Meanings
plural agrapha
- Any of the sayings of Jesus found in various ancient texts but not in the four Gospels.
The agrapha, or noncanonical sayings attributed to Jesus, are probably less reliable than the non-Christian sources on the life of Jesus.
2004, Michael J. McClymond, Familiar Stranger: An Introduction to Jesus of Nazareth, →ISBN, page 302 more examples
If Crossan is correct, then Jesus Research cannot make genuine and meaningful progress apart from careful study of the agrapha and apocryphal gospels. If Meier is correct, then the potential contribution of the agrapha and apocryphal gospels to Jesus Research is limited.
1998, Bruce David Chilton, Craig Alan Evans, Studying the Historical Jesus, →ISBN, page 483Hofius further concludes that the evidence of the agrapha militates against the view that the early church freely invented dominical sayings.
2004, Craig A. Evans, The Historical Jesus - Volume 4, →ISBN, page 219Synonyms: logion
Synonyms & antonyms
nounAny of the sayings of Jesus found in various ancient texts but not in the four Gospels.
Origin
- Ancient Greekᾰ̓́γρᾰφον
- Englishagraphon
From Ancient Greek ᾰ̓́γρᾰφον (ắgrăphon), ᾰ̓́γρᾰφᾰ (ắgrăphă), inflection of ᾰ̓́γρᾰφος (ắgrăphos, “unwritten, not registered”).
More words from Ancient Greek
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Polish agrafa, agrafon
- agrafaTranslations
- agrafonTranslations
Rhymes & wordplay
Anagrams
Cite this entry
agraphon. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/agraphon
“agraphon.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/agraphon. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “agraphon,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/agraphon.
Source: agraphon on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.