Pauline Letters
People in Acts and the Pauline letters
Profiles of people named or contextually referred to in Acts 7:58–28:31 and the thirteen Pauline letters, with references, identity limits and source-based claims.
Reader question
Who appears in Acts and the Pauline letters, and what can the sources establish about them?
People in Acts and the Pauline letters
Entries: 183
How to use this index
Every coordinate in Acts 7:58–28:31 and the thirteen-letter collection was reviewed against the pinned World English Bible source, including four coordinates without words in that source. Literal names and resolved titles, pronouns, descriptions, group references, speakers, addressees and recalled subjects remain distinct in the source audit. Unresolved references remain unassigned. Document and name-form partitions preserve the basis of each literary identification. References, attributed speech, allegations, household associations and conditional actions do not establish presence, travel, historical identity, event truth or independent corroboration. Scripture is cited by reference only.
Tychicus
Acts and four letters present Tychicus within the Paul network as a travel companion or messenger. Ephesians and Colossians give closely corresponding accounts of news and encouragement, Second Timothy reports a dispatch to Ephesus, and Titus names him as one possible messenger. These notices support a connected literary identification while retaining each account's distinct setting and kind of dispatch.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 5
- Contextual references
- 5
- Reference examples
- Acts 20:4; Ephesians 6:21; Colossians 4:7
Epaphras
Colossians recalls its recipients' learning from Epaphras and describes his service, prayer and concern for neighboring communities. Philemon presents him as a companion in imprisonment who sends greetings. Their overlapping named associates support a connected literary identification while each letter retains its own account. Epaphras remains separate from the Epaphroditus named in Philippians.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 3
- Contextual references
- 2
- Reference examples
- Colossians 1:7; Colossians 4:12; Philemon 1:23
Onesiphorus
Second Timothy recalls Onesiphorus's support during the speaker's imprisonment, his determined search in Rome, and help at Ephesus. It twice mentions his household, once in a petition and once in a closing greeting. These references support a portrait of practical loyalty within the letter's own account. They do not explicitly report his death. The household language and the request for future mercy cannot, by themselves, establish that he was already dead or connect him with a later martyr tradition.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 2
- Contextual references
- 2
- Reference examples
- 2 Timothy 1:16; 2 Timothy 4:19; 2 Timothy 1:17
Epaphroditus
Philippians presents Epaphroditus as a fellow worker and a representative of its recipients who had helped the speaker. It describes serious illness, recovery, and his being sent back, asking the community to welcome and honor him. Later, the letter acknowledges supplies received through him from the Philippians. Together these notices connect personal service, the delivery of support, and concern for his welfare. They do not identify him with other people called Epaphroditus or with Epaphras in Colossians and Philemon.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 2
- Contextual references
- 5
- Reference examples
- Philippians 2:25; Philippians 4:18; Philippians 2:26
Phoebe
Romans commends Phoebe to its recipients and connects her with the congregation at Cenchreae. It asks them to welcome her and provide the help she needs, recalling her assistance to many people, including the letter's speaker. The passage therefore gives Phoebe a substantial place in this network of support. It leaves the scope of her service designation open to interpretation and does not explicitly say that she carried Romans.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 1
- Contextual references
- 1
- Reference examples
- Romans 16:1; Romans 16:2
Junia (Romans 16:7)
Junia is greeted with Andronicus in Romans 16:7. The letter describes them through kinship and imprisonment and places their commitment to Christ before the speaker's. Their commendation in relation to the apostles has received different readings: Chrysostom includes the pair among apostles, while Albert Barnes favors their reputation with the apostles and conditionally allows a broader messenger sense. The verse does not describe their duties, identify them with the Twelve, or date their imprisonment.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 1
- Contextual references
- 0
- Reference examples
- Romans 16:7
- Source citations
- 2
Euodia
Euodia is addressed by name with Syntyche in Philippians' appeal for agreement. The next verse asks for help for women remembered as participants in the speaker's gospel work alongside Clement and other workers. Read in sequence, the appeal recalls valued work while seeking agreement. The passage gives no account of the underlying disagreement and assigns Euodia no formal office. Further details about her position in the congregation would need additional evidence.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 1
- Contextual references
- 1
- Reference examples
- Philippians 4:2; Philippians 4:3
Syntyche
Syntyche appears in Philippians 4:2 beside Euodia, where both receive a personal appeal to agree. The request for assistance in the following verse recalls women's participation in the speaker's gospel work with Clement and others; its immediate setting links that recollection to the named pair. The text preserves Syntyche's contribution without explaining the cause of the appeal or assigning her a specific office. It supplies no further biography beyond this short notice.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 1
- Contextual references
- 1
- Reference examples
- Philippians 4:2; Philippians 4:3
Zenas (Titus 3:13)
Zenas occurs once by name in the audited scope, in Titus 3:13. The letter identifies him by a legal designation and couples him with Apollos in a request for practical help with onward travel. This gives a textual role and a shared travel instruction, rather than a career history. The passage does not specify the kind of law involved, his destination, or a later church office. Claims about a later mission therefore need evidence beyond this reference.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 1
- Contextual references
- 0
- Reference examples
- Titus 3:13
Tertius (Romans 16:22)
Tertius appears in a first-person greeting within Romans 16:22, where he identifies himself as the person putting the letter into writing. This supplies a named participant's own short acknowledgement within Romans. It gives a textual connection with the letter's production without explaining how composition and writing were divided. It does not identify Tertius as a bishop or describe a martyrdom. Other identifications involving the name require evidence beyond this greeting.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 1
- Contextual references
- 0
- Reference examples
- Romans 16:22
Gallio
Acts places Gallio in the Corinthian episode as Achaia's proconsul. When opponents bring Paul before him, the narrative presents Gallio as declining to adjudicate their religious dispute. It also reports his lack of intervention when Sosthenes is beaten. These are observations about Acts' account, not an independent reconstruction of Gallio's career. The linked Roman official is a person distinct from the Delphi inscription. An external identifier does not independently verify the events narrated in Acts.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 3
- Contextual references
- 3
- Reference examples
- Acts 18:12; Acts 18:14; Acts 18:17
Felix
Felix appears in Acts as the governor receiving Paul in custody and hearing the accusations against him. The narrative describes a deferred decision, continued detention with some access for friends, and later conversations involving Paul and Felix's wife Drusilla. It attributes an expectation of money to Felix and says Paul remained imprisoned when Festus succeeded him. These reports do not independently establish Felix's biography, and the fuller Roman name supplied by the authority candidate is not a literal Acts alias.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 8
- Contextual references
- 27
- Reference examples
- Acts 23:24; Acts 23:26; Acts 24:3
Festus
Acts introduces Porcius Festus as Felix's successor and then uses Festus throughout Paul's custody hearings. It describes his handling of Paul's appeal to Caesar and his consultation with Agrippa before sending Paul onward. Festus also interrupts Paul's defence in the later audience. The narrative supplies a connected administrative episode, not an independently dated career. Its description of the charges and the participants' assessments must remain distinct from a formal acquittal or an external reconstruction of Roman procedure.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 13
- Contextual references
- 21
- Reference examples
- Acts 24:27; Acts 25:1; Acts 25:4
Sergius Paulus
Acts names Sergius Paulus once, at the Paphos encounter, describing him as the proconsul who calls for Barnabas and Saul. Later references in the episode use his office rather than repeating his name. The narrative associates Elymas's opposition and the proconsul's eventual belief with this encounter. These textual connections do not identify him with any similarly named inscriptional figure, establish a family history, or supply an independently verified date for his administration.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 1
- Contextual references
- 2
- Reference examples
- Acts 13:7; Acts 13:8; Acts 13:12
Herod (Acts 12)
Acts 12 calls this ruler Herod and portrays him as acting against the Jerusalem believers, ordering James's execution and Peter's detention. The chapter later moves to Caesarea, a dispute involving Tyre and Sidon, and a royal address followed by Herod's death in the narrative. The passage does not use the name Agrippa or an ordinal. Its proposed identification with Agrippa I remains separate from the later king Agrippa and from other Herod references.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 6
- Contextual references
- 5
- Reference examples
- Acts 12:1; Acts 12:6; Acts 12:11
Agrippa (Acts 25–26)
Acts introduces King Agrippa arriving with Bernice to visit Festus and later hearing Paul's defence. Paul's speech appeals to Agrippa's familiarity with Jewish customs and prophetic writings, while Agrippa's brief response has prompted differing interpretations. The narrative ends with Agrippa's assessment that Paul could have been released without the appeal to Caesar. This is a distinct textual cluster from the Herod of Acts 12. The entry uses a qualified identification with Agrippa II, without treating it as independent verification of the events narrated in Acts.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 12
- Contextual references
- 33
- Reference examples
- Acts 25:13; Acts 25:22; Acts 25:23
Bernice
Acts names Bernice alongside Agrippa when they arrive to visit Festus and when the later audience with Paul begins. It names her again as the gathering rises after Paul's defence. These notices establish her presence in the narrative's setting, but they do not give her a speech, explain her official role, or state her response to Paul. The linked external record uses the spelling Berenice; that metadata does not add family relationships to the Acts account.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 3
- Contextual references
- 2
- Reference examples
- Acts 25:13; Acts 25:23; Acts 26:30
Drusilla
Acts names Drusilla once, identifying her as Felix's wife and describing her as Jewish. She accompanies Felix when he sends for Paul and hears him speak about faith in Christ. The following account describes Felix's reaction and further meetings, but does not attribute those reactions or motives to Drusilla. This short notice does not establish her ancestry, age, later life, or identity with any other woman named Drusilla.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 1
- Contextual references
- 0
- Reference examples
- Acts 24:24
Gamaliel (Acts 22:3)
In Paul's speech in Acts 22, he names Gamaliel in recalling his education and strict training in ancestral law. This supplies a relationship within Paul's narrated self-presentation, rather than an independent account of the teacher's career. Acts 5 also names a Gamaliel, but that earlier passage falls outside this R2 incidence scope. Neither that possible identification nor a match to the historical authority candidate is accepted merely because the personal name is shared.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 1
