gospel

plural gospels

1. countableuncountableThe first section of the Christian New Testament scripture, comprising the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, concerned with the birth, ministry, passion, and resurrection of Jesus.
2. countableuncountableAn account of those aspects of Jesus' life, generally written during the first several centuries of the Common Era.
3. countableuncountableChristianityThe teaching of Divine grace as distinguished from the Law or Divine commandments.
4. countableuncountableA message expected to have positive reception or effect, one promoted as offering important (or even infallible) guiding principles.

   Spreading the gospel of dental hygiene in Vermont

   1917, Oral Hygiene, volume 7, section title

5. uncountableThat which is absolutely authoritative (definitive).

   We took her words for gospel.

   1 more example

   If any one thinks this expression hyperbolical, I shall only ask him to read Edipus, instead of taking the traditional witticisms about Lee for gospel.

   1881, George Saintsbury, Dryden

6. uncountableGospel music.

present singular third person gospels · US participle present gospeling · UK participle present gospelling · US participle past gospeled · US past gospeled · UK participle past gospelled · UK past gospelled

1. transitiveTo instruct in, declare, or communicate the gospel; to evangelise.

   I stood there wondering how often they had “gospeled” each other's hearts like this.

   2014, Caesar Kalinowski, Small Is Big, Slow Is Fast

   3 more examples

   Are you so gospelled, to pray for this good man and for his issue, whose heavy hand hath bowed you to the grave and beggared yours forever?

   c. 1606 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Macbeth”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, (please specify the act number in uppercase Roman numerals, and the scene number in lowercase Roman numerals)

   Hopefully you will get to the point where gospeling one another becomes a natural part of your language, and you will not need a set of phrases anymore.

   2014, Trevor Joy, Spence Shelton, The People of God: Empowering the Church to Make Disciples

   But the very act of “seeing” for anyone—both those within and beyond the fold of Christian communions—is possible only as a gospel being gospeled anew in and through the most pertinent issues of their particular contexts.

   2021, Sarosh Koshy, Beyond Missio Dei, page 339

plural Gospels

1. alternativeChristianityAlternative form of gospel.