🔼The name Epaenetus: Summary
- Meaning
- Praiseworthy, Laudable
- Etymology
- From the verb επαινεω (epaineo), to approve, applaud.
🔼The name Epaenetus in the Bible
The name Epaenetus occurs only once in the Bible. At the end of his letter to the Romans, the apostle Paul greets a small number of friends, including Epaenetus, whom he calls his beloved and first-fruits of Achaia unto Christ (Romans 16:5).
And that's all we know about this man — if this Epaenetus is indeed a man. Because Christianity began to be pretty much illegal at the time of Paul's writing, Paul may very well have been writing in code, and our friend Epaenetus may in fact denote something or someone that Paul couldn't openly mention in a public letter.
🔼Etymology of the name Epaenetus
The name Epaenetus is the same as the regular adjective επαινετος (epainetos), which comes from the verb επαινεω (epaineo), meaning to approve, applaud or commend (Luke 16:8, Romans 15:11, 1 Corinthians 11:2).
🔼Epaenetus meaning
The name Epaenetus means Praiseworthy or Laudable.