Angels

Angels are created beings who live in heaven and whose purpose is to be messengers of God.

In the story of Jesus, the angel Gabriel came to Mary, the mother of Jesus, to foretell Jesus' birth, and to Zacharias, the father of John the Baptist, to predict John's birth Luke 1: 11-39).

An angel also came to Joseph while he and Mary were still engaged, to reassure him that her pregnancy was a result of the Holy Spirit, and that Joseph should still marry Mary (Matthew 1: 18-25).

They also appeared to the shepherds when Jesus was born (Luke 2: 8-15), ministered to Jesus after he went through 40 days of being tempted by Satan (Matthew 4: 11), and announced his resurrection (Matthew 28: 1-8).

Some angels chose to follow Satan instead of God and became demons.

Angels are sometimes depicted as children, here famously by the Italian painter Raphael.

Angels are also depicted as adults, usually women, as in this painting by Dutch painter Rembrandt in which an Angel stops Abraham from sacrificing Isaac.