3517. Néreus
Lexical Summary
Néreus: Nereus

Original Word: Νηρεύς
Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine
Transliteration: Néreus
Pronunciation: nay-ROOS
Phonetic Spelling: (nare-yoos')
KJV: Nereus
NASB: Nereus
Word Origin: [apparently from a derivative of the base of G3491 (ναῦς - vessel) (meaning wet)]

1. Nereus, a Christian

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
Nereus.

Apparently from a derivative of the base of naus (meaning wet); Nereus, a Christian -- Nereus.

see GREEK naus

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
of uncertain origin, name of a mythological sea god
Definition
Nereus, a Christian
NASB Translation
Nereus (1).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon
STRONGS NT 3517: Νηρεύς

Νηρεύς ((cf. Vanicek, p. 1158)), Νηρευσεως, , Nereus, a Christian who lived at Rome: Romans 16:15 (where L marginal reading Νηρεαν).

Topical Lexicon
Biblical Occurrence

Romans 16:15 is the only place where Nereus is mentioned: “Greet Philologus and Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints who are with them.” (Berean Standard Bible). Paul closes his letter by naming believers whose faithfulness had become known to him, asking the church in Rome to extend his personal greeting.

Identity and Companions

Nereus is listed alongside Philologus, Julia, an unnamed sister, and Olympas. The pairing of male and female names suggests a household gathering that functioned as one of Rome’s several house churches (compare Romans 16:5; Romans 16:14). The omission of a family surname or social title hints that these believers were probably freedmen or slaves. Nereus was a common name among imperial slaves, especially those connected to the household of Narcissus, the powerful freedman of Emperor Claudius (see Romans 16:11). If so, the group may have included Christians serving within the emperor’s administrative households (compare Philippians 4:22).

Historical Context in First-Century Rome

Paul’s letter reached Rome around A.D. 57. The Jewish believers who had been expelled under Claudius (Acts 18:2) were returning, bringing new tensions but also fresh gospel zeal. Multiple house churches met throughout the city; Paul greets at least five distinct gatherings in Romans 16. Nereus’s circle would have met for worship, instruction, and mutual aid, embodying the gospel’s power to unite men and women, slave and free (Galatians 3:28).

Ministry Significance

1. Recognition of ordinary saints. Paul’s greeting shows that unnamed laborers (even one identified only as “his sister”) were highly valued. Ministry in Scripture is not limited to apostles or elders; every believer’s faithfulness matters.
2. Household evangelism. The grouping implies that entire households—relatives, servants, dependents—were being reached together (Acts 10:24; Acts 16:34).
3. Visible unity across social strata. If Nereus was a former slave, his name beside others demonstrates the early church’s counter-cultural fellowship.

Theological Emphasis

Paul’s greetings illustrate the doctrine of the communion of saints. Though Paul had not yet visited Rome, the Spirit knit him to believers he had never met, fostering affection and intercession. Scripture thus affirms:
• The global church is one family (Ephesians 2:19).
• Honor is due to every faithful worker, known or unknown (1 Corinthians 12:22-24).
• Personal greetings strengthen assurance that each member is remembered before God (Romans 1:9-10).

Patristic Traditions

Second-century Roman lists mention martyrs “Nereus and Achilleus.” While firm identification with Paul’s Nereus cannot be proven, early Christians connected the name with steadfast witness during persecution. An inscription in the Catacomb of Domitilla commemorates these martyrs, indicating that the memory of a believer named Nereus endured in Rome long after Paul’s epistle.

Lessons for Today

• Serve faithfully where God places you; obscurity on earth does not diminish honor in heaven.
• Cultivate hospitality that gathers diverse believers into one spiritual household.
• Remember and greet fellow saints intentionally; small acts of recognition strengthen the body of Christ.
• Teach the next generation that Scripture’s brief references often point to lives of deep devotion, inviting believers to follow their example.

Forms and Transliterations
Νηρεα Νηρέα Nerea Neréa Nērea Nēréa
Links
Interlinear GreekInterlinear HebrewStrong's NumbersEnglishman's Greek ConcordanceEnglishman's Hebrew ConcordanceParallel Texts
Englishman's Concordance
Romans 16:15 N-AMS
GRK: καὶ Ἰουλίαν Νηρέα καὶ τὴν
NAS: and Julia, Nereus and his sister,
KJV: and Julia, Nereus, and his
INT: and Julias Nereus and the

Strong's Greek 3517
1 Occurrence


Νηρέα — 1 Occ.

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