Bible Word Study
Σάμος
samos · Samos
Σάμος
Samos
Definition
Σάμος (Samos) refers to a significant island in the Aegean Sea, located off the western coast of Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey), near the cities of Ephesus and Miletus. In the biblical context, it is mentioned solely as a geographical location during the Apostle Paul's third missionary journey. The island was a notable stop on ancient maritime trade routes. Its mention in Acts 20:15 serves to chart Paul's travel itinerary as he sailed from Troas to Miletus, with the intent of reaching Jerusalem by Pentecost.
Biblical Usage
This word is used only once in the New Testament, in Acts 20:15. It functions strictly as a proper noun identifying a specific island. The usage is purely geographical, detailing a stop on Paul's sea voyage. There are no patterns of usage beyond this single, descriptive reference in the narrative of Acts.
Etymology
The word Σάμος is of Greek origin, directly taken as the name of the island. Its etymology is ancient and pre-biblical, likely deriving from a pre-Greek or Phoenician source related to its geographical features, though the precise root is uncertain. It entered the New Testament lexicon unchanged as a place-name.
Semantic Range
In the 1st century, Samos was a prosperous and populous island, known for its wine, pottery, and strategic location. It was a free and allied state within the Roman Empire, boasting a significant harbor and the famous temple of Hera. For readers of Acts, understanding Samos as a real, thriving island on a major shipping lane adds concrete historical texture to Paul's travels, contrasting with modern perceptions of remote or insignificant islands. There are no direct synonyms for this proper noun. Geographically related terms include: νῆσος (nēsos, G3520) — the general Greek word for 'island'.
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]