2456. Ioulia
Lexical Summary
Ioulia: Julia

Original Word: Ἰουλία
Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine
Transliteration: Ioulia
Pronunciation: ee-oo-LEE-ah
Phonetic Spelling: (ee-oo-lee'-ah)
KJV: Julia
NASB: Julia
Word Origin: [feminine of the same as G2457 (Ἰούλιος - Julius)]

1. Julia, a Christian woman

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
Julia.

Feminine of the same as Ioulios; Julia, a Christian woman -- Julia.

see GREEK Ioulios

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
fem. of Ioulios
Definition
Julia, a Christian at Rome
NASB Translation
Julia (1).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon
STRONGS NT 2456: Ἰουλία

Ἰουλία, Ἰουλιας, , Julia, a Christian woman (cf. Lightfoot on Philip., p. 177): Romans 16:15 (L marginal reading Ἰουνιᾶν).

Topical Lexicon
Name and Cultural Background

Julia was a common Roman family name, borne by women connected to the imperial gens Julia. Its appearance in the Greek New Testament indicates a believer of Gentile background who carried a respected Latin name within the multi-ethnic church at Rome.

Biblical Context

Romans 16 is a rich catalog of coworkers, households, and assemblies whom Paul greets personally. Amid these greetings stands the brief yet significant mention: “Greet Philologus and Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints with them” (Romans 16:15). Julia is listed among five individuals followed by “all the saints with them,” implying her inclusion in a local gathering of believers that met separately from—yet in fellowship with—the other house churches addressed in the chapter (compare Romans 16:5, 14).

Possible Identification and Historical Setting

1. Social Status: The name Julia was often given to freedwomen connected to the imperial household. Some scholars therefore suggest she may have been a freedwoman formerly in imperial service, now living in Rome and exercising hospitality to a circle of Christians.
2. Relationship to Philologus: The pairing of “Philologus and Julia” mirrors the pattern of “Priscilla and Aquila” (Romans 16:3) and “Andronicus and Junia” (Romans 16:7). The structure hints that Philologus and Julia could have been a married couple who jointly hosted or led a congregation in their home.
3. Connection to Nereus: The sentence continues with “Nereus and his sister,” followed by Olympas. This grouping may indicate a broader household or ministry team that collaborated with Philologus and Julia in serving the believers of their district.

The Role of Women in the Roman Church

Julia’s inclusion alongside prominent men and women underscores the active participation of women in the life and service of the early church. Romans 16 highlights deacons (Romans 16:1), coworkers (Romans 16:3), those “approved in Christ” (Romans 16:10), and saints of various backgrounds. Julia’s greeting confirms that women were recognized contributors to gospel work, hospitality, and the strengthening of house fellowships.

Implications for Ministry Today

• Partnership in the Gospel: The tandem mention of Julia with her presumed husband (or close coworker) illustrates the biblical pattern of men and women laboring side by side for Christ’s kingdom.
• Hospitality as Mission: House churches thrived through believers who opened their homes. Julia reminds modern readers that ordinary settings and everyday relationships remain strategic venues for advancing the gospel.
• Valuing Every Saint: Though appearing only once in Scripture, Julia is remembered eternally in God’s Word. Her example affirms that even seemingly minor acts of faithfulness are noted by the Lord (Hebrews 6:10).

Intertextual and Theological Reflections

Paul’s greetings in Romans 16 embody the doctrine of the one body with many members (1 Corinthians 12:12-27). Julia belongs to a list that erases ethnic, social, and gender barriers through union with Christ. The church in Rome modeled the reconciliation achieved by the gospel—Jews and Gentiles, slaves and free, men and women worshipping together (Galatians 3:28). Julia’s name testifies to the outworking of the mercies of God expounded earlier in Romans.

Lessons for Contemporary Believers

1. Cultivate gospel partnerships that transcend cultural lines, just as a Roman woman served alongside Jews and Greeks.
2. Practice intentional hospitality, recognizing homes as significant ministry platforms.
3. Remember that faithfulness, not prominence, secures one’s place in God’s redemptive story.

Julia’s lone appearance may be brief, but it shines as a witness to the diverse, Spirit-filled fellowship that marked the first-century church and continues to spur believers toward wholehearted service today.

Forms and Transliterations
Ιουλιαν Ἰουλίαν Ioulian Ioulían
Links
Interlinear GreekInterlinear HebrewStrong's NumbersEnglishman's Greek ConcordanceEnglishman's Hebrew ConcordanceParallel Texts
Englishman's Concordance
Romans 16:15 N-AFS
GRK: Φιλόλογον καὶ Ἰουλίαν Νηρέα καὶ
NAS: Philologus and Julia, Nereus
KJV: Philologus, and Julia, Nereus, and
INT: Philologus and Julias Nereus and

Strong's Greek 2456
1 Occurrence


Ἰουλίαν — 1 Occ.

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