- Contextual references
- 0
- Reference examples
- Acts 22:3
Ananias (high priest)
Acts names the high priest Ananias during Paul's appearance before the council, where he orders Paul struck. The ensuing exchange concerns the high priest's authority. Acts later names Ananias among the accusers arriving for the hearing before Felix, together with elders and Tertullus. This council and hearing cluster remains distinct from the Damascus Ananias and the earlier Ananias associated with Sapphira. The authority candidate's patronymic is not a literal name supplied by these Acts passages.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 2
- Contextual references
- 9
- Reference examples
- Acts 23:2; Acts 24:1; Acts 23:3
Achaicus
Achaicus is one of three visitors whose arrival brings joy in the closing instructions of First Corinthians. Named with Stephanas and Fortunatus, he is included in the letter's appreciation of their encouraging help. The recipients are asked to recognize people who serve in this way. His contribution appears through this shared visit and its effect on both the speaker and the community.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 1
- Contextual references
- 1
- Reference examples
- 1 Corinthians 16:17; 1 Corinthians 16:18
Amplias
Romans gives Amplias an individual greeting marked by personal affection and shared belonging to the Lord. The brief salutation appears within a longer sequence recognizing people among the letter's recipients. For Amplias, the emphasis is on the warmth of that connection. His name is accompanied by affection, rather than by a particular assignment or a description of an office.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 1
- Contextual references
- 0
- Reference examples
- Romans 16:8
Andronicus
Romans greets Andronicus together with Junia, connecting them with the speaker through kinship language and a recollection of imprisonment. The letter also places their Christian commitment before the speaker's own and commends their standing in relation to the apostles. The greeting combines remembered experience with public recognition. It does not specify their exact family relationship, the prison episode or the basis of the apostolic commendation.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 1
- Contextual references
- 0
- Reference examples
- Romans 16:7
Apelles
Apelles receives an individual greeting in Romans that commends his standing as a believer. The commendation is brief, focusing on recognition in Christ rather than recounting a particular achievement. A separate greeting to people associated with Aristobulus follows in the same verse. Apelles is thus singled out personally within a sequence that also recognizes groups of people.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 1
- Contextual references
- 0
- Reference examples
- Romans 16:10
Apphia
Apphia is named in Philemon's opening address, alongside Archippus and a congregation meeting in a house. The letter's appeal is therefore introduced before a wider circle than the principal addressee alone. Apphia receives a personal place in that opening greeting, while the address leaves her relationship to the household and to the other named recipients unstated.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 1
- Contextual references
- 1
- Reference examples
- Philemon 1:2; Philemon 1:3
Aristobulus
Romans names Aristobulus in a greeting to people associated with his household. The people receiving the salutation, rather than Aristobulus himself, are the focus of the line. His name helps identify that group within the letter's network of greetings. The wording leaves open his own religious allegiance and presence, as well as the exact relationship between him and those being greeted.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 1
- Contextual references
- 0
- Reference examples
- Romans 16:10
Artemas
Titus includes Artemas in a conditional plan to send either him or Tychicus to the recipient. Their mention prepares for the recipient's requested journey to join the speaker, who intends to spend the winter at Nicopolis. Artemas's role here is prospective: the instruction sets out alternatives, rather than announcing which man was actually sent or describing a completed journey.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 1
- Contextual references
- 0
- Reference examples
- Titus 3:12
Asyncritus
Asyncritus is included in Romans alongside Phlegon, Hermas, Patrobas and Hermes, followed by a greeting to the believers with them. The salutation recognizes the named people within a shared circle rather than assigning each a separate task. Asyncritus's place in the passage is as one of these acknowledged recipients, whose companions also share in the letter's greeting.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 1
- Contextual references
- 0
- Reference examples
- Romans 16:14
Carpus
Carpus is named in Second Timothy's request to recover a cloak left at Troas. The speaker asks Timothy to bring that garment and also requests books, giving particular priority to parchments. Carpus serves as the personal point of reference for the cloak's location. These practical details sit within the letter's closing instructions, placing a personal name beside the recovery of possessions.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 1
- Contextual references
- 0
- Reference examples
- 2 Timothy 4:13
Chloe
First Corinthians names Chloe as the point of connection for people who reported quarrels among the recipients. Their report introduces the letter's discussion of divisions and competing loyalties within the community. Chloe's name identifies the circle through which the information reached the speaker. The letter credits those associated with her, rather than describing a report delivered by Chloe herself.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 1
- Contextual references
- 0
- Reference examples
- 1 Corinthians 1:11
Claudia
Claudia is among the people sending greetings near the end of Second Timothy. She is named with Eubulus, Pudens and Linus, before a wider greeting from the community. The notice accompanies an urgent request for Timothy to arrive before winter. Claudia contributes to that closing circle of greetings, without a separate task, title or speech being assigned to her.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 1
- Contextual references
- 0
- Reference examples
- 2 Timothy 4:21
Clement (Philippians 4:3)
Philippians names Clement while asking for help for women who had shared the speaker's work for the gospel. He is included with other coworkers in the same recollection, and the letter pictures those coworkers as belonging to the book of life. Clement's recognition comes within an appeal for mutual help: shared labour and the community's care for its members belong together in this passage.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 1
- Contextual references
- 0
- Reference examples
- Philippians 4:3
Crescens
Second Timothy mentions Crescens in a brief account of people's movements, associating his departure with Galatia. His name comes after the description of Demas's departure and before Titus's different destination. The sentence distinguishes these travellers and their places. Crescens is not given the motive assigned to Demas, so the travel notice carries a different emphasis from the complaint that immediately precedes it.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 1
- Contextual references
- 0
- Reference examples
- 2 Timothy 4:10
Epaenetus
Epaenetus receives a warm personal greeting in Romans. The letter singles him out through a harvest image linking him with the beginnings of Christian belief in Achaia. That description gives him a distinctive place among the names in the greeting list: he is remembered with affection and associated with the region's early response to Christ.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 1
- Contextual references
- 0
- Reference examples
- Romans 16:5
Eubulus
Eubulus appears first among the named people who send greetings in Second Timothy. Pudens, Linus and Claudia follow him, and the message then includes the wider circle of believers. These greetings appear beside the request for Timothy to come before winter, giving the letter's closing appeal a communal setting. Eubulus's contribution here is the greeting itself.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 1
- Contextual references
- 0
- Reference examples
- 2 Timothy 4:21
Eunice
Second Timothy remembers Eunice as Timothy's mother and associates her with the sincere faith also recalled in his grandmother Lois. The speaker expresses confidence that this faith is present in Timothy as well. Eunice's significance in this passage lies in that family setting of remembered belief, where the encouragement offered to Timothy draws on the faith of people close to him.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 1
- Contextual references
- 0
- Reference examples
- 2 Timothy 1:5
Fortunatus
Fortunatus appears in First Corinthians as a welcomed visitor with Stephanas and Achaicus. The letter values the encouragement brought by their arrival and asks its recipients to recognize people of this kind. Fortunatus is remembered through that shared contribution: the visit benefits both the speaker and the recipients, connecting personal appreciation with the community's recognition of helpful service.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 1
- Contextual references
- 1
- Reference examples
- 1 Corinthians 16:17; 1 Corinthians 16:18
Hermas (Romans 16:14)
Hermas receives a greeting in Romans within a group that includes Asyncritus, Phlegon, Patrobas and Hermes, as well as the believers with them. His name appears separately from Hermes in the same list. The passage recognizes these people together, placing Hermas within a circle of recipients and companions rather than introducing an individual teaching role or a written work.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 1
- Contextual references
- 0
- Reference examples
- Romans 16:14
Hermes (Romans 16:14)
Hermes is one of the people greeted in Romans with Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermas and Patrobas. The greeting also extends to believers associated with this named group. Hermes and Hermas occupy separate places in the list, preserving a distinction between two similar names. Hermes's role in this passage is as a recognized member of that wider circle of recipients.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 1
- Contextual references
- 0
- Reference examples
- Romans 16:14
Hermogenes
Second Timothy names Hermogenes with Phygelus in a complaint that people in Asia have turned away from the speaker. The mention belongs to a passage contrasting withdrawal with the support recalled of Onesiphorus. Hermogenes is therefore presented within the letter's account of a strained network of loyalty, but no particular occasion or explanation of his motives is described.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 1
- Contextual references
- 0
- Reference examples
- 2 Timothy 1:15
Herodion
Herodion receives a personal greeting in Romans, accompanied by the speaker's description of him as a kinsman. His mention stands beside greetings to people associated with Narcissus's household, but the two greetings have different subjects. The kinship wording marks a connection with the speaker without identifying a parent, sibling or other precise family relationship for Herodion.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 1
- Contextual references
- 0
- Reference examples
- Romans 16:11
Julia
Julia is named among the people greeted together near the close of Romans. The verse includes Philologus, Nereus and his sister, Olympas and the believers associated with them. Julia's place in this greeting shows inclusion in the addressed network. Being named beside Philologus does not by itself describe their relationship as a marriage or assign either person a leadership role.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 1
- Contextual references
- 0
- Reference examples
- Romans 16:15
Linus (2 Timothy 4:21)
Linus appears among the people sending greetings near the end of Second Timothy. His name stands with Eubulus, Pudens and Claudia, followed by a wider greeting from fellow believers. The greetings share a verse with the request that the recipient come before winter. Linus belongs to this network of communication without receiving a separate task or office in the passage.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 1
- Contextual references
- 0
- Reference examples
- 2 Timothy 4:21
Narcissus (Romans 16:11)
Narcissus appears as the name associated with a household in Romans' closing greetings. The greeting is directed to people of that household who belong to the Lord, rather than directly to Narcissus. His name helps identify the group being addressed. The wording leaves open his own beliefs, whether he was present and what precise relationship he had to the household at the time.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 1
