Νάρκισσος
Narcissus
Definition
Νάρκισσος (Narcissus) is a proper noun referring to a specific individual mentioned in the New Testament. In its sole biblical occurrence, it identifies a person named Narcissus, a resident of Rome to whom Paul sends greetings (Romans 16:11). The word itself does not carry multiple meanings within the biblical text; it functions strictly as a personal name. There are no other scriptural passages where the meaning differs, as it is used only once as an identifier.
Biblical Usage
This word is used only once in the New Testament, in Romans 16:11. Paul includes 'those of the household of Narcissus' in his list of greetings to the Christians in Rome. The usage is purely as a proper name to designate a specific individual or his household. There are no patterns of usage across different books, as it is a unique reference.
Etymology
The name Νάρκισσος (narkissos) is of Greek origin, derived from the word νάρκη (narkē), meaning 'numbness' or 'torpor.' It is the same root for the English word 'narcotic.' In Greek mythology, Narcissus was a hunter renowned for his beauty who fell in love with his own reflection. The biblical usage, however, carries no direct connection to this myth and is simply a personal name adopted from the common Greek onomastic (naming) tradition.
Semantic Range
In the first-century Roman world, 'Narcissus' was a known personal name. A famous historical figure was Tiberius Claudius Narcissus, a powerful freedman and secretary to the Emperor Claudius. While it is impossible to confirm if the biblical Narcissus is the same person, the name indicates someone potentially of significance or from a household of some status in Rome. The mention of his 'household' (Romans 16:11) suggests a domestic group, which could include family members and slaves, a common social structure of the time. The name itself would have been understood by contemporary readers simply as a personal identifier, not with the later psychological connotations of 'narcissism.'
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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