Andronicus Ἀνδρόνικος
Fellow prisoner with Paul, outstanding among the apostles
Who is Andronicus in the Bible?
Andronicus was a fellow prisoner and kinsman of Paul mentioned in Romans 16:7, where Paul greets him along with Junia as respected members of the early Christian community. He had been converted to Christianity before Paul's own conversion and, like Paul, endured imprisonment for his faith, though the specific circumstances and timing remain unknown. Paul describes Andronicus and Junia as "outstanding among the apostles," indicating they held a position of high regard and influence in the apostolic church at Rome. Their early conversion and willingness to suffer persecution demonstrate their significant role in establishing and strengthening the Christian faith during its formative period.
Biography
Andronicus is mentioned by Paul in his letter to the Romans as one of his fellow prisoners and kinsmen. Along with Junia, Andronicus is described as being "outstanding among the apostles" and having been "in Christ" before Paul himself. This suggests that Andronicus and Junia were well-known and respected members of the early Christian community, possibly having been converted to Christianity before Paul's own conversion. Paul's greeting to them in his letter indicates a close relationship and high regard for their faith and service in the gospel.
In Scripture
1 biblical book ; 1 with study contentRomans 1 verse
- Romans 16:7
"Greet Andronicus and Junia, my fellow countrymen and fellow prisoners. They are outstanding among the apostles, and they were in Christ before I was."
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Names & Aliases
| Form | Language | Script |
|---|---|---|
| Named | Greek | Ἀνδρόνικος |
Andronicus
4:32-38); generally distinguished from another officer of the same name, also under Antiochus (2 Macc 5:23).
(2) A kinsman of Paul, residing at Rome (Ro 16:7). He had been converted to Christianity before Paul, and, like Paul, had suffered imprisonment, although when and where can only be surmised. When he and Junias, another kinsman of Paul, are referred to as "of note among the apostles," this may be interpreted as either designating the high esteem in which they were held by the Twelve, or as reckoning them in the number of apostles. The latter is the sense, if "apostle" be understood here in the more general meaning, used in Ac 14:14 of Barnabas, in 2Co 8:23 of Titus, in Php 2:25 of Epaphroditus, and in the Didache of "the traveling evangelists or missionaries who preached the gospel from place to place" (Schaff, The Teaching of the Twelve Apostles, 67; see also Lightfoot on Philippians, 196). On this assumption, Andronicus was one of the most prominent and successful of the traveling missionaries of the early church.
H. E. Jacobs
a'-nem (`anem, "two springs"; Anam): Anem is mentioned with Ramoth among the cities of Issachar assigned to the priests, the sons of Gershom (1Ch 6:73). In the parallel list (<ref osi