2060. Hermés

Lexical Summary

Hermés: Hermes

Original Word: Ἑρμῆς
Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine
Transliteration: Hermés
Pronunciation: her-MAYS
Phonetic Spelling: (her-mace')
KJV: Hermes, Mercury
NASB: Hermes
Word Origin: [perhaps from G2046 (ἐρέω - To say)]

1. Hermes, the name of the messenger of the Greek deities
2. also of a Christian

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

Hermes, Mercury.

Perhaps from ereo; Hermes, the name of the messenger of the Greek deities; also of a Christian -- Hermes, Mercury.

see GREEK ereo

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
of uncertain origin
Definition
Hermes, the name of a Gr. god and a Christian at Rome
NASB Translation
Hermes (2).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon

STRONGS NT 2060: Ἑρμῆς

Ἑρμῆς, accusative Ἑρμῆν, ὁ, proper name, Hermes;

1. a Greek deity called by the Romans Mercurius (Mercury): Acts 14:12.

2. a certain Christian: Romans 16:14.

Topical Lexicon

Occurrences in the New Testament

• Acts 14:12 – “Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul they called Hermes, because he was the chief speaker.”
• Romans 16:14 – “Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, and Hermas, and the brothers with them.”

Cultural and Religious Background

In Greco-Roman mythology Hermes (Latin Mercury) was the swift messenger of the gods, patron of eloquence, commerce, travel, and boundaries. Shrines to him dotted Asia Minor, often marked by a carved pillar (herm). Because he was credited with persuasive speech, orators and heralds were popularly linked to his name. This background explains why the citizens of Lystra instinctively labeled Paul “Hermes” when they heard him preach with power, imagining a divine visit akin to legends they already cherished.

Hermes at Lystra (Acts 14:12)

Paul’s healing of the lame man (Acts 14:8–10) astonished a rural crowd steeped in folk memories of gods walking among mortals. By calling Barnabas “Zeus” and Paul “Hermes,” they attempted to honor the missionaries with sacrifice (Acts 14:13). The incident illustrates:

1. The clash between living faith and entrenched idolatry.
2. The danger of syncretism; good deeds can be misread through pagan lenses.
3. The necessity of clear proclamation: Paul’s corrective sermon (Acts 14:15–17) calls them from “vain things” to “the living God.”

Luke’s narrative highlights the authority of the gospel to expose and overturn false worship without conceding to it.

Hermes among the Saints at Rome (Romans 16:14)

Decades later the same name appears in Paul’s greetings to the Roman house-churches. Here “Hermes” is not a pagan deity but an ordinary believer, probably of Gentile background, now united with Jewish and Roman Christians in the body of Christ. The list in Romans 16 underscores:
• The socio-cultural diversity of early congregations.
• The transformation of identities; a name once tied to idolatry now adorns a servant of Jesus Christ.
• The importance of every member, for Paul extends equal courtesy to well-known leaders and to otherwise unknown brethren alike.

Theological Themes

1. Exclusive Worship: Acts 14 insists that all glory belongs to the Creator, not to created images or human heroes.
2. Incarnation and Revelation: Pagans guessed that deity might visit humanity; the gospel declares that God truly has—in Jesus Christ, not in disguised mythological forms.
3. Redemption of Culture: Personal names, languages, and customs are not discarded but redeemed; Hermes the Christian shows how the gospel reorients cultural artifacts toward the glory of God.
4. Missionary Communication: Effective evangelism requires both miraculous authentication and verbal explanation, lest audiences misinterpret the work of God.

Hermes in Early Christian Tradition

Second-century writers sometimes identify the Hermes of Romans 16:14 with one of “the Seventy” sent out by the Lord (Luke 10), later said to have served as bishop in Dalmatia or Philippi. While such traditions cannot be verified from Scripture, they testify to the high regard early Christians held for those greeted by Paul and to the missionary vigor associated with the name.

Ministry Lessons

• Proclaim clearly: miraculous works must be coupled with doctrinal truth to prevent confusion.
• Expect cultural misunderstandings and address them graciously, guiding hearers from superstition to sound worship.
• Value every believer; even the briefly-mentioned “Hermes” is memorialized forever in the inspired text, reminding the church that God records the faithfulness of each servant.

Forms and Transliterations

Ερμην Ἑρμῆν Ermen Ermēn Hermen Hermên Hermēn Hermē̂n

Englishman's Concordance

Acts 14:12 N-AMS
GRK: δὲ Παῦλον Ἑρμῆν ἐπειδὴ αὐτὸς
NAS: and Paul, Hermes, because
KJV: and Paul, Mercurius, because he
INT: and Paul Hermes because he

Romans 16:14 N-AMS
GRK: Ἀσύνκριτον Φλέγοντα Ἑρμῆν Πατρόβαν Ἑρμᾶν
NAS: Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas,
KJV: Patrobas, Hermes, and
INT: Asyncritus Phlegon Hermes Patrobas Hermas

Strong's Greek 2060
2 Occurrences

Ἑρμῆν — 2 Occ.