- Contextual references
- 0
- Reference examples
- Romans 16:11
Nereus
Nereus is greeted in Romans together with his sister, whose name is not given. Their greeting appears in a list that also includes Philologus, Julia, Olympas and believers associated with them. The explicit sibling reference provides one personal detail beyond Nereus's name. It does not identify his sister with another named person in the verse or describe their later lives.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 1
- Contextual references
- 0
- Reference examples
- Romans 16:15
Nymphas
Colossians greets Nymphas alongside believers in Laodicea and an assembly meeting in a house associated with Nymphas. The reference places a personal name beside the practical setting of a gathered community. Nymphas is therefore connected with this household assembly, while the letter gives no separate account of its organization or the person's office. The source's name form is retained without resolving textual questions about gender.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 1
- Contextual references
- 0
- Reference examples
- Colossians 4:15
Olympas
Olympas is one of the people greeted by name near the close of Romans. The greeting also includes Philologus, Julia, Nereus and Nereus's sister, before extending to believers with them. Olympas is thus named within a shared circle of recipients rather than through a separate account of work or travel. The passage presents communal recognition without explaining how that circle was organized.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 1
- Contextual references
- 0
- Reference examples
- Romans 16:15
Patrobas
Patrobas appears in Romans among several named recipients greeted together with the believers around them. Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes and Hermas are named in the same verse. The salutation places Patrobas within a recognizable group without assigning an individual task. Its collective wording highlights connection among the recipients while leaving their household arrangements and the structure of their gathering undescribed.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 1
- Contextual references
- 0
- Reference examples
- Romans 16:14
Persis
Persis receives an affectionate greeting in Romans and is commended for substantial work in the Lord. This greeting follows the paired recognition of Tryphaena and Tryphosa, but Persis is addressed separately with emphasis on the extent of the labor. The verse values this contribution without naming a particular assignment. The personal name does not itself establish a birthplace, ethnicity or later career.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 1
- Contextual references
- 0
- Reference examples
- Romans 16:12
Philetus
Philetus is named with Hymenaeus in Second Timothy's warning about destructive teaching. The following verse attributes to these men the claim that resurrection has already occurred and says that their teaching unsettles some people's faith. Philetus appears through the letter's criticism, rather than through an account of his own explanation. The passage provides a specific disputed teaching without giving a full biography or a later outcome.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 1
- Contextual references
- 1
- Reference examples
- 2 Timothy 2:17; 2 Timothy 2:18
Phlegon
Phlegon is included in a collective greeting in Romans alongside Asyncritus, Hermes, Patrobas and Hermas. The greeting also reaches the believers with them, placing the named people within a wider circle. Phlegon's contribution is not separately described. The verse records recognition and association, leaving open whether the people shared a household, a meeting place or some other form of connection.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 1
- Contextual references
- 0
- Reference examples
- Romans 16:14
Phygelus
Phygelus appears with Hermogenes in Second Timothy's complaint that people in Asia have turned away from the speaker. The passage then recalls the contrasting support of Onesiphorus. Phygelus is thus named within an account of broken support and loyalty, but the letter does not describe an encounter or give his explanation. Withdrawal from the speaker is not explicitly equated with abandoning the Christian faith.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 1
- Contextual references
- 0
- Reference examples
- 2 Timothy 1:15
Pudens (2 Timothy 4:21)
Pudens sends greetings in the closing section of Second Timothy, appearing with Eubulus, Linus and Claudia before the wider group of fellow believers. The same verse urges the recipient to arrive before winter. Pudens's part in the verse is the sending of greetings, not the travel request. The mention connects him with the letter's closing network without assigning a household, marriage or office.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 1
- Contextual references
- 0
- Reference examples
- 2 Timothy 4:21
Quartus
Quartus sends greetings at the close of Romans and is described as a brother. His greeting follows those of Gaius and Erastus in the same verse, but no role like theirs is attached to his name. The salutation presents him through shared community belonging rather than an occupation. The brother designation does not specify a biological relationship to another named person.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 1
- Contextual references
- 0
- Reference examples
- Romans 16:23
Rufus (Romans 16:13)
Rufus receives a greeting in Romans marked by a commendation of his standing in the Lord. The greeting also includes his mother, whom the speaker acknowledges in maternal terms as well. The verse therefore combines recognition of Rufus with a personal connection to his mother. It gives no separate account of their earlier lives and does not identify Rufus with a namesake in another biblical book.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 1
- Contextual references
- 0
- Reference examples
- Romans 16:13
Stachys
Stachys receives an affectionate personal greeting in Romans. His name appears in the same verse as Urbanus, but the descriptions differ: Urbanus is recognized as a coworker, while Stachys is addressed with personal warmth. The neighboring greetings show both kinds of recognition within the letter's network. They do not transfer Urbanus's work designation to Stachys or explain how the two knew one another.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 1
- Contextual references
- 0
- Reference examples
- Romans 16:9
Stephanas
Stephanas appears in First Corinthians both through references to his household and as one of three welcomed visitors. The household is recalled in connection with baptism, its early place in Achaia's Christian community and service to believers; Stephanas later arrives with Fortunatus and Achaicus, bringing encouragement. The letter commends service and calls for recognition of those who provide it. The household references and the visit describe related but distinct subjects within this account.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 3
- Contextual references
- 1
- Reference examples
- 1 Corinthians 1:16; 1 Corinthians 16:15; 1 Corinthians 16:17
Tryphaena
Tryphaena is greeted together with Tryphosa in Romans and commended for labor in the Lord. The paired greeting stands before a separate commendation of Persis's extensive work. Tryphaena's recognition is therefore tied to contribution within the community, while the nature of that work remains undescribed. The closeness of the two names does not establish that Tryphaena and Tryphosa were relatives or held the same office.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 1
- Contextual references
- 0
- Reference examples
- Romans 16:12
Tryphosa
Tryphosa receives a greeting in Romans with Tryphaena, both recognized for their work in the Lord. The verse then turns to Persis with a separate expression of affection and appreciation for much labor. Tryphosa belongs to this public recognition of service, but the greeting does not distinguish an individual assignment. Being named as a pair does not determine a family relationship or a shared institutional position.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 1
- Contextual references
- 0
- Reference examples
- Romans 16:12
Urbanus
Urbanus is greeted in Romans as a fellow worker in Christ. The same verse greets Stachys with an expression of personal affection, giving each person a distinct commendation. Urbanus's designation places shared Christian work at the center of his recognition. The letter does not describe the work's particular location or task, so the relationship should not be expanded into an unreported journey or a specific church office.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 1
- Contextual references
- 0
- Reference examples
- Romans 16:9
Abraham
Abraham appears as a shared ancestor and a central example of faith in Acts, Romans, Second Corinthians and Galatians. Romans and Galatians develop arguments about promise, inheritance and belonging through their readings of his story. Galatians also turns to his two sons in an allegory about enslavement and freedom. These uses move between ancestry, remembered trust and theological family language, rather than offering a continuous account of Abraham's life.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 21
- Contextual references
- 8
- Reference examples
- Acts 13:26; Romans 4:1; Romans 4:2
Adam
Romans and First Corinthians use Adam as the first human in comparisons involving sin, death and Christ's life-giving work. First Timothy recalls Adam together with Eve when developing its instructions about teaching. The passages share the creation-story figure while giving him different argumentative roles. In First Corinthians, the later use of Adam's name for Christ belongs to the comparison and must remain distinct from the first human.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 5
- Contextual references
- 8
- Reference examples
- Romans 5:14; 1 Corinthians 15:22; 1 Corinthians 15:45
David
David appears in Acts as the king who follows Saul and as Jesse's son. Acts contrasts his death with the resurrection proclaimed about Jesus, while Romans and Second Timothy connect Jesus with David's lineage. Acts and Romans also invoke David in scriptural quotations about restoration, blessing and judgment. David therefore functions both as a recalled royal ancestor and as a scriptural voice within these New Testament arguments.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 8
- Contextual references
- 4
- Reference examples
- Acts 13:22; Acts 13:34; Acts 13:36
Elijah
Romans recalls Elijah while arguing that God has not abandoned his people. The prophet's complaint about isolation and threats to his life is answered by the recollection of a larger faithful remnant. The letter then draws an analogy with its own time. Elijah's story serves this argument about preservation and grace: the feeling of being alone is placed beside a divine reply that widens the picture.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 1
- Contextual references
- 2
- Reference examples
- Romans 11:2; Romans 11:3; Romans 11:4
Esau
Esau appears in Romans in a scriptural contrast with Jacob, within an argument introduced through Rebekah's children. The passage stresses divine choice before the children have acted, placing calling and promise ahead of human achievement. Esau's name contributes to that contrast in the letter's reading of Israel's story. The discussion is selective, concentrating on election rather than retelling Esau's life.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 1
- Contextual references
- 2
- Reference examples
- Romans 9:13; Romans 9:11; Romans 9:12
Eve
Second Corinthians recalls Eve's deception as a warning about the recipients being drawn away from their commitment to Christ. First Timothy places Eve after Adam in its reading of creation and recalls deception while discussing teaching. The same creation-story figure serves different arguments in the two letters. Neither reference develops a full narrative of Eve's life; each concentrates on the relevance of the recalled episode to its immediate instruction.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 2
- Contextual references
- 1
- Reference examples
- 2 Corinthians 11:3; 1 Timothy 2:13; 1 Timothy 2:14
Hagar
Galatians gives Hagar a role in its allegory of two mothers and two covenants. The letter recalls Abraham's household and uses the contrast between enslavement and freedom to address its recipients' identity. Hagar's association with Sinai and the earthly Jerusalem belongs to that symbolic argument. The geography expresses a correspondence within the allegory, rather than an account of Hagar travelling between those places.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 1
