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Σαῦλος

Saûlos

G4569 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

Personal name Saulos, corresponding to the Hebrew Sha'ul. Used as a proper noun referring to individuals bearing this name. In the New Testament, specifically denotes the individual later known as Paul before his adoption of the Roman name Paulus. The name itself does not encode additional semantic content beyond its use as a personal identifier.

Semantic Range

personal name for individuals named Saul/Sha'ul, especially the former name of Paul; used for several figures in Israelite history whose names were rendered into Greek in the Septuagint as Saulos/Saoul

Root / Etymology

Adaptation of Hebrew שָׁאוּל (Sha'ul, meaning 'asked [of God],' 'requested'), rendered into Greek as Σαούλ (Saoul) and with the Hellenized nominative Σαῦλος (Saulos). Thus, Σαῦλος is a Greek form likely used to represent the Hebrew name in Greek literary contexts.

Historical & Contextual Notes

Σαῦλος is found in the Septuagint as the Greek rendering of several Israelite figures named שָׁאוּל (Sha'ul), most prominently Saul, the first king of Israel. In the New Testament, Σαῦλος specifically refers to the later apostle Paul prior to his use of the Roman name Παῦλος. The use of Σαῦλος emphasizes his background as an Israelite and Judean, aligning with local naming conventions before Roman or Greco-Roman names became common. The term does not carry religious or ethnic connotations by itself, but in context it points to Paul's heritage and the transitional period of his identity in early Christian sources. English translations often simply use the transliteration 'Saul,' but this obscures the connotation of a Hebrew name adapted into Greek.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

of Hebrew origin, the same as Σαούλ; Saulus (i.e. Shaul), the Jewish name of Paul:--Saul.

Root Family

Σαῦλος (Saulos) — personal name, asked, requested

Root Σαυλ- personal name, to ask (implied by Hebrew root)

Word Forms

5 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
G4569-01 Σαοὺλ saoul N VOC M SG Saul Saul! Saulos 9
G4569-04 Σαῦλος saulos N NOM M SG Saul Saul Saulos 8
G4569-03 Σαῦλον saulon N ACC M SG Saul Saul Saulos 4
G4569-05 Σαύλου saulou N GEN M SG Saul of Saul Saulos 2
G4569-02 Σαύλῳ saulo N DAT M SG Saul to Saul Saulos 1

Occurrences in Scripture

24 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
G4569-05 Acts 7:58 Σαύλου saulou N GEN M SG Saul of Saul Saulos
G4569-04 Acts 8:1 Σαῦλος saulos N NOM M SG Saul Saul Saulos
G4569-04 Acts 8:3 Σαῦλος saulos N NOM M SG Saul Saul Saulos
G4569-04 Acts 9:1 Σαῦλος saulos N NOM M SG Saul Saul Saulos
G4569-01 Acts 9:4 Σαοὺλ saoul N VOC M SG Saul Saul! Saulos
G4569-01 Acts 9:4 Σαούλ saoul-2 N VOC M SG Saul Saul! Saulos
G4569-04 Acts 9:8 Σαῦλος saulos N NOM M SG Saul Saul Saulos
G4569-03 Acts 9:11 Σαῦλον saulon N ACC M SG Saul Saul Saulos
G4569-01 Acts 9:17 Σαοὺλ saoul N VOC M SG Saul Saul! Saulos
G4569-04 Acts 9:22 Σαῦλος saulos N NOM M SG Saul Saul Saulos
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