How many archangels are in the bible: 3 key facts and essential guide

how many archangels are in the bible

Many readers ask how many archangels are in the bible because the answer is not as straightforward as you might expect. It depends on which biblical canon your tradition follows, what you mean by “in the Bible”, and whether you treat later, influential texts as part of the picture. This guide explains the key passages, the differences between Christian canons, and how tradition has shaped the familiar list of angelic names.

Understanding how many archangels are in the bible matters if you want to read Scripture carefully, appreciate how Jewish and Christian traditions evolved, or simply recognise why some churches speak about three archangels while others venerate seven or more. We will keep to biblical sources first, then show how later writings and church practice influence the numbers people quote today.

Quick answer: how many archangels are in the bible depends on the canon

Before diving into the details, here is the short version of how many archangels are in the bible across major Christian canons:

• Protestant Bible (66 books): Only Michael is explicitly called “the archangel” (Jude 9). The word archangel appears twice in total (Jude 9; 1 Thessalonians 4:16), but only Michael is named with that title. Strictly, that’s one archangel named in the text.
• Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox canons (which include Tobit): Michael, Gabriel and Raphael are all named angels in Scripture, but only Michael is explicitly called “archangel”. Tobit 12:15 identifies Raphael as “one of the seven angels who stand ready and enter before the glory of the Lord”, which underpins the traditional idea of seven archangels.
• Ethiopian Orthodox canon (which includes 1 Enoch): Several archangels are named in 1 Enoch (e.g., Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, Uriel, Raguel, Sariel, Remiel). Because 1 Enoch is canonical in the Ethiopian Church, many faithful in that tradition would answer how many archangels are in the bible with “seven”.

So, if you are asking how many archangels are in the bible in the narrowest sense—within the 66-book Protestant canon—the text explicitly names one archangel (Michael). In broader canons and in Christian tradition, the familiar list expands.

What “archangel” means and where the term appears

The word “archangel” comes from Greek (archangelos), meaning “chief” or “ruling” angel. In the Bible, the term itself is rare. It appears only twice in most English translations of the New Testament:

• Jude 9, which calls Michael “the archangel”.
• 1 Thessalonians 4:16, which refers to “the voice of an archangel” at the Lord’s return. The verse does not name that archangel.

Because the title archangel is used so sparingly, the question of how many archangels are in the bible is shaped less by a word count and more by how we read related passages about named angels and “the seven angels who stand before God” (Revelation 8:2; Tobit 12:15).

Key passages that shape the answer to how many archangels are in the bible

Hebrew Bible/Old Testament: Daniel

Two angelic figures feature prominently in Daniel: Michael and Gabriel. Daniel 10:13 calls Michael “one of the chief princes”, and Daniel 12:1 calls him “the great prince” who protects God’s people. Gabriel appears in Daniel 8–9, delivering visions and explanations. However, the Hebrew Bible does not use the word “archangel”; the language is “chief princes”. This matters when we ask how many archangels are in the bible, because some readers infer Michael’s senior role from Daniel, while others prefer to count only explicit New Testament uses of the word.

New Testament: Jude, Revelation, 1 Thessalonians

Jude 9 gives the clearest label: “Michael the archangel” disputing with the devil about the body of Moses. Revelation 12:7 depicts Michael leading the heavenly armies against the dragon, reinforcing his leadership. 1 Thessalonians 4:16 mentions “the voice of an archangel” at Christ’s coming but does not identify who. Revelation 8:2 mentions “the seven angels who stand before God,” a phrase that dovetails with Tobit 12:15 and helps explain later talk of seven archangels even though Revelation itself neither uses the term archangel nor lists names there.

