gospel

gospel — noun

1. Each of the four opening volumes of the New Testament—Matthew, Mark, Luke, and J

1.nounB1
Definition

Each of the four opening volumes of the New Testament—Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John—that tell the story of Jesus from his birth to his death and what he taught.

Example

The Gospel of Mark is the shortest of the four books and was written first.

the Gospel of + name (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John)

Ryo compared the way each Gospel describes the same event in Jesus's life.

the Gospels (plural, referring to all four)

Common collocations
  • Gospel of Matthew
  • the four Gospels
  • Gospel reading
  • the Gospel according to Mark
Synonyms
  • scripture

    broader term covering all sacred writings of a religion, not limited to the four Gospels

  • testament

    refers to the full Old or New Testament, not just the four Gospels

Grammar Patterns

the Gospel of + name (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John)

Usage Note

When referring to the four books as a group, native speakers often say 'the Gospels' (plural, capitalised). When referring to a specific book, the pattern is 'the Gospel of [Name]' — for example, 'the Gospel of John.'

Common Mistakes

The Gospel of Matthew is one of the Gospel.
The Gospel of Matthew is one of the Gospels.
'Gospel' as a countable noun referring to a book needs a plural form when speaking of all four.

2. The Christian message of salvation, hope, and forgiveness, based on the life and

2.nounB1
Definition

The Christian message of salvation, hope, and forgiveness, based on the life and teachings of Jesus and shared through preaching.

Example

Missionaries travelled across Asia to spread the gospel to remote villages.

spread the gospel

The pastor's sermon focused on the gospel of peace and reconciliation.

the gospel of + noun

Common collocations
  • spread the gospel
  • preach the gospel
  • the gospel of peace
  • the gospel message
Synonyms
  • scripture

    broader — all sacred writings, not just the Christian salvation message

  • creed

    a formal statement of beliefs, more structured and less personal than 'gospel'

Grammar Patterns

the gospel

the gospel of + noun

Usage Note

This sense is usually uncountable and takes 'the.' It is the original meaning of the word in English and is the most frequent sense in religious contexts.

Common Mistakes

He preached the gospel of Matthew to the crowd.
He preached the gospel to the crowd.
When referring to the Christian message (sense 2), do not add a book name after it. Adding a book name shifts the meaning to sense 1.

3. A statement or piece of information that is believed to be completely true and i

3.nounB2
Definition

A statement or piece of information that is believed to be completely true and is not questioned or examined.

Example

My grandfather took the old family stories as gospel and never doubted a single detail.

take + [something] + as gospel

Fans treat the coach's comments on the game as gospel, repeating them endlessly.

treat + [something] + as gospel

Common collocations
  • take as gospel
  • accept as gospel
  • treat as gospel
  • as gospel
Synonyms
  • dogma

    more rigid and often tied to institutional religion; 'gospel' in this sense is informal

  • fact

    objective and verifiable, while 'gospel' implies belief without verification

Antonyms
  • rumour

    unverified information; the opposite of something accepted as certain

Grammar Patterns

take + object + as gospel

accept + object + as gospel

Usage Note

This sense appears almost exclusively in fixed expressions like 'take something as gospel,' 'accept something as gospel,' or 'treat something as gospel.' It is informal and carries the suggestion that the belief is naive or unquestioning.

Common Mistakes

I take this fact as gospel truth.
I take this fact as gospel.
Adding 'truth' is redundant since 'gospel' already implies absolute truth in this sense.

4. An African-American church tradition of singing about faith, marked by strong vo

4.nounB1
Definition

An African-American church tradition of singing about faith, marked by strong voices, lively rhythms, and deep feeling.

Example

The choir sang a moving gospel song that brought the audience to tears.

gospel song

Gospel music greatly influenced the development of soul, blues, and rock and roll.

Gospel music

Common collocations
  • gospel music
  • gospel choir
  • gospel singer
  • gospel song
  • gospel tradition
Synonyms
  • spiritual

    an earlier African-American religious folk song, less structured than gospel

Grammar Patterns

gospel + noun

Usage Note

This sense is uncountable ('I love gospel'), but it also frequently functions as a modifier before nouns — 'gospel choir,' 'gospel singer,' 'gospel tradition.' It is a distinct genre from traditional hymns or contemporary Christian music.

Common Mistakes

She sang a gospel at church.
She sang a gospel song at church.
'Gospel' as a music style is uncountable; use 'gospel song' or 'gospel music' for countable references.

5. A set of guiding beliefs or principles that a person or group considers extremel

5.nounC1
Definition

A set of guiding beliefs or principles that a person or group considers extremely important and tries to promote or follow.

Example

The politician preached the gospel of free trade at every campaign rally.

preach the gospel of + [principle]

For years Otis spread the gospel of healthy eating and daily exercise among his colleagues.

spread the gospel of + [idea]

Common collocations
  • the gospel of free trade
  • the gospel of efficiency
  • preach the gospel of
  • spread the gospel of
Synonyms
  • doctrine

    more formal and institutional; 'gospel' in this sense carries more personal passion

  • creed

    more structured and often written; 'gospel' implies active promotion

  • ideology

    broader and more political; 'gospel' suggests near-religious devotion

Grammar Patterns

a/the gospel of + noun (idea or principle)

Usage Note

This sense is a secular extension of the religious meaning. It is used metaphorically, often in a slightly critical tone, to describe a strongly held belief system. The pattern 'the gospel of [idea]' is the most common structure.

Idioms

take something as gospel

idiom

To believe that a statement or claim is completely true without questioning or verifying it.

Many people take the claims in that documentary as gospel, even though several important facts are wrong.

Asher's students took his every word as gospel and never dared to challenge his views.

gospel truth

idiom

Something that is said with absolute certainty, as if it were beyond question.

Noor told us the story as if it were the gospel truth, but we later learned she had invented most of it.

When the mechanic says the car needs a new engine, you cannot assume it is gospel truth.

gospel — adjective

Word family

  • evangelist
    nounC1
  • evangelical
    adjectiveC1
  • evangelism
    nounC1
  • evangelize
    verbC2
  • gospeller
    nounC2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/2

These four words all relate to religious teachings, but they differ in scope and use. Gospel refers specifically to the Christian message of salvation through Jesus, or to the four biblical books that record his life — it is the most personal and kerygmatic (proclamation-focused) of the four. Scripture is a broader term that covers any sacred writings of a religion, not just Christianity: the Bible, the Qur'an, and the Vedas are all scriptures. Doctrine is more formal and systematic, referring to a body of beliefs officially taught by a church or institution — it can feel abstract and institutional compared to the personal appeal of the gospel. Creed is the most structured of the four — a short, fixed statement of shared beliefs that believers recite together. A Christian might say 'I believe the gospel,' recite the Nicene Creed in church, study the scriptures, and accept church doctrine on a particular matter. Each word occupies a distinct layer of religious language, from the personal (gospel) to the institutional (doctrine).

gospel ↗scripture ↗doctrine ↗creed

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • spread the gospel
  • preach the gospel
  • take as gospel
  • gospel of [idea]
  • according to the Gospel of

Prepositions

Etymology

GreekLatinOld EnglishEnglish

Old English godspel comes from gōd (good) + spel (news, story). It was a direct translation of the Latin 'bona annuntiatio,' which itself rendered the Greek 'euangelion' — literally 'good news.' The word originally referred to the Christian message of salvation, and by the late Old English period it was being used for the four books that contain that message. The informal sense of 'absolute truth' emerged in the early 1800s.