- Contextual references
- 4
- Reference examples
- Galatians 4:24; Galatians 4:22; Galatians 4:23
Isaac
Romans recalls Isaac when distinguishing the line of promise within Abraham's family and when introducing Rebekah's children. Galatians uses Isaac as the comparison for its recipients' belonging through promise. The two letters therefore invoke the same ancestral figure for arguments about inheritance, divine calling and community. The emphasis rests on how the family story is read, rather than on a continuous account of Isaac's life.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 3
- Contextual references
- 5
- Reference examples
- Romans 9:7; Romans 9:10; Galatians 4:28
Isaiah
Isaiah appears in Acts as the prophet whose words an Ethiopian traveller is reading and whom Paul later cites. Romans likewise invokes Isaiah in arguments about Israel, response to the good news and hope for the nations. These references present Isaiah as a scriptural authority. The reading scenes and citation formulas concern prophetic words being interpreted, rather than Isaiah's physical presence among the New Testament participants.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 8
- Contextual references
- 3
- Reference examples
- Acts 8:28; Acts 8:30; Acts 28:25
Jacob
Jacob appears on the favoured side of a scriptural contrast with Esau in Romans. The passage returns to Rebekah's children and explains that divine choice precedes their actions. The ancestral pair serves an argument about God's calling and promise. Jacob's place here is in the letter's reading of Israel's story, rather than in a retelling of his travels or family conflicts.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 1
- Contextual references
- 2
- Reference examples
- Romans 9:13; Romans 9:11; Romans 9:12
Jambres
Second Timothy names Jambres beside Jannes as men who opposed Moses. It uses the pair as a precedent for people who now resist the truth and predicts that current opponents will likewise be exposed. The force of the reference is the comparison: earlier resistance becomes a warning about the present, with the pair's eventual failure marking a limit to opposition.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 1
- Contextual references
- 1
- Reference examples
- 2 Timothy 3:8; 2 Timothy 3:9
Jannes
Jannes is paired with Jambres in Second Timothy's comparison between opposition to Moses and resistance to truth in the letter's own setting. The older pair's failure becomes an example for the predicted exposure of current opponents. Jannes functions in this warning as a figure whose resistance has limits, while the passage concentrates on the comparison rather than offering a separate narrative about him.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 1
- Contextual references
- 1
- Reference examples
- 2 Timothy 3:8; 2 Timothy 3:9
Jesse
Acts identifies Jesse as David's father within its retelling of Israel's royal history. Romans invokes Jesse again through a prophetic image of a ruler in whom the nations place their hope. His name therefore serves both a direct family identification and a genealogical image in a christological argument. These brief references concentrate on the Davidic line rather than on Jesse's own activities.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 2
- Contextual references
- 0
- Reference examples
- Acts 13:22; Romans 15:12
Kish
Acts mentions Kish within a summary of Israel's past, identifying Saul as his son. The line comes after the account of the judges and before David's appointment. Kish functions as a family identifier for the king in this brief retelling. The tribal affiliation and forty-year period belong to Saul's description, rather than to a separate account of Kish.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 1
- Contextual references
- 0
- Reference examples
- Acts 13:21
Moses
Moses is a recurring scriptural authority in Acts and several letters. His name appears in disputes about law and circumcision, in citations, and in explanations of the message about Jesus. First and Second Corinthians also draw on Israel's association with Moses and the account of his shining, veiled face. Romans and Second Timothy use him as a point of comparison, giving the same recalled figure several distinct argumentative roles.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 16
- Contextual references
- 0
- Reference examples
- Acts 13:39; Acts 15:1; Acts 15:5
Rebekah
Romans recalls Rebekah's conception by Isaac when developing its argument about divine choice. The message concerning her children is placed before their birth and before their actions, leading into the contrast between Jacob and Esau. Rebekah's role is as the mother receiving that word within the ancestral story. The letter concentrates on calling and promise rather than recounting her wider life.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 1
- Contextual references
- 1
- Reference examples
- Romans 9:10; Romans 9:12
Samuel
Samuel marks a transition in the speech recorded in Acts. He is identified as a prophet at the end of the period of judges, before the account moves to the people's request for a king and the appointment of Saul. His name helps locate the beginning of monarchy within this compact retelling of Israel's past. The notice emphasizes his prophetic role and place in the sequence.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 1
- Contextual references
- 0
- Reference examples
- Acts 13:20
Sarah
Romans names Sarah in recollections of Abraham’s trust and the promise of a son. Galatians does not use her name, but its contrast between Abraham’s two maternal lines and its reference to Isaac support recognizing the same scriptural mother behind its allusion. The letter develops this family contrast allegorically. These references identify the represented literary subject without treating the communities in the argument as Sarah herself or supplying independent confirmation of the remembered events.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 2
- Contextual references
- 4
- Reference examples
- Romans 4:19; Romans 9:9; Galatians 4:22
Saul (king)
Acts recalls Saul as the king given to the people after their request for one. The speech identifies him as Kish's son and associates him with Benjamin and a forty-year period, then moves to David's appointment. This is the earlier royal Saul within Israel's recalled past. He remains distinct from the travelling Saul who is also called Paul elsewhere in Acts.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 1
- Contextual references
- 1
- Reference examples
- Acts 13:21; Acts 13:22
Pontius Pilate (1 Timothy 6:13)
First Timothy recalls Jesus's confession in connection with Pontius Pilate while charging its recipient to remain faithful to the command. Pilate's name belongs to the recollected setting of Christ's example, rather than to the present scene of the correspondence. The passage draws its force from Jesus's witness and the recipient's responsibility; it does not reproduce the words of the confession or tell the surrounding trial narrative.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 1
- Contextual references
- 0
- Reference examples
- 1 Timothy 6:13
Aeneas
Aeneas appears in Acts during Peter's visit to Lydda. He is introduced as a man whose paralysis had kept him in bed for eight years. Peter addresses him, attributes his healing to Jesus Christ and tells him to rise. Aeneas immediately gets up, and the account connects what people see with a wider response to the Lord in Lydda and Sharon.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 2
- Contextual references
- 1
- Reference examples
- Acts 9:33; Acts 9:34; Acts 9:35
Agabus
Acts presents Agabus in two prophetic scenes. At Antioch, his warning about famine precedes the disciples' decision to provide relief for believers in Judea. Later, at Caesarea, he uses Paul's belt in a gesture warning of imprisonment at Jerusalem. The account treats both warnings as Spirit-directed. These scenes establish his narrated prophetic role without providing a continuous itinerary or a history of the intervening years.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 2
- Contextual references
- 2
- Reference examples
- Acts 11:28; Acts 21:10; Acts 11:27
Alexander (Acts 19:33)
Alexander appears during the disturbance at Ephesus after others have gathered in the theater. Acts describes Jews putting him forward and his attempt to gain the crowd's attention for a defense. The crowd's reaction to his Jewish identity prevents the account from recording such a speech. His brief appearance establishes a role in this episode without explaining his relationship to Paul or the purpose of his intended defense.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 1
- Contextual references
- 1
- Reference examples
- Acts 19:33; Acts 19:34
Alexander (First Timothy 1:20)
First Timothy names Alexander with Hymenaeus after warning Timothy about abandoning faith and conscience. The speaker describes a severe disciplinary response involving Satan and gives the response a corrective purpose concerning blasphemy. Alexander's role is confined to this warning. The passage supplies no occupation, location or account of the conduct behind the judgment, and it does not connect him with other people named Alexander.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 1
- Contextual references
- 1
- Reference examples
- 1 Timothy 1:20; 1 Timothy 1:19
Alexander (Second Timothy 4:14)
Second Timothy describes Alexander as a coppersmith and presents him as someone who seriously harmed the speaker. The recipient is warned to be cautious because Alexander opposed the speakers' message. The letter also expresses confidence that the Lord will respond to his actions. This passage reports hostility and a warning, without describing the harmful acts or identifying Alexander with namesakes in Acts or First Timothy.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 1
- Contextual references
- 1
- Reference examples
- 2 Timothy 4:14; 2 Timothy 4:15
Ananias (Damascus)
Ananias is introduced in Acts as a disciple at Damascus who receives instructions concerning Saul. Although he voices concern about Saul's earlier conduct, he goes to him and lays hands on him. Saul's sight is then restored. Paul's later account recalls Ananias's visit, describes his good standing among local Jews and repeats his instruction about baptism. The retelling connects these appearances without making them independent historical witnesses.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 5
- Contextual references
- 8
- Reference examples
- Acts 9:10; Acts 9:12; Acts 9:13
Blastus
Blastus is mentioned in Acts as a personal aide to the king during a dispute involving Tyre and Sidon. The people of those cities secure his friendship while seeking peace with Herod. The account connects their initiative with dependence on the king's country for food. Blastus's position explains his place in the approach to the ruler, but the text gives no separate account of his advice or actions.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 1
- Contextual references
- 0
- Reference examples
- Acts 12:20
Candace (Acts 8:27)
Candace is the designation attached in Acts to the queen of the Ethiopians whose treasury is entrusted to the official encountered by Philip. The queen enters the account through that description of the traveller's responsibilities. His journey to Jerusalem and his return provide the setting for the encounter, while the passage gives no corresponding journey, religious response or personal history for the queen herself.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 0
- Contextual references
- 1
- Reference examples
- Acts 8:27
Cornelius
Cornelius is introduced in Acts at Caesarea as a centurion associated with the Italian Regiment. The narrative describes his household's devotion and his own generosity and prayer. After a vision directs him to seek Peter, he sends messengers to Joppa. Cornelius later receives Peter with relatives and close friends gathered around him, giving the visit a wider audience than Cornelius alone.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 9
- Contextual references
- 36
- Reference examples
- Acts 10:1; Acts 10:3; Acts 10:7
Crispus (Acts and First Corinthians)
Acts names Crispus as a synagogue ruler in the Corinthian episode and reports belief involving him and his household. First Corinthians separately remembers a Crispus among the people baptized by its speaker. The shared name and Corinthian setting make comparison appropriate, but each passage retains its own contribution. This record keeps the proposed identification visible without treating the combined references as an independently established biography.
