Εὔτυχος
Eutychus
Definition
Εὔτυχος (Eutychus) is a proper noun referring to a specific individual in the New Testament. It is the name of a young man in Troas who fell from a third-story window while listening to the Apostle Paul's lengthy sermon and was subsequently restored to life by Paul (Acts 20:9-12). The name itself means 'fortunate' or 'prosperous,' which is fitting given his miraculous survival. This is the only biblical occurrence of the name, and it refers exclusively to this historical person.
Biblical Usage
The word is used only once in the New Testament, in Acts 20:9, as the personal name of the young man in the narrative. It functions strictly as a proper noun identifying an individual within a specific historical event in the book of Acts, with no other contextual or metaphorical usage.
Etymology
The name Εὔτυχος (Eutychus) is a compound Greek adjective meaning 'fortunate' or 'having good fortune.' It is derived from εὖ (eu), meaning 'well' or 'good,' and τῡχή (tychē), meaning 'fortune' or 'chance.' It was a common personal name in the Greco-Roman world, reflecting a cultural hope for prosperity.
Semantic Range
While the name itself is not theologically loaded, the story of Eutychus is significant. It demonstrates God's power working through Paul, confirming his apostolic ministry (Acts 20:10-12). The event underscores the value Paul placed on teaching the word of God, even late into the night, and God's compassionate intervention to preserve life and continue the fellowship of the church.
Eutychus was a common Greek name, reflecting a cultural desire for good luck or success. The narrative setting—a meeting in an upper room with many lamps—was typical of early Christian house churches. His falling asleep during a long discourse was a relatable human detail, and his fall from a high window was a serious danger in multi-story urban dwellings of the era.
There are no direct synonyms as this is a proper name. Related concepts might include: μακάριος (makarios, G3107) — denotes a blessed or happy state, often spiritual, whereas Εὔτυχος implies general good fortune.
Word Details
How this works
Definitions are from the Dodson Greek-English Lexicon, a concise public-domain resource suitable for introductory word study. Brief glosses are supplemented by STEPBible TBESG data (CC BY 4.0). For advanced research, standard scholarly references include BDAG (Danker, 3rd ed.) and LSJ.
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