Βαριησοῦς
Bariēsoûs
G919 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Proper name: Bariesous; a Semitic name meaning 'son of Joshua' or 'son of Jesus.' Functions as a personal name in the New Testament, specifically identifying an Israelite individual encountered by Paul and Barnabas on Cyprus. The name reflects a patronymic structure common in Semitic usage: 'bar' (son of) + personal name ('Iesous,' i.e., Joshua/Jesus). In context, it designates a particular person rather than a generic title.
Semantic Range
patronymic proper name, 'son of Joshua', 'son of Jesus', used as a personal designation
Root / Etymology
Compound of the Aramaic/Persian loanword βαρ (bar, 'son of') and the Greek rendering of the Hebrew personal name יְהוֹשׁוּעַ (Yehoshua, 'Joshua', rendered as Ἰησοῦς in Greek). Thus, Βαριησοῦς = 'son of Joshua/Jesus.' The name reflects the adoption and adaptation of Semitic naming conventions in Greek.
Historical & Contextual Notes
Βαριησοῦς appears solely in Acts 13:6, where it designates a magos (magician or wise man), an Israelite associated with the proconsul Sergius Paulus on Cyprus. The use of the prefix βαρ– for 'son of' is typical of Aramaic and is found in several New Testament personal names (e.g., Βαρναβᾶς, Βαρθολομαῖος). Here, Ἰησοῦς is the Greek form for Hebrew יְהוֹשׁוּעַ ('Joshua'), but in Hellenistic and Roman periods could also correspond to individuals named Jesus (a common name). English translations often render the name as 'Bar-Jesus'; however, this compounds the later Christian associations with the name 'Jesus' onto an individual whose identity is better reflected by the older 'Joshua.' The name does not bear inherent religious or theological meaning within this context—it is a standard Semitic patronymic. In Acts, 'Bar-Jesus' is immediately identified as another figure, Elymas, making clear its status as a personal (not theological) designation. There is no evidence of this name being used outside this episode in Greek literature.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
of Chaldee origin (בַּר and יְהוֹשׁוּעַ); son of Jesus (or Joshua); Bar-jesus, an Israelite:--Barjesus.
Root Family
βαρ-, Ἰησοῦς (Bariēsoûs) — son of (bar-), Joshua/Jesus (personal name)
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G919-01 |
Βαριησοῦς | bariesous | N GEN M SG |
Bar-Iēsous | of Bar-Joshua | Bariesous | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G919-01 |
Acts 13:6 | Βαριησοῦς | bariesous | N GEN M SG |
Bar-Iēsous | of Bar-Joshua | Bariesous |