- Identification
- Identity comparison; the subjects are not merged
- Literal name references
- 2
- Contextual references
- 0
- Reference examples
- Acts 18:8; 1 Corinthians 1:14
Damaris
Damaris is named among people who respond positively after Paul's speech at Athens. Acts identifies her as a woman and includes her with Dionysius and other believers following a mixed reaction to the message. Her individual mention gives her a place in the account's response to the speech. The passage does not describe her occupation, family connections or any subsequent activity.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 1
- Contextual references
- 0
- Reference examples
- Acts 17:34
Demetrius (Acts 19)
Demetrius is introduced in Acts as a silversmith whose production of Artemis shrines provides business for craftsmen. He gathers workers and warns that Paul's teaching threatens both their trade and the goddess's standing. Later, the town clerk points Demetrius and the craftsmen toward legal channels. The account distinguishes Demetrius's economic and religious arguments from the clerk's response to the disturbance.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 2
- Contextual references
- 3
- Reference examples
- Acts 19:24; Acts 19:38; Acts 19:25
Dionysius (Acts 17:34)
Dionysius is identified in Acts with the designation Areopagite and is named among people who join Paul and believe after the Athenian speech. His response follows the account's description of mixed reactions to the message. Damaris and others are included alongside him. The brief notice recognizes Dionysius personally without narrating his earlier career, his precise public duties or his later activity.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 1
- Contextual references
- 0
- Reference examples
- Acts 17:34
Elymas / Bar Jesus
Acts introduces Bar Jesus at Paphos as a Jewish sorcerer and false prophet associated with the proconsul Sergius Paulus. The confrontation then uses the designation Elymas for the figure trying to turn the proconsul from the faith. Paul addresses him, and the narrative reports temporary blindness. These linked designations identify the figure within the episode without requiring a new etymology or a later biography.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 2
- Contextual references
- 4
- Reference examples
- Acts 13:6; Acts 13:8; Acts 13:7
Eutychus
Eutychus appears in the account of a nighttime gathering at Troas while Paul speaks at length. Acts describes the young man falling asleep at a window and falling from the third floor. He is initially described as taken up dead. After Paul's intervention, the narrative later describes him being brought in alive, and the people are comforted. These are the account's successive reports, rather than an independent medical explanation.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 1
- Contextual references
- 2
- Reference examples
- Acts 20:9; Acts 20:10; Acts 20:12
Herod the tetrarch (Acts 13:1)
Herod the tetrarch is mentioned in Acts through Manaen, one of the prophets and teachers named at Antioch. The passage identifies Manaen by a foster-brother connection with this Herod. Herod himself is not presented as a member of the Antioch group or as participating in its activity. The reference supplies a personal association and a ruling designation without naming a territory or recounting Herod's career.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 1
- Contextual references
- 0
- Reference examples
- Acts 13:1
Caesar (the appeal in Acts 25-28)
Caesar is the imperial designation used in Acts when Paul appeals beyond the hearing conducted by Festus. The appeal shapes the account's discussion of sending Paul onward and is recalled in later speeches. During the voyage, Paul also reports a message that he must appear before Caesar. These references concern the appeal's imperial addressee; they do not name that ruler personally or narrate a completed imperial hearing.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 0
- Contextual references
- 10
- Reference examples
- Acts 25:8; Acts 25:10; Acts 25:11
Caesar (the accusation in Acts 17:7)
Caesar appears as an imperial designation in the accusation brought before Thessalonica's city rulers. The accusers connect Jason's reception of the visitors with alleged disobedience to imperial decrees and with the proclamation of another king, Jesus. Acts then describes alarm and the taking of security. The reference reports the accusers' political framing; it does not identify the emperor personally or establish the accusation as a judicial finding.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 0
- Contextual references
- 1
- Reference examples
- Acts 17:7
Judah (Acts 9:11)
Judah is named in Acts through the house where Ananias is directed to inquire for Saul at Damascus. The street is identified as Straight, making the household reference part of the directions in the vision. Judah does not speak or act separately in this scene. The mention locates the requested visit without explaining Judah's relationship to Saul, his religious allegiance or his role in receiving him.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 1
- Contextual references
- 0
- Reference examples
- Acts 9:11
Judas called Barsabbas
Judas called Barsabbas is chosen with Silas to accompany Paul and Barnabas to Antioch after the Jerusalem deliberations. Acts presents the two as trusted messengers who can confirm the written communication orally. It also describes Judas and Silas as prophets whose words encourage the believers. Their service belongs to this mission, and the account later describes their peaceful dismissal without supplying Judas's subsequent career.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 3
- Contextual references
- 3
- Reference examples
- Acts 15:22; Acts 15:27; Acts 15:32
Archippus
Colossians asks that Archippus attend to the ministry he has received, while Philemon includes him among its addressees with an image of shared service. Their overlapping named community supports a connected literary identification. Each notice contributes its own description, without identifying a particular church office, establishing neglect or assigning Archippus ownership of the house mentioned in Philemon.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 2
- Contextual references
- 1
- Reference examples
- Colossians 4:17; Philemon 1:2; Philemon 1:3
Aretas
Aretas is named as a king in Second Corinthians' recollection of an escape from Damascus. The speaker describes a governor under Aretas attempting an arrest, followed by escape through an opening in the city wall. The king serves as the official's point of political reference. The passage does not state that Aretas personally ordered the arrest or explain the extent of his authority in Damascus.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 1
- Contextual references
- 0
- Reference examples
- 2 Corinthians 11:32
Aristarchus
Acts presents Aristarchus as a Macedonian and Thessalonian companion associated with the Ephesian disturbance and a voyage beside Paul. Colossians describes him as a fellow prisoner, and Philemon includes him among coworkers. The overlapping named associates support a connected literary identification while each account retains its own claims. The voyage does not itself identify Aristarchus as a prisoner.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 5
- Contextual references
- 31
- Reference examples
- Acts 19:29; Acts 20:4; Acts 27:2
Demas
Colossians and Philemon include Demas in greetings alongside Luke and other associates. Second Timothy also names Demas and Luke, reporting Demas's departure for Thessalonica while Luke remains with the speaker. These correspondences support a connected literary identification. The departure and its explanation remain the letter's account, without supplying a permanent apostasy, later restoration or a complete personal history.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 3
- Contextual references
- 0
- Reference examples
- Colossians 4:14; 2 Timothy 4:10; Philemon 1:24
Erastus (Acts 19:22)
Erastus is named with Timothy in Acts as one of two people sent into Macedonia while Paul remains in Asia. Their dispatch follows Paul's stated intention to travel through Macedonia and Achaia. Erastus is presented through this practical service to the mission, not through a civic title. The notice does not identify him with the Erastus greeted in Romans, the one mentioned in Second Timothy or a person named on an inscription.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 1
- Contextual references
- 0
- Reference examples
- Acts 19:22
Erastus (2 Timothy 4:20)
Second Timothy names Erastus in a short report that he remained at Corinth. The same verse gives a different location and circumstance for Trophimus, who was left ill at Miletus. Erastus's notice supplies a location within the letter's closing communications, without explaining why he stayed. It neither assigns him Trophimus's illness nor establishes his identity with the Erastus of Acts, Romans or an inscription.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 1
- Contextual references
- 0
- Reference examples
- 2 Timothy 4:20
Erastus (Romans 16:23)
Erastus sends greetings in Romans with a description of responsibility for the city's finances. His mention appears alongside Gaius's hospitality and Quartus's greeting, giving each person a different description. The civic role belongs to this Erastus within the letter's account. The verse does not name the city, specify the office's full legal duties or identify its holder with a similarly named person in another document or inscription.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 1
- Contextual references
- 0
- Reference examples
- Romans 16:23
Gaius (1 Corinthians 1:14)
First Corinthians recalls Gaius as one of the people Paul baptized, naming him alongside Crispus. The recollection belongs to an argument against divisions organized around prominent figures and against treating baptism as personal allegiance to Paul. Gaius is not assigned a leadership role in this discussion. The passage does not identify him with the host in Romans or with either Gaius in the Acts travel accounts.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 1
- Contextual references
- 0
- Reference examples
- 1 Corinthians 1:14
Gaius (Acts 19:29)
Acts names Gaius with Aristarchus among Paul's travel companions seized during the Ephesian disturbance. The two men are described as Macedonians and are taken into the theater as the city falls into confusion. This Gaius is presented through a dangerous episode in the mission narrative. The passage does not identify him with the Gaius associated with Derbe in the later travel list or with a Gaius in the letters.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 1
- Contextual references
- 1
- Reference examples
- Acts 19:29; Acts 19:37
Gaius (Acts 20:4)
Gaius appears in Acts' travel list with an association to Derbe. He is named among the companions accompanying Paul toward Asia, and the group then goes ahead to wait at Troas. The notice gives Gaius a place within a traveling party without describing an individual assignment. Its Derbe association is retained separately from the Macedonian Gaius in the earlier disturbance account.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 1
- Contextual references
- 2
- Reference examples
- Acts 20:4; Acts 20:5; Acts 20:6
Gaius (Romans 16:23)
Romans includes a greeting from Gaius and describes him as host both to the speaker and to the whole assembly. Hospitality is the personal contribution attached to his name in this verse. The description connects an individual with practical support for communal life, but it does not specify the building or identify the city. It also leaves his relationship to the other Gaius notices unestablished.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 1
- Contextual references
- 0
- Reference examples
- Romans 16:23
Hymenaeus (1 Timothy 1:20)
First Timothy names Hymenaeus with Alexander while warning about the abandonment of faith and a good conscience. The speaker describes a severe disciplinary action involving Satan and states a corrective purpose concerning blasphemy. Hymenaeus is presented through this judgment within the letter, not through his own account. The passage does not identify him with the Hymenaeus criticized for a resurrection teaching in Second Timothy.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 1
- Contextual references
- 1
- Reference examples
- 1 Timothy 1:20; 1 Timothy 1:19
Hymenaeus (2 Timothy 2:17)
Second Timothy names Hymenaeus with Philetus in a warning about destructive speech. The following verse attributes to the men a claim that resurrection has already occurred and says that this teaching undermines some people's faith. The notice identifies a criticized teaching and its alleged effect, without giving the men's full argument. It does not explicitly equate this Hymenaeus with the person disciplined in First Timothy.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 1
- Contextual references
- 1
- Reference examples
- 2 Timothy 2:17; 2 Timothy 2:18
Jason (Acts 17)
Jason is drawn into the Thessalonian conflict in Acts when a crowd attacks his house while seeking the missionaries. Jason and other believers are brought before the city authorities, where the accusers say he received the men and connect their message with a rival claim to kingship. The authorities obtain security and release them. This narrative subject remains distinct from the Jason sending greetings in Romans.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 4
