Greek word · G2135
εὐνοῦχος
eunouchos
eunuch
Literally 'bed-keeper' (from eunē 'bed' + echō 'keep'). It first meant a castrated man who guarded a royal household or women's quarters. Because such men were trusted with high office in Eastern courts, the word also came to mean a high court official.
Appears 8 times in 6 verses of the Greek New Testament. ·
What it means
εὐνοῦχος, -ου, ὁ
(i.e. ὁ τὴν εὐνὴν(bed) ἔχων), [in LXX for סָרִיס (perhaps not of necessity an actual eunuch; DB, see word), Genesis 39:1, al., Wisdom of Solomon 3:14, Sirach 20:4 30:20 ;]
an emasculated man, a eunuch: Matthew 19:12; one such holding, as was common, high office, as of chamberlain, at court, Acts 8:27, 34-39; metaphorically, of one naturally incapacitated for or voluntarily abstaining from wedlock, Matthew 19:12.†
(AS)
From G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament (1922), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).
In depth
- Range of meaning
Literally 'bed-keeper' (from eunē 'bed' + echō 'keep'). It first meant a castrated man who guarded a royal household or women's quarters. Because such men were trusted with high office in Eastern courts, the word also came to mean a high court official. Jesus uses it in Matt 19:12 for men castrated by others, men born unable to father children, and men who give up marriage for the kingdom.
- Against the English
English 'eunuch' means only a castrated man. Readers lose the second sense, a senior official. Some readers go the other way and assume the word here is only a job title.
- How it drifted
Over time English kept only the physical meaning of the word. The Greek and Septuagint use as a court title faded from view.
- Used elsewhere in the period
In the Septuagint (the Greek Old Testament) Potiphar, a married man, is called a eunouchos (Gen 39:1), so the word could be a title. Herodotus and later Greek writers describe castrated men serving in Persian and other Eastern courts. Deut 23:1 bars a man with crushed or cut-off genitals from 'the assembly of the LORD'. Josephus (Antiquities 4.290–291) and Philo (Special Laws 1.324–325) repeat that exclusion. Isa 56:3–5 promises the eunuch who keeps the covenant 'a memorial and a name better than sons and daughters' within God's house.
- Range of meaning
The word literally means 'bed-keeper'. It usually meant a castrated man serving at a royal court, often in the women's quarters or in positions of trust. In Near Eastern usage the title could also cover high officials in general. The Greek Old Testament uses it for Hebrew saris, and the saris Potiphar was married (Gen 39:1).
- Against the English
Every English version keeps 'eunuch'. Modern readers hear only the physical meaning. Ancient readers heard a mix of court rank, royal trust and, under Israel's law, exclusion from worship.
- How it drifted
In modern English, 'eunuch' means only a castrated man. The ancient word also carried social and religious meaning, which English has lost.
- Used elsewhere in the period
Deut 23:1 barred a man with damaged genitals from 'the assembly of the LORD'. Isa 56:3–5 promises that eunuchs who hold to God's covenant will receive 'a name better than sons and daughters', within the very temple. The eunuch had just been reading Isa 53 (vv. 32–33). Wisdom 3:14 blesses the eunuch who has done no lawless deed. Josephus (Antiquities 4.290–291) shows strong Jewish distaste for castration.
- Range of meaning
Literally 'bed-keeper' (eunē 'bed' + echō 'keep'), first the guardian of a royal bedchamber or women's quarters. In practice it usually meant a castrated man in royal service. In the Greek Old Testament it translates Hebrew sārîs, which could also mean a high court officer in general; Potiphar, who was married, is called one (Gen 39:1).
- Against the English
English 'eunuch' refers only to the physical condition. Some translations play it down to 'official'. The Greek may carry both ideas, but Luke lists 'man of power' as a separate title, which suggests 'eunuch' here describes the man's body and not just his job.
- Used elsewhere in the period
Eunuchs were common at Persian, Hellenistic and other royal courts as trusted ministers, because they could not start dynasties of their own. The Law excluded a man with crushed or cut-off genitals from 'the assembly of the LORD' (Deut 23:1). Philo (Special Laws 1.324–325) and Josephus (Antiquities 4.290–291) both treat eunuchs as excluded or to be shunned. Yet Isaiah 56:3–7 promises: 'Let not the eunuch say, "I am a dry tree"... I will give them in my house and within my walls a monument and a name better than sons and daughters', and calls God's house 'a house of prayer for all peoples'. Wisdom of Solomon 3:14 also blesses the faithful eunuch. Jeremiah's rescuer Ebed-melech is described as 'a Cushite, a eunuch' (Jer 38:7), the closest Old Testament parallel to this man.
Similar words
Where it appears
Matthew · 3
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Matthew 19:12 εὐνοῦχοι εὐνοῦχοι εὐνοῦχοι eunuchs
For there are eunuchs who were born that way; others were made that way by men; and still others live like eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. The one who can accept this should accept it.”
Here: Men who cannot father children and do not marry. In the first line this is because of a condition they were born with. The word carried physical meaning and social shame.
Acts · 5
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Acts 8:27 εὐνοῦχος a eunuch
So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch, a court official in charge of the entire treasury of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians. He had gone to Jerusalem to worship,
Here: Most naturally a castrated man serving at a royal court, where eunuchs were trusted because they could found no rival family line. Luke calls him 'the eunuch' five times in the story, so it is central to who he is.
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Acts 8:34 εὐνοῦχος eunuch
“Tell me,” said the eunuch, “who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?”
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Acts 8:36 εὐνοῦχος· eunuch;
As they traveled along the road and came to some water, the eunuch said, “Look, here is water! What is there to prevent me from being baptized?”
Here: Luke's usual name for this man (five times in the story). It marks him as a royal official and very probably as a castrated man, someone the Law of Moses kept out of the assembly (Deut 23:1).
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Acts 8:38 εὐνοῦχος, eunuch,
And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and Philip baptized him.
Here: This is Luke's fifth use of the word for the man (vv. 27, 34, 36, 38, 39). It stands for his status: probably a castrated royal servant, and under Deuteronomy 23:1 a man barred from Israel's assembly. Now he goes down into the water as an equal with Philip.
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Acts 8:39 εὐνοῦχος· eunuch;
When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord carried Philip away, and the eunuch saw him no more, but went on his way rejoicing.
Here: Luke never gives his name. He calls him 'the eunuch' five times, so his status stays in view right to the end of the story.
Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.