From the Hebrew mal·ʼakhʹ and the Greek agʹge·los. Both words literally mean “messenger” but are rendered “angel” when referring to spirit messengers. (Ge 16:7; 32:3; Jas 2:25; Re 22:8) Angels are powerful spirit creatures, created by God long before the creation of mankind. They are also referred to in the Bible as “holy myriads,” “sons of God,” and “morning stars.” (De 33:2; Job 1:6; 38:7) They were not made with the ability to reproduce their own kind but were created individually. They number well over a hundred million. (Da 7:10) The Bible indicates that they have personal names and distinct personalities, yet they humbly refuse to receive worship, and most even avoid disclosing their names. (Ge 32:29; Lu 1:26; Re 22:8, 9) They have different ranks and are assigned a variety of roles, including serving before Jehovah’s throne, conveying his messages, intervening in behalf of Jehovah’s earthly servants, executing God’s judgments, and supporting the preaching of the good news. (2Ki 19:35; Ps 34:7; Lu 1:30, 31; Re 5:11; 14:6) In the future they will support Jesus in fighting the battle of Armageddon.​—Re 19:14, 15.