- Contextual references
- 0
- Reference examples
- Acts 17:5; Acts 17:6; Acts 17:7
Jason (Romans 16:21)
Jason sends greetings in Romans alongside Timothy, Lucius and Sosipater. The verse describes Jason with the kinship language also attached to Lucius and Sosipater, while Timothy receives a coworker designation. Jason's notice places him within the letter's circle of greeting senders. It does not explain the degree of kinship or identify him with the Jason whose house becomes a focus of conflict in Acts.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 1
- Contextual references
- 0
- Reference examples
- Romans 16:21
Jesus called Justus (Colossians 4:11)
Colossians names a Jesus who is also called Justus among its greeting senders and coworkers. The passage places him with workers identified through circumcision and credits the group with bringing comfort to the speaker. The additional name distinguishes this person within the greeting. It does not identify him with Jesus Christ or with the Justus whose house appears in the Corinthian narrative of Acts.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 1
- Contextual references
- 0
- Reference examples
- Colossians 4:11
Lois
Lois is named as Timothy's grandmother in Second Timothy's recollection of sincere faith within his family. The letter places that faith first in Lois and in Timothy's mother Eunice before expressing confidence about Timothy himself. The notice emphasizes continuity of faith across generations. It does not narrate Lois's conversion, identify her husband or explicitly state that she was Eunice's mother.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 1
- Contextual references
- 0
- Reference examples
- 2 Timothy 1:5
Lucius of Cyrene
Acts names Lucius of Cyrene among the prophets and teachers in the Antioch assembly. He appears with Barnabas, Simeon, Manaen and Saul in the setting that leads into the commissioning of Barnabas and Saul. The group description places Lucius within the community's recognized ministry without separating his particular activity. The Cyrene association is retained without turning it into a birthplace claim or identifying him with Luke or the Lucius in Romans.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 1
- Contextual references
- 1
- Reference examples
- Acts 13:1; Acts 13:2
Lucius (Romans 16:21)
Lucius is one of the greeting senders near the close of Romans, named with Timothy, Jason and Sosipater. The verse associates Lucius, Jason and Sosipater with the speaker through kinship language. It supplies no separate work assignment or place of origin for Lucius. The shared personal name does not establish that he is the Lucius associated with Cyrene in Acts, and it does not make him Luke.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 1
- Contextual references
- 0
- Reference examples
- Romans 16:21
Lydia
Acts introduces Lydia as a seller of purple associated with Thyatira who listens to Paul at the Philippian prayer gathering. The narrative attributes her receptiveness to the Lord, then describes her household's baptism and her successful invitation to the travelers. After the prison episode, the missionaries return to Lydia's house and encourage believers there. These scenes show hospitality and community connection without establishing a formal church office or a complete account of her prior religious status.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 2
- Contextual references
- 1
- Reference examples
- Acts 16:14; Acts 16:40; Acts 16:15
Apollos (Acts)
Acts introduces Apollos as a Jewish speaker of Alexandrian background who arrives at Ephesus with strong knowledge of Scripture. Priscilla and Aquila give him further private instruction. He then receives encouragement for a journey to Achaia, where the narrative values his help and scriptural argument about Jesus. Acts subsequently places him at Corinth. His portrayal combines learning, instruction and public advocacy.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 2
- Contextual references
- 4
- Reference examples
- Acts 18:24; Acts 19:1; Acts 18:25
Apollos (1 Corinthians)
First Corinthians invokes Apollos in its criticism of competing personal loyalties, then presents his work alongside Paul's through an agricultural comparison. The letter also uses the two men as examples in teaching against pride. Near the close, the speaker reports urging Apollos to visit, while explaining that the visit has been postponed. These passages distinguish shared service from the rivalry attached to their names.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 7
- Contextual references
- 4
- Reference examples
- 1 Corinthians 1:12; 1 Corinthians 3:4; 1 Corinthians 3:5
Apollos (Titus 3:13)
Titus names Apollos together with Zenas in an instruction to provide for their onward journey. The request emphasizes prompt assistance and adequate supplies, then connects practical help with the community's learning to meet necessary needs. Apollos appears here as a traveller who should receive support. The passage gives no destination or completed itinerary, and assigns him no separate title in the instruction.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 1
- Contextual references
- 0
- Reference examples
- Titus 3:13
Aquila
Acts introduces Aquila as a Jewish man associated with Pontus, newly arrived from Italy alongside Priscilla, his wife. Paul stays and works with them, and the couple later helps instruct Apollos. Romans, First Corinthians and Second Timothy also name Aquila in greetings beside Prisca or Priscilla. Those letters recall shared work, personal risk and a household congregation, adding distinct views of this network of service.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 6
- Contextual references
- 4
- Reference examples
- Acts 18:2; Acts 18:18; Acts 18:26
Barnabas
Acts presents Barnabas as a bridge between Saul and other believers and as an important partner in the Antioch mission. It also recounts his later separation from Paul over John Mark. The letters recall Barnabas in discussions of missionary work, agreement and table fellowship, while Colossians names him in a family identification for Mark. These portrayals preserve several roles rather than reducing him to a single journey.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 27
- Contextual references
- 40
- Reference examples
- Acts 9:27; Acts 11:22; Acts 11:25
James (Jerusalem, Acts)
James appears in Acts as a person who should receive Peter's report after the prison escape, as a speaker in the Jerusalem discussion about Gentile believers, and as a participant in Paul's later meeting with the elders. These scenes give him a prominent place in the Jerusalem community. They do not supply the family identification attached to James in Galatians or recount the death of John's brother.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 3
- Contextual references
- 15
- Reference examples
- Acts 12:17; Acts 15:13; Acts 21:18
James (1 Corinthians 15:7)
First Corinthians names James in its sequence of appearances of the risen Christ. His place follows the report concerning a larger group and precedes the reference to all the apostles. The list contributes to the letter's case for resurrection and to the speaker's account of received proclamation. James is identified only by his name in this notice, without a family description or a location.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 1
- Contextual references
- 0
- Reference examples
- 1 Corinthians 15:7
James (Galatians)
Galatians identifies James as the Lord's brother during the speaker's account of a Jerusalem visit. It later names him with Cephas and John in an agreement recognizing different fields of mission. James's name also appears when people associated with him arrive before a dispute over table fellowship. The letter distinguishes his recognition of the mission from that later scene; it does not say that he ordered the withdrawal.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 3
- Contextual references
- 4
- Reference examples
- Galatians 1:19; Galatians 2:9; Galatians 2:12
James (John's brother, Acts 12)
Acts identifies this James as John's brother and reports that King Herod had him killed by the sword. His death appears within the account of pressure on the believing community, immediately before Peter's detention. The scene gives a specific family distinction and a violent end, separating this James from the later James whom Peter wants informed and who speaks in the Jerusalem discussion.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 1
- Contextual references
- 0
- Reference examples
- Acts 12:2
Jesus of Nazareth
Acts and the Pauline letters centre their proclamation and communal life on Jesus. Acts identifies him with Nazareth and recalls his ministry, death and resurrection; the letters invoke him as Christ and Lord in greetings, teaching and hope for the future. Death, resurrection and exaltation are recurring themes, while individual passages use the same person in different narrative and theological settings.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 245
- Contextual references
- 400
- Reference examples
- Acts 7:59; Acts 8:12; Acts 8:16
John (Galatians 2:9)
Galatians names John with James and Cephas among the people regarded as pillars. The three recognize the grace given to the speaker and extend fellowship to him and Barnabas in an agreement about mission. John's role in this passage is part of that collective recognition. The notice gives no patronymic, independent speech or authorship identification for him.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 1
- Contextual references
- 4
- Reference examples
- Galatians 2:9; Galatians 2:2; Galatians 2:6
John Mark (Acts)
Acts explicitly connects the names John and Mark and identifies Mary as his mother. It places him with Barnabas and Saul as an assistant, later reports his return to Jerusalem, and makes his earlier withdrawal the issue in a disagreement between Paul and Barnabas. Barnabas then takes Mark to Cyprus. The linked names accompany a changing role within the travelling party.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 6
- Contextual references
- 2
- Reference examples
- Acts 12:12; Acts 12:25; Acts 13:5
John the Baptist
Acts recalls John through his baptismal ministry and his preparation for the one who follows him. Peter remembers a distinction between John's water baptism and the gift of the Spirit, while later scenes show people whose knowledge extends only to John's baptism. John's role is therefore both preparatory and explanatory in the narrative's account of belief in Jesus and the reception of the Spirit.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 7
- Contextual references
- 0
- Reference examples
- Acts 10:37; Acts 11:16; Acts 13:24
John (Acts 8 and 12)
Acts places John with Peter in a mission from Jerusalem to Samaria, where they pray for believers and participate in the reception of the Spirit. The narrative later identifies the James killed by Herod as John's brother. These references supply a shared mission and a sibling identification. They do not name John's father or identify him as the writer of a Gospel or another New Testament work.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 2
- Contextual references
- 5
- Reference examples
- Acts 8:14; Acts 12:2; Acts 8:15
Luke
Colossians names Luke as a physician and a sender of greetings. Second Timothy describes Luke as the companion still with the speaker, while Philemon includes him among coworkers who send greetings. The three notices place Luke within a network of care, companionship and shared work. They are brief, document-specific descriptions and do not identify him as the author or narrator of another writing.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 3
- Contextual references
- 0
- Reference examples
- Colossians 4:14; 2 Timothy 4:11; Philemon 1:24
Paul
Acts explicitly connects the names Saul and Paul and follows the same figure from opposition to the disciples into mission and eventual confinement at Rome. The thirteen letters also present Paul as a sender, using roles such as apostle, servant and prisoner. Their shared represented figure can be identified while each document's account remains attributed to it. That literary identification does not by itself decide the historical authorship or composition of every letter.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 177
- Contextual references
- 1,306
- Reference examples
- Acts 7:58; Acts 8:1; Acts 8:3
Peter (Acts)
Acts presents Peter as a witness and missionary whose work includes Samaria, the reception of Gentile believers and the Jerusalem discussion about their place in the community. It also recounts his imprisonment and escape. The narrative connects Peter with the name Simon, and James later refers to his report using Simeon. These connected episodes emphasize testimony, inclusion and the community's response to opposition.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 38
- Contextual references
- 60
- Reference examples
- Acts 8:14; Acts 8:20; Acts 9:32
Peter and Cephas (Pauline letters)
First Corinthians names Cephas in discussions of personal loyalties and missionary rights, and lists him among recipients of a resurrection appearance. Galatians recalls a visit to Peter, names Peter in describing mission, and includes Cephas with James and John in an agreement. It later recounts a dispute with Peter at Antioch. The name forms occur in closely related apostolic settings, while the different passages retain their particular roles.