Deuterocanonical books (Catholic and Orthodox Bibles): Tobit and 2 Esdras (4 Ezra)

In Tobit 12:15, Raphael identifies himself as “one of the seven angels who stand ready and enter before the glory of the Lord”. This line strongly supports the traditional idea that there are seven angelic leaders who minister in God’s presence. While Tobit does not use the word archangel, many readers class those seven as archangels by role. In some Orthodox and many historical Anglican Bibles, 2 Esdras (also known as 4 Ezra) features Uriel as a guiding angel who instructs Ezra—again, not explicitly called an archangel in the text, but treated as such in later tradition.

Non-canonical but influential: 1 Enoch

Outside most Western canons, the ancient Jewish work 1 Enoch lists seven archangels, usually named Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, Uriel, Raguel (or Reuel), Sariel (Saraqael), and Remiel (Jeremiel). While not canonical in Catholic and most Protestant traditions, 1 Enoch is part of the Ethiopian Orthodox canon and has influenced Christian angelology widely. If you want a concise overview, see this summary of the Book of Enoch, which explains how Enoch’s lists and stories shaped later ideas about the heavenly hierarchy.

Names and roles: the archangels people most often mean

When people ask how many archangels are in the bible, they often also want to know which names are historically associated with that answer. Here are the most familiar figures and what Scripture actually says about them.

Michael

Michael is the only angel explicitly called “archangel” in the Bible (Jude 9). He is portrayed as a protector of God’s people (Daniel 12:1) and commander of heavenly hosts (Revelation 12:7–9). For Protestants, if you are counting strictly, Michael alone settles the question of how many archangels are in the bible at one named archangel. For Catholics and Orthodox, Michael remains first among the archangels.

Gabriel

Gabriel is a messenger par excellence. He interprets visions in Daniel (8–9) and announces the births of John the Baptist and Jesus in Luke 1. The New Testament does not give Gabriel the title “archangel”, but later Christian tradition regularly accords him that rank. This is why some people casually say “three archangels in the Bible” (Michael, Gabriel, Raphael) even though the explicit title appears only for Michael.

Raphael

Raphael appears in the deuterocanonical book of Tobit, guiding Tobias and healing Tobit’s blindness. Crucially, he says, “I am Raphael, one of the seven angels who stand ready and enter before the glory of the Lord” (Tobit 12:15). From this, many infer that Raphael is one of seven archangels. Catholic and Orthodox churches celebrate Raphael as an archangel, together with Michael and Gabriel.

Uriel and the wider traditional list

Uriel is not named in the 66-book Protestant canon, but he features in 2 Esdras (4 Ezra) and in 1 Enoch. In many Eastern traditions he is honoured as an archangel. Some Orthodox lists include seven or eight names—often Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, Uriel, Selaphiel, Jegudiel, Barachiel, and sometimes Jeremiel (Remiel). Catholic practice, especially after the eighth century, has preferred to restrict public devotion to the three biblically named angels. For a broader perspective on why different churches vary, see our overview of differences between Orthodox and Catholic traditions.

So, how many archangels are in the bible across major Christian canons?

Here is a consolidated view to help you answer how many archangels are in the bible for your context:

• Protestant canons: One named archangel (Michael). Gabriel is named, but never called “archangel” in the text; Raphael and Uriel do not appear in the canon.
• Catholic canons: Three named angels central to liturgy and devotion (Michael, Gabriel, Raphael). Only Michael is explicitly called “archangel” in Scripture; Raphael’s “one of the seven” (Tobit 12:15) strongly implies a group of seven leading angels.
• Eastern Orthodox canons and tradition: Three named angels in the commonly shared books; Uriel appears in 2 Esdras (read in some traditions). Liturgical tradition venerates seven or eight archangels by name, drawing on apocryphal sources.
• Ethiopian Orthodox canon: Seven archangels explicitly named within canonical texts that include 1 Enoch.

In other words, if your question is how many archangels are in the bible strictly by the title “archangel” in the widely shared New Testament, the answer is “one, Michael”. If your question allows for the Catholic and Orthodox deuterocanonical book Tobit and the interpretive link to Revelation 8:2, many