Bible Word Study
Πτολεμαΐς
ptolemais · Ptolemais
Πτολεμαΐς
Ptolemais
Definition
Ptolemais is the name of a major coastal city in Phoenicia, located on the Mediterranean Sea between Tyre and Caesarea. In the New Testament, it is mentioned only in Acts 21:7 as a port where Paul and his companions landed during his final journey to Jerusalem. The city served as a significant harbor and a strategic stop on the coastal trade route. Historically, it was known as Acco in the Old Testament (Judges 1:31) and was later renamed in honor of Ptolemy II Philadelphus, a Hellenistic ruler.
Biblical Usage
The word Πτολεμαΐς is used only once in the New Testament, in Acts 21:7. In this context, it functions purely as a geographical location, marking a point in Paul's missionary travels. The usage is straightforward, identifying the city where Paul and his companions disembarked after sailing from Tyre and where they greeted fellow believers before continuing their journey.
Etymology
The name Πτολεμαΐς (Ptolemais) is derived directly from the Greek personal name Πτολεμαῖος (Ptolemaios), meaning 'warlike' or 'aggressive'. It was a common Hellenistic practice to rename cities in honor of rulers; this city was renamed for Ptolemy II Philadelphus, a Greek king of Egypt in the 3rd century BC. The name reflects the cultural and political influence of the Hellenistic period in the region.
Semantic Range
In the 1st century, Ptolemais (modern-day Acre/Akko in Israel) was a prominent Greco-Roman port city with a mixed population of Gentiles, Jews, and early Christians. As a coastal hub, it was a center for trade and travel, connecting Palestine with the wider Mediterranean world. For Paul and other travelers, it was a logical and necessary stop on the coastal road. Its mention in Acts highlights the practical realities of travel in the early church and the network of believers in key urban centers. Τύρος (tyros, G5184) — The major Phoenician city north of Ptolemais, also a significant port. Καισάρεια (Kaisareia, G2542) — The major Roman administrative capital and port city south of Ptolemais.
Word Details
How this works
Definitions are from the Dodson Greek-English Lexicon, supplemented by STEPBible TBESG data (CC BY 4.0). Concordance and morphology data are derived from the interlinear Bible.
Full methodology & sources →References
- Abbott-Smith, G. (1921) A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament. Edinburgh: T&T Clark. [Public Domain]
- Brown, F., Driver, S.R. and Briggs, C.A. (1906) A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament. Oxford: Clarendon Press. [Public Domain]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Tyndale Brief lexicon of Extended Strongs for Greek (TBESG). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Translators Formatted full LSJ (TFLSJ). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Thayer, J.H. (1889) A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament. [Public Domain]
- Gesenius, W. (1846) Gesenius' Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon to the Old Testament. [Public Domain]
- Dodson, J. (2010) Greek Lexicon. Biblical Humanities. [CC0]