The meaning of Παῦλος

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Jordan Day
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The meaning of Παῦλος

Post by Jordan Day »

James F. McGrath told me (via Facebook IM) that παῦλος is an adjective meaning "small". I haven't been able to find it in LSJ or BDAG. Is this true?

How popular was the name Παῦλος in the ancient world?

Is it possible that Φ still had the hard P sound (Puh) in Paul's day (and location), and would have been easily confused with Π ? Causing παῦλος and φαῦλος to sound practically the same?

If so...is it possible that Σαυλος called himself Φαῦλος/Παῦλος after his conversion in an act of piety? φαῦλος = one that is morally inferior
He does say in Romans 7:24 "ταλαίπωρος ἐγὼ ἄνθρωπος· τίς με ῥύσεται ἐκ τοῦ σώματος τοῦ θανάτου τούτου;"
Jordan Day
Master Plumber (Non-Restricted) - CCSD
φάγωμεν καὶ πίωμεν, αὔριον γὰρ ἀποθνῄσκομεν.
Jonathan Robie
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Re: The meaning of Παῦλος

Post by Jonathan Robie »

I don't think the Bible says Paul changed his name.

Παῦλος is the Greek form of the Latin name Paulus. A Roman consul in Acts 13:7 is named Sergius Paulus (ὃς ἦν σὺν τῷ ἀνθυπάτῳ Σεργίῳ Παύλῳ, ἀνδρὶ συνετῷ). See Lewis and Short.

In The Spreading Flame, F.F. Bruce says this about Paul's name:
He was born into an orthodox Jewish family, and as his father was a Roman citizen, he inherited this distinction, a rare one among eastern Jews. In Jewish circles he bore the name of Saul, but in the Gentile world he was commonly known by his Roman cognomen Paullus, Anglicized as Paul [...]

Saul’s father was a Roman citizen… [so] Saul was born a Roman citizen… As a Roman citizen, he had a Roman name, consisting of three parts: praenomen, nomen gentile and cognomen.2 What his praenomen (first or personal name) and nomen gentile (family name) were we can only guess; his cognomen, however, was Paullus, by which (in its English form Paul) we usually call him.

In family circles, however, he was known by his Jewish name Saul.

2. The threefold Roman name may be illustrated from the full names of such famous Romans as Gaius Julius Caesar, Marcus Tullius Cicero, Lucius Cornelius Scipio.
ἐξίσταντο δὲ πάντες καὶ διηποροῦντο, ἄλλος πρὸς ἄλλον λέγοντες, τί θέλει τοῦτο εἶναι;
http://jonathanrobie.biblicalhumanities.org/
Jordan Day
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Joined: April 1st, 2012, 1:26 pm
Location: Rydal, GA
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Re: The meaning of Παῦλος

Post by Jordan Day »

Ahh, thank you Jonathan. That pretty much clears it up. Thats what I get for not knowing any Latin :)
When I clicked on the Lewis and Short link and clicked "previous entry" it showed the adjective "paulus = little/small"
Jordan Day
Master Plumber (Non-Restricted) - CCSD
φάγωμεν καὶ πίωμεν, αὔριον γὰρ ἀποθνῄσκομεν.
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