈgȯs- noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English godspel, gōdspel (translation of Late Latin evangelium ), from gōd good + spell tale — more at good , spell , evangel
1. sometimes capitalized
a. : glad tidings ; especially : the good news concerning Christ, the Kingdom of God, and salvation
b. : the teachings of Jesus and the apostles as a body or system : the Christian faith, revelation, or dispensation
Jesus went about all Galilee … preaching the gospel of the kingdom — Mt 4:23 (Authorized Version)
c. : an interpretation of the gospel of Jesus Christ
St. Paul's gospel
the social gospel
a highly revivalistic gospel
2.
a. : the story or record of Christ's life and teachings contained in the first four books of the New Testament
b. usually capitalized : one of the four New Testament books containing narratives of the life and death of Jesus Christ ascribed respectively to Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John ; also : any of certain similar noncanonical ancient books — compare apocrypha
c. : a book containing the four New Testament Gospels
tracts and gospels were distributed by religious workers
3. or gospel for the day usually capitalized G&D : a lection taken from one of the New Testament gospels and forming part of a Christian liturgical service — called also Holy Gospel
4. sometimes capitalized : the message or teachings of a religious teacher : a doctrinal system of religious teachings
the gospel of an Indian ascetic
the first to bring the Buddhist gospel to China
5.
a. : a message, teaching, doctrine, or course of action having certain efficacy or validity and held to or propounded with zeal : faith
interested in spreading the gospel of conservation — R.M.Hodesh
the gospel of progress
the gospel of hard work
the new proletarian gospel — J.C.Ransom
b. : something (as an assertion) of such an authoritative, infallible, or unimpeachable character or source as not to be questioned : absolute truth
newspaper writers … are prone to regard it as gospel — C.J.Lovell
you speak the gospel — Carl Van Vechten
— often used in the phrase gospel truth
stories like these were related as gospel truths — Herman Melville
II. verb
( gospeled or gospelled ; gospeled or gospelled ; gospeling or gospelling ; gospels )
Etymology: Middle English gospellen, from Old English godspellian, from godspel, n.
transitive verb
: to instruct in or convert to the gospel : evangelize
intransitive verb
: to preach the gospel
III. adjective
Usage: sometimes capitalized
Etymology: gospel (I)
: according with or relating to the gospel : filled with fervor : evangelical
gospel preaching
gospel song
IV. adjective
: of, relating to, or being religious songs of American origin associated with evangelism and popular devotion and marked by simple melody and harmony and elements of folk songs, spirituals, and occasionally jazz
gospel singer
• gospel noun