Persis
“A Persian woman; feminine form of 'Persian'”
Summary
Persis was a Christian woman at Rome whom Paul greeted with special affection in his letter to the Romans, commending her as 'the beloved' who 'labored much in the Lord.'
☩Paul's Commendation
Paul greets Persis in Romans 16:12 with the distinctive title 'the beloved' (tēn agapētēn), and commends her as one who 'labored much in the Lord.' The term 'beloved' may indicate she was a personal convert of Paul or one closely associated with his work. Some commentators note that Paul uses this absolute form 'the beloved' rather than 'my beloved'—a term he applies to three men in the same chapter—perhaps with intentional delicacy. Alternatively, 'the beloved' may indicate the affection in which Persis was held by the entire church community.
☩Her Labor in the Lord
The verb 'labored' (kopiaō) suggests painstaking effort and is notably used in Romans 16 only of women—Mary (verse 6), Tryphaena and Tryphosa (verse 12), and Persis. Elsewhere Paul uses this same word to describe his own missionary labors (1 Corinthians 15:10; Galatians 4:11; Philippians 2:16), as well as the work of church leaders (1 Thessalonians 5:12; 1 Timothy 5:17). This language indicates Persis's work extended beyond mere practical benevolence. The aorist tense ('labored') in contrast to the present tense used of Tryphaena and Tryphosa may point to some definite past occasion of special importance, or perhaps suggest that Persis was an aged woman whose active work was finished.
Related Verses1 mention
Romans· 1 verse
References
- 1.John McClintock and James Strong, "Persis," in Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature, vol. VII (Harper & Brothers, 1867–1887).
- 2.James Hastings (ed.), "Persis," in Dictionary of the Apostolic Church, vol. II (T. & T. Clark, 1915–1918).