Greek word · G2037

Ἔραστος

erastos

Erastus

A personal name from the root erastos, 'beloved, lovely'. It was widely used across the Greek world, and slaves and freedmen often bore it.

Appears 3 times in 3 verses of the Greek New Testament. ·

What it means

Ἐραστος, -ου, ὁ

Erastus;

1. a companion of St. Paul, Acts 19:22, and prob. 2 Timothy 4:20.

2. The treasurer of Corinth, Romans 16:23.†

(AS)

From G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament (1922), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

In depth

From the study of 2 Timothy 4:20

Range of meaning

A personal name from the root erastos, 'beloved, lovely'. It was widely used across the Greek world, and slaves and freedmen often bore it.

Against the English

English versions all transliterate it, so there is nothing to correct. The interest lies in who he was.

Used elsewhere in the period

The New Testament has three references: Acts 19:22 (Erastus sent with Timothy into Macedonia), Romans 16:23 (written from Corinth: 'Erastus, the city's oikonomos', meaning treasurer or steward, sends greetings) and here. A Latin paving inscription found at Corinth in 1929 reads 'Erastus, in return for his aedileship [a civic office], laid [this pavement] at his own expense'. Many scholars link it to Romans 16:23, but this is debated.

Where it appears

Acts · 1

  1. Acts 19:22 Ἔραστον, Erastus,

    He sent two of his helpers, Timothy and Erastus, to Macedonia, while he stayed for a time in the province of Asia.

    Here: A Greek name meaning 'beloved' or 'lovely'. It appears only here in Acts. Whether he is the same man as the Erastus in Romans 16:23 and 2 Timothy 4:20 is debated (see debates).

Romans · 1

  1. Romans 16:23 Ἔραστος Erastus

    Gaius, who has hosted me and all the church, sends you greetings. Erastus, the city treasurer, sends you greetings, as does our brother Quartus.

    Here: A Greek name meaning 'beloved'. It was used as a cognomen (personal surname) by Romans, including freedmen. A man of this name worked with Paul (Acts 19:22) and stayed at Corinth (2 Timothy 4:20).

2 Timothy · 1

  1. 2 Timothy 4:20 Ἔραστος Erastus

    Erastus has remained at Corinth, and Trophimus I left sick in Miletus.

    Here: A personal name meaning roughly 'beloved' or 'lovely'. It was common in the Greek world. Here it names a co-worker of Paul's who is tied to Corinth, probably the same man as in Acts 19:22 and Romans 16:23.

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.