Κλωπᾶς
Klōpâs
G2832 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A personal name referencing a specific first-century Judean man known from New Testament texts, identified as a member of Jesus' wider familial or social circle. The term functions exclusively as a proper noun, with no broader lexical or semantic independent meaning beyond denoting this individual.
Semantic Range
proper name referring specifically to an individual in first-century Judea; does not carry other lexical or symbolic meanings
Root / Etymology
The etymology of Κλωπᾶς is uncertain. While some have proposed a derivation from Aramaic or Hebrew (such as a correspondence to אחא/אחאב, 'Ahab', or a variant of חלפי, 'Halphaios/Alphaeus'), linguistic evidence for a direct connection is inconclusive. More recent scholarship suggests the name may have been adapted to Greek phonology from a Semitic original but does not specify which one with certainty.
Historical & Contextual Notes
Κλωπᾶς appears in the New Testament (John 19:25) as the name of the husband of 'Mary of Clopas.' In this passage, the context is explicitly Judean within the Roman period. The Septuagint does not attest to this form; it is unique to the New Testament, and its identification with comparable Greek names (such as Κλεόπας) is debated. Some traditions have conflated Clopas and Alphaeus, though the Greek forms differ (Κλωπᾶς vs. Ἁλφαῖος). The traditional English translation 'Cleophas' reflects an attempt to transliterate the Greek and later to associate the figure with 'Cleopas' (Κλεόπας) noted in Luke 24:18, but the manuscripts and prevailing textual traditions keep them distinct individuals. As it only appears as a proper noun, standard translations render it as a given name, which does not convey any further lexical meaning.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
of Chaldee origin (corresponding to אַחְאָב); Clopas, an Israelite:--Cleophas.
Root Family
Κλωπᾶς (Klōpas) — proper personal name
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G2832-01 |
Κλωπᾶ | klopa | N GEN M SG |
Clopas | of Clopas | Klopas | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G2832-01 |
John 19:25 | Κλωπᾶ | klopa | N GEN M SG |
Clopas | of Clopas | Klopas |