- Identification
- Identity comparison; the subjects are not merged
- Literal name references
- 10
- Contextual references
- 12
- Reference examples
- 1 Corinthians 1:12; 1 Corinthians 3:22; 1 Corinthians 9:5
Priscilla (Acts)
Acts introduces Priscilla as Aquila's wife when Paul encounters the couple at Corinth. Paul shares their lodging and work setting, and they later travel with him before remaining at Ephesus. Priscilla and Aquila then take Apollos aside for fuller instruction. Her role in these scenes belongs to a partnership of hospitality, travel and teaching, without a separate conversion narrative or a formal title.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 3
- Contextual references
- 2
- Reference examples
- Acts 18:2; Acts 18:18; Acts 18:26
Prisca and Priscilla (Pauline letters)
Romans greets Prisca with Aquila as coworkers who risked themselves for the speaker and recognizes a congregation in their house. First Corinthians names Priscilla with Aquila in another household greeting, while Second Timothy greets Prisca and Aquila together. The repeated pairing gives these notices a close connection. Each letter nevertheless supplies its own description, without retelling the Acts account of the couple.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 3
- Contextual references
- 2
- Reference examples
- Romans 16:3; 1 Corinthians 16:19; 2 Timothy 4:19
Julius
Julius is the centurion entrusted with Paul and other prisoners for the voyage to Italy in Acts. At Sidon he permits Paul to visit friends for care. Later, the centurion prevents the soldiers from killing the prisoners because he wants to save Paul. These narrated decisions connect custody with particular acts of consideration and protection, without supplying Julius's wider military career or personal religious commitments.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 2
- Contextual references
- 22
- Reference examples
- Acts 27:1; Acts 27:3; Acts 27:6
Manaen
Manaen is named among the prophets and teachers in the Antioch assembly in Acts. The English passage describes him as a foster brother of Herod the tetrarch, placing a connection with Herod beside his community ministry. The list leads into the commissioning of Barnabas and Saul. It does not distinguish Manaen's individual action in that commissioning or explain the precise upbringing relationship behind the translated description.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 1
- Contextual references
- 1
- Reference examples
- Acts 13:1; Acts 13:2
Mary (Acts 12:12)
Mary is identified in Acts as the mother of John, also called Mark, and as the person associated with the house Peter visits after leaving prison. Many people have gathered there to pray. Her name anchors both a family connection and the setting of this gathering. The scene does not identify Mary with another biblical Mary or make the house gathering evidence of a particular church office.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 1
- Contextual references
- 0
- Reference examples
- Acts 12:12
Mary (Romans 16:6)
Mary receives a greeting in Romans accompanied by recognition of considerable labor. The salutation makes work, rather than a family relationship or office, the personal detail attached to her name. It appears within the letter's wider acknowledgment of people and their contributions. The kind of labor is not described, and the shared name does not establish that she is Mary, the mother of John Mark, or another Mary elsewhere.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 1
- Contextual references
- 0
- Reference examples
- Romans 16:6
Mnason
Mnason appears in Acts during the journey from Caesarea toward Jerusalem. He is associated with Cyprus and described as an early disciple; the travelers expect to stay with him. The notice connects a named believer with planned hospitality within the journey. It does not describe his age, give a detailed conversion history or specify every stage of the travelers' route and lodging arrangements.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 1
- Contextual references
- 1
- Reference examples
- Acts 21:16; Acts 21:17
Onesimus
Colossians presents Onesimus as a trusted member of the recipients' community associated with a news-bearing dispatch. Philemon makes a personal appeal for Onesimus's return and welcome as a brother. Their overlapping named network supports a connected literary identification while each letter retains its own claims. The appeal does not establish theft, escape or completed emancipation.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 2
- Contextual references
- 7
- Reference examples
- Colossians 4:9; Philemon 1:10; Philemon 1:11
Philemon
Philemon is named as a beloved coworker in the address of the letter that bears his name. Its appeal asks for Onesimus to be welcomed and stresses willing agreement rather than imposed action. The address also includes Apphia, Archippus and a house assembly. The letter's personal requests place Philemon within relationships of work and community without supplying an explicit marriage, complete household membership or a report that every requested action occurred.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 1
- Contextual references
- 23
- Reference examples
- Philemon 1:1; Philemon 1:3; Philemon 1:4
Philip (Acts evangelist)
Acts presents Philip proclaiming Christ in Samaria, explaining Scripture to an Ethiopian traveler and baptizing him. The narrative then describes Philip preaching along the route to Caesarea. A later visit names him as the evangelist and one of the Seven, with four daughters who prophesy, and places Paul's party in his house. These notices concern the Acts minister and should not be expanded with a biography borrowed from the apostle Philip.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 14
- Contextual references
- 3
- Reference examples
- Acts 8:5; Acts 8:6; Acts 8:12
Philologus
Philologus appears near the end of Romans among the people greeted by name. Julia, Nereus and his sister, Olympas and the believers with them are included in the same greeting. The list places Philologus within a shared circle of recipients without describing its organization. His position beside Julia does not establish a marriage, and the verse gives no separate assignment or office for him.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 1
- Contextual references
- 0
- Reference examples
- Romans 16:15
Pilate (Acts 13:28)
Pilate appears in Paul's account of Jesus' death during the Pisidian Antioch speech in Acts. The speech says that Jerusalem's inhabitants and their rulers sought Jesus' death from Pilate despite finding no sufficient capital charge. Pilate is named as the person approached in that request. The passage summarizes an episode within a proclamation about Jesus rather than narrating Pilate's full hearing, motives or administrative career.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 1
- Contextual references
- 0
- Reference examples
- Acts 13:28
Publius
Publius is introduced in Acts as the island's chief man after the shipwreck on Malta. He receives the travelers and provides hospitality for three days. The narrative then reports Paul visiting Publius's sick father, praying and healing him, followed by other islanders seeking healing. Publius appears through local standing, hospitality and this family episode, without a conversion account or a verified explanation of the title's institutional meaning.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 2
- Contextual references
- 0
- Reference examples
- Acts 28:7; Acts 28:8
Rhoda
Rhoda is the servant girl who answers Peter's knock at the gate in Acts after his escape from prison. Recognizing his voice, she runs inside with the news rather than immediately opening the gate. The gathered people initially dismiss her report, then see Peter when the gate is opened. Rhoda's role centers on recognition and announcement within this scene, not a separately narrated later ministry.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 1
- Contextual references
- 2
- Reference examples
- Acts 12:13; Acts 12:14; Acts 12:15
Sceva
Sceva appears in Acts as the named father of seven sons involved in attempts to use Jesus' name in exorcism. The English account describes him as a Jewish chief priest, but the action that follows concerns his sons rather than a narrated intervention by Sceva himself. Their attempt ends in humiliation and injury. The passage does not explain the historical standing behind Sceva's title or describe his own presence.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 1
- Contextual references
- 0
- Reference examples
- Acts 19:14
Secundus
Secundus is named in Acts' travel list beside Aristarchus, with both associated with Thessalonica. They belong to the party accompanying Paul toward Asia, and the following verse describes the companions going ahead to wait at Troas. The list gives Secundus a regional connection and a place in shared travel. It does not assign an individual mission, identify an occupation or explain how he joined the party.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 1
- Contextual references
- 2
- Reference examples
- Acts 20:4; Acts 20:5; Acts 20:6
Simeon called Niger
Acts identifies Simeon as also called Niger in its list of prophets and teachers at Antioch. He appears alongside Barnabas, Lucius, Manaen and Saul in the community from which Barnabas and Saul are commissioned. The paired naming is explicit within this passage. The list does not distinguish Simeon's individual activity or establish his ancestry, appearance, precise office or identity with another biblical Simeon or Simon.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 1
- Contextual references
- 1
- Reference examples
- Acts 13:1; Acts 13:2
Simon (Acts 8)
Acts introduces Simon as a practitioner of sorcery in Samaria, then describes him believing and being baptized during Philip's ministry. He later offers money for authority associated with giving the Spirit through the laying on of hands. Peter rebukes him, and Simon asks for prayer. The account presents both his earlier response and the subsequent conflict without reporting a final outcome or identifying him with another Simon.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 4
- Contextual references
- 7
- Reference examples
- Acts 8:9; Acts 8:13; Acts 8:18
Simon the tanner
Simon the tanner is the person with whom Peter stays at Joppa in Acts. His house, described as near the sea, provides the location where Cornelius's messengers seek Peter. The narrative carefully distinguishes the host Simon from Simon also called Peter, including when the instructions are retold. The occupation and household setting identify this subject without supplying a fuller family history, religious standing or later career.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 4
- Contextual references
- 0
- Reference examples
- Acts 9:43; Acts 10:6; Acts 10:17
Sopater
Sopater is named in Acts among the people accompanying Paul toward Asia and is associated with Beroea. The traveling party includes people linked with several other places, and its members go ahead to wait at Troas. Sopater's notice concerns a regional connection and shared movement, not a separate personal assignment. The source spelling is retained without equating him with Sosipater in Romans or adding an unprinted family name.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 1
- Contextual references
- 2
- Reference examples
- Acts 20:4; Acts 20:5; Acts 20:6
Sosipater (Romans 16:21)
Sosipater sends greetings in Romans with Timothy, Lucius and Jason. The verse describes Sosipater, Lucius and Jason through kinship language, while Timothy is individually called a coworker. Sosipater's place in the greeting shows association with the sender's circle without specifying the closeness of the relationship or an individual assignment. The notice does not identify him with Sopater in the Acts travel list.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 1
- Contextual references
- 0
- Reference examples
- Romans 16:21
Stephen
Stephen's death and its aftermath frame several passages in Acts. He is stoned while appealing to Jesus, prays for his attackers and is buried with mourning. Later the narrative connects persecution and scattering with his death, and Paul's reported speech recalls consenting to the killing and guarding the attackers' garments. These are connected episodes and retellings within Acts, rather than independent accounts to be counted as separate corroboration.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 4
- Contextual references
- 3
- Reference examples
- Acts 7:59; Acts 8:2; Acts 11:19
Tabitha / Dorcas
Acts explicitly connects the names Tabitha and Dorcas for a disciple at Joppa known for good works and acts of mercy. After her death, widows show Peter garments she had made. The narrative describes Peter praying and presenting her alive to the community. Her service and the community's response shape the episode, without establishing that she herself was a widow or supplying a later institutional role.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 3
- Contextual references
- 2
- Reference examples
- Acts 9:36; Acts 9:39; Acts 9:40
Tertullus
