Μαναήν

Manaḗn

G3127 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

Manaen; a personal proper name designating an individual in the early community of followers of Jesus. In the New Testament, Μαναήν specifically refers to a member of the assembly in Antioch described as having grown up with Herod the tetrarch. The name itself does not carry lexical meaning in Greek but is a Hellenized form of a Semitic personal name.

Semantic Range

personal name Manaen; refers specifically to an individual named Manaen in early Jesus-community contexts

Root / Etymology

Derived from a Semitic name, likely the Hebrew מְנַחֵם (Menachem), meaning 'comforter'. The Greek Μαναήν is a transliteration, not a native Greek formation. Its etymology traces to the Hebrew root נ-ח-ם ('to comfort').

Historical & Contextual Notes

Used only once in the New Testament (Acts 13:1) to refer to an individual within the Antiochene community, described as 'σύντροφος Ἡρῴδου τοῦ τετραάρχου' (brought up with Herod the tetrarch). The Greek form Μαναήν reflects the adaptation of Hebrew names into Greek-speaking contexts. In the broader Hellenistic world, personal names of Israelite or Judean origin were often partially Hellenized; Μαναήν is parallel to transliterations like Ιησούς for Yeshua. The name is also known from Jewish and Judean sources (as Menachem), though rare. English translations traditionallly use "Manaen" as a proper name without reference to ethnic, geographic, or religious identity. The term has no distinct meaning beyond identification of the historical person.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

of uncertain origin; Manaën, a Christian:--Manaen.

Root Family

μαναην (transliterated; not a Greek root) (Manaḗn) — proper name, personal name

Root μαναην (transliterated; not a Greek root) proper name, personal name

Word Forms

1 distinct form

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
G3127-01 Μαναήν manaen N NOM M SG Manaen Manaen Manaen 1

Occurrences in Scripture

1 occurrence

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
G3127-01 Acts 13:1 Μαναήν manaen N NOM M SG Manaen Manaen Manaen