Ὑμεναῖος
Hymenaîos
G5211 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Hymenaios; a personal name used in early Christian sources, referring specifically to an individual identified as an opponent of the apostolic teaching. In contextual use, the name designates this historical figure rather than the mythological sense. The name itself derives from Hellenistic Greek traditions, originally referencing the god associated with marriage ceremonies (Hymenaios), but in the New Testament, it is solely used as a proper noun for an individual, not with any mythological associations.
Semantic Range
proper noun used as a personal name, originally the name of the god of marriage in Greek myth, in NT a specific individual identified as an opponent of apostolic teaching
Root / Etymology
From Ὑμέναιος, the name of the Greek deity of marriage ceremonies (Hymen); as a proper noun adapted and used as a personal name.
Historical & Contextual Notes
Ὑμεναῖος appears in the New Testament only as the name of a specific person (e.g., 1 Timothy 1:20; 2 Timothy 2:17) and not as a common noun. The referent is a historical individual introduced as an opponent of Pauline teaching. The Greek name itself was widely attested as a personal name in Hellenistic and Roman periods, originally derived from the deity presiding over weddings, but its use in the New Testament is strictly personal. English translations simply transliterate the name ('Hymenaeus'), but do not convey its etymological association with marriage or the Greek mythological figure. There is no evidence that the name as used in the New Testament is intended to evoke mythological or cultic associations for readers.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from (the god of weddings); "hymenæal"; Hymenæus, an opponent of Christianity:--Hymenæus.
Root Family
Ὑμεναῖος (Hymenaios) — Hymenaios, personal name
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G5211-01 |
Ὑμέναιος | umenaios | N NOM M SG |
Hymenaeus | Hymenaios | Hymenaios | 2 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G5211-01 |
1 Timothy 1:20 | Ὑμέναιος | umenaios | N NOM M SG |
Hymenaeus | Hymenaios | Hymenaios |
G5211-01 |
2 Timothy 2:17 | Ὑμέναιος | umenaios | N NOM M SG |
Hymenaeus | Hymenaios | Hymenaios |