Tertullus is the orator accompanying Ananias and elders when accusations against Paul are brought before the governor in Acts. He opens with praise of Felix and then presents charges of unrest, sectarian leadership and attempted temple profanation. The account gives Tertullus a role in speaking for the accusing delegation. His speech is a prosecution case within the narrative, not confirmation that every accusation was true.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 2
- Contextual references
- 8
- Reference examples
- Acts 24:1; Acts 24:2; Acts 24:3
Claudius (Acts)
Claudius is named in Acts in connection with a famine and an order affecting Jews at Rome. The famine notice places the event in his time, while the Corinthian narrative explains Aquila and Priscilla's recent arrival from Italy through his command. These references provide chronological and political background within Acts. They do not supply a complete reign chronology or identify Claudius with the commander Claudius Lysias.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 2
- Contextual references
- 0
- Reference examples
- Acts 11:28; Acts 18:2
Claudius Lysias
Acts identifies Claudius Lysias through the letter that its commanding officer writes when arranging Paul's transfer to Felix. The letter presents the officer's account of the dispute and explains the transfer. Later, Felix refers to Lysias by name and by his command role while postponing a decision. These narrative connections explain the names and titles without requiring an independently reconstructed military career.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 2
- Contextual references
- 29
- Reference examples
- Acts 23:26; Acts 24:22; Acts 21:31
Mark (Second Timothy 4:11)
Second Timothy asks its recipient to bring Mark, explaining that Mark is useful to the speaker in service. The request appears among closing notices about companions, departures and intended travel. Mark's place here is therefore prospective: the letter values his contribution and asks for his presence. It does not report his arrival or connect him explicitly with people named Mark in other documents.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 1
- Contextual references
- 0
- Reference examples
- 2 Timothy 4:11
Mark (Colossians 4:10)
Colossians includes Mark among those sending greetings and identifies him as Barnabas's cousin. The letter also recalls instructions about welcoming him if he comes to the recipients. The surrounding greeting describes a group of coworkers who have brought comfort to the speaker. Mark's family connection and possible visit belong to this letter's presentation, without establishing a journey's completion or an identity with another Mark.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 1
- Contextual references
- 1
- Reference examples
- Colossians 4:10; Colossians 4:11
Mark (Philemon 1:24)
Philemon names Mark among people who send greetings near the end of the letter. He appears with Aristarchus, Demas and Luke in a group described as the speaker's fellow workers. The greeting gives Mark a place in the letter's circle of service and personal contact. It does not describe his particular task, supply a family connection or identify him with another Mark.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 1
- Contextual references
- 0
- Reference examples
- Philemon 1:24
Silas
Silas first appears in Acts among the men chosen to carry and explain the Jerusalem communication at Antioch. He and Judas are described as prophets who encourage the believers. Paul later chooses Silas as a travelling companion. Subsequent scenes place him with Paul during imprisonment and among companions moving through Macedonia and toward Corinth. These connected episodes describe his narrated service without adding the separate Silvanus references from letters.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 12
- Contextual references
- 39
- Reference examples
- Acts 15:22; Acts 15:27; Acts 15:32
Silvanus (First Thessalonians 1:1)
First Thessalonians opens with Silvanus named alongside Paul and Timothy in its address to the Thessalonian congregation. His name belongs to the sending group through which the letter introduces its relationship with those recipients. The opening greeting places that address within shared religious commitments. It does not describe Silvanus's individual contribution to composing the letter or identify him explicitly with Silas in Acts.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 1
- Contextual references
- 0
- Reference examples
- 1 Thessalonians 1:1
Silvanus (Second Corinthians 1:19)
Second Corinthians names Silvanus with Timothy and the speaker in a recollection of proclaiming Jesus Christ to the recipients. The recollection contributes to an argument about the consistency of their message and God's faithfulness. Silvanus is recognized through that shared work rather than through an individual speech or itinerary. The passage does not identify him as the Silas of Acts or supply a continuous personal history.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 1
- Contextual references
- 1
- Reference examples
- 2 Corinthians 1:19; 2 Corinthians 1:20
Silvanus (Second Thessalonians 1:1)
Second Thessalonians names Silvanus between Paul and Timothy in the group introducing the letter. The address is directed to the Thessalonian congregation and is followed by a blessing of grace and peace. Silvanus's participation is visible in this shared opening, while his individual responsibilities remain undescribed. Neither the repeated sender names nor the setting alone supplies an accepted identity join to another document.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 1
- Contextual references
- 0
- Reference examples
- 2 Thessalonians 1:1
Sosthenes (Acts 18:17)
Acts names Sosthenes as a synagogue ruler in the Corinthian scene following Gallio's refusal to judge the dispute brought against Paul. The narrative describes Greeks seizing and beating Sosthenes before the judgment seat and notes Gallio's lack of concern. It does not explain Sosthenes's part in the earlier accusation or describe his religious response. His appearance therefore supplies no conversion account or explicit connection with First Corinthians.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 1
- Contextual references
- 0
- Reference examples
- Acts 18:17
Sosthenes (First Corinthians 1:1)
First Corinthians names Sosthenes alongside Paul in its opening address and describes him as a brother. The greeting then addresses the Corinthian congregation within a wider circle of believers. Sosthenes's name marks participation in that introduction, but the letter does not explain his role in its composition. It also leaves unstated any connection with the synagogue ruler called Sosthenes in Acts.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 1
- Contextual references
- 0
- Reference examples
- 1 Corinthians 1:1
Timothy
Timothy appears in Acts as a disciple recruited to travel with Paul and later involved in the mission's movements. Several letters name him as a fellow worker, messenger or co-sender, while First and Second Timothy address him directly. These repeated relationships support a connected literary identification, with each document kept visible. They do not by themselves establish every letter's authorship or provide a complete personal chronology.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 23
- Contextual references
- 88
- Reference examples
- Acts 16:1; Acts 17:14; Acts 17:15
Justus (Acts 18:7)
Justus is named in Acts as a worshiper of God whose house stands beside the synagogue in the Corinthian episode. The narrative describes Paul moving into that setting after leaving the synagogue discussion. Justus's name therefore identifies an associated household and location in the story. The pinned English passage does not include Titius as part of his name or describe his subsequent religious activity.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 1
- Contextual references
- 0
- Reference examples
- Acts 18:7
Titus (Second Corinthians)
Second Corinthians presents Titus as a valued colleague whose arrival and news bring comfort after a period of anxiety. The letter also associates him with work on the charitable contribution and describes him as the speaker's partner in service to the recipients. Later, his conduct is invoked in a defense against exploitation. These references describe the letter's relationship with Titus without joining him automatically to the Titus of other documents.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 8
- Contextual references
- 7
- Reference examples
- 2 Corinthians 2:13; 2 Corinthians 7:6; 2 Corinthians 7:13
Titus (Second Timothy 4:10)
Second Timothy mentions Titus in a short notice of companions' movements and associates him with Dalmatia. His destination appears after the account of Demas and alongside the notice about Crescens. The criticism directed at Demas is not expressly attached to Titus. The passage provides no date or purpose for Titus's movement and does not identify him with a Titus in another letter.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 1
- Contextual references
- 0
- Reference examples
- 2 Timothy 4:10
Titus (Galatians 2)
Galatians recalls Titus accompanying the speaker and Barnabas on a visit to Jerusalem. It describes Titus as Greek and says that he was not compelled to undergo circumcision. His presence becomes part of the letter's argument about the gospel and pressure on Gentile believers. The passage gives these particular connections without describing Titus's later work or explicitly identifying him with namesakes in other letters.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 2
- Contextual references
- 0
- Reference examples
- Galatians 2:1; Galatians 2:3
Titus (recipient of Titus)
The letter to Titus addresses its recipient through the language of shared faith and spiritual parenthood. Its speaker then recalls leaving Titus in Crete to continue organizational work and appoint elders. These statements present the recipient's task within the letter. They do not by themselves establish a completed historical itinerary for Paul, a later bishopric for Titus or an identity with every other Titus in the letters.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 1
- Contextual references
- 16
- Reference examples
- Titus 1:4; Titus 1:5; Titus 1:13
Trophimus (Acts)
Acts includes Trophimus in a list of Paul's travelling companions, with a regional connection to Asia. In the Jerusalem disturbance, he is described as an Ephesian whose earlier presence beside Paul helped prompt an accusation. The narrator explains the alleged temple entry as an inference drawn by the accusers, rather than a confirmed event. These Acts appearances remain separate from Second Timothy's notice about an ill Trophimus.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 2
- Contextual references
- 3
- Reference examples
- Acts 20:4; Acts 21:29; Acts 20:5
Trophimus (Second Timothy 4:20)
Second Timothy recalls Trophimus being left ill at Miletus. The notice appears beside a different location associated with Erastus and within the letter's closing instructions. Trophimus is therefore connected with a specific place and condition in the speaker's account. The brief reference does not describe his illness, report his recovery or explain whether he is the Trophimus mentioned in Acts.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 1
- Contextual references
- 0
- Reference examples
- 2 Timothy 4:20
Tyrannus
Tyrannus enters Acts through the name attached to the school where Paul reasons regularly after withdrawing from an opposed synagogue setting. The account describes this activity continuing for two years and reaching a wider audience in Asia. Tyrannus himself is not given a speech or a separate action. The school association does not explain his occupation, ownership arrangements or religious allegiance.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 1
- Contextual references
- 0
- Reference examples
- Acts 19:9
Pharaoh (recalled in Romans 9:17)
Romans 9:17 recalls a ruler designated Pharaoh during the letter’s discussion of divine mercy and purpose. The verse presents him as the recipient of an attributed scriptural address, so the royal title denotes an individual within that remembered episode. This entry indexes that limited literary subject. The passage supplies no personal name or independently established historical identification. No royal chronology, reconstructed career, or identity with another ruler is added to the record.
- Identification
- Individual literary subject
- Literal name references
- 0
- Contextual references
- 1
- Reference examples
- Romans 9:17
Bibliography and sources
- Acts 7–28, World English Bible (public domain). View source
- Romans through Philemon, World English Bible (public domain). View source
Cite this page
Thomas Diong. “People in Acts and the Pauline letters.” Pauline Letters. Updated 2026-10-24. https://paulineletters.com/explore/people
BibTeX
@online{paulineletters-people,
author = {Diong, Thomas},
title = {People in Acts and the Pauline letters},
organization = {Pauline Letters},
date = {2026-10-24},
url = {https://paulineletters.com/explore/people},
langid = {en}
}RIS
TY - ELEC TI - People in Acts and the Pauline letters AU - Diong, Thomas T2 - Pauline Letters DA - 2026/10/24 UR - https://paulineletters.com/explore/people LA - en ER -