G32 angelos (AHN-geh-los) — messenger: a heavenly angel or a human envoy. Context decides.
Word: ἄγγελος, plural ἄγγελοι · noun · Strong's G32
In brief
Angelos means "messenger." Sometimes the messenger is heavenly, an angel; sometimes human, someone sent with a message. In 1 Corinthians 11:10, a woman ought to have authority over her head "because of the angelous." Every major translation says "angels," but no one is sure what Paul meant, and readers are rarely told that "messengers" is also possible.
Where it appears
- 1 Corinthians 11:10 — the verse in question.
- Matthew 11:10 — John the Baptist is "my angelos," my messenger.
- Luke 7:24 — John sends angeloi, his messengers, to Jesus.
- Luke 9:52 — Jesus sends angeloi ahead to prepare a village.
- James 2:25 — Rahab welcomes the angeloi, the spies from Joshua.
- Galatians 4:14 — the Galatians received Paul "as an angelos of God."
- Revelation 2:1 — "to the angelos of the church in Ephesus," the first of seven letters to the churches.
What the lexicons say
Lexicons give two senses: a human messenger or envoy, and a supernatural messenger, an angel.
Where scholars disagree
Main readings of "because of the angels" in 1 Corinthians 11:10:
- Angels present at worship, who care about order in the gathering.
- Fallen angels, drawn to women as in Genesis 6:1–4. Tertullian read it this way.
- Human messengers, such as visitors or envoys from other churches, who would report on what they saw in the Corinthian gathering.
None of these readings requires "a symbol of" in the same verse. On every reading, Paul's statement is that the woman has exousia over her own head. The same word gets far more scrutiny elsewhere. Scholars have long debated whether the "angels" of the seven churches in Revelation 2–3 are heavenly beings or human messengers and leaders. 1 Corinthians 11:10 deserves the same question.
How translations render it
KJV, ESV, NIV, NRSV, and NASB all say "angels". This is a translation choice; none of them footnotes "messengers".
See for yourself
- Read Luke 7:24 and 9:52. How does the same word get translated there?
- Reread 1 Corinthians 11:10 with "messengers." Does the verse read differently to you?
- Read Revelation 2:1. Who do you think the angelos of a church is? Now ask the same question of 1 Corinthians 11:10.
Related words
exousia (G1849, authority) · apostolos (G652, one who is sent)