959. Berniké
Lexical Summary
Berniké: Bernice

Original Word: Βερνίκη
Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine
Transliteration: Berniké
Pronunciation: ber-nee'-kay
Phonetic Spelling: (ber-nee'-kay)
KJV: Bernice
NASB: Bernice
Word Origin: [from a provincial form of G5342 (φέρω - bring) and G3529 (νίκη - victory)]

1. victorious
2. Bernice, a member of the Herodian family

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
Bernice.

From a provincial form of phero and nike; victorious; Bernice, a member of the Herodian family -- Bernice.

see GREEK phero

see GREEK nike

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
a Macedonian form of pheró and niké
Definition
Berenice, Bernice, daughter of Herod Agrippa I
NASB Translation
Bernice (3).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon
STRONGS NT 959: Βερνίκη

Βερνίκη, Βερνίκης, (for Βερενικη, and this the Macedonic form (cf. Sturz, De dial. Mac., p. 31) of Φερενικη (i. e. victorious)), Bernice or Berenice, daughter of Herod Agrippa the elder. She married first her uncle Herod, king of Chalcis, and after his death Polemon, king of Cilicia. Deserting him soon afterward, she returned to her brother Agrippa, with whom previously when a widow she was said to have lived incestuously. Finally she became for a tithe the mistress of the emperor Titus (Josephus, Antiquities 19, 5, 1; 20, 7, 1 and 3; Tacitus, hist. 2, 2 and 81; Suetonius, Titus 7): Acts 25:13, 23; Acts 26:30. Cf. Hausrath in Schenkel i., p. 396f; (Farrar, St. Paul, ii. 599f).

Topical Lexicon
Historical and Family Context

Bernice was the eldest daughter of Herod Agrippa I and sister of Herod Agrippa II (Acts 25:13). Born into the Herodian dynasty, she grew up amid political intrigue and shifting alliances that characterized the late Second Temple period. Her family’s complicated intermarriages linked her to earlier Herods who had interacted with John the Baptist, Jesus Christ, and the Apostles, making her presence at Paul’s hearings part of a larger, multi-generational encounter between the gospel and the Herodian line.

Appearances in Acts

1. Acts 25:13 – Bernice accompanies Agrippa II on a state visit to Festus, the new Roman procurator in Caesarea.
2. Acts 25:23 – “So on the next day Agrippa and Bernice came with great pomp and entered the audience hall, together with the commanders and the prominent men of the city.”
3. Acts 26:30 – After Paul’s defense, “the king and the governor rose, along with Bernice and those seated with them.”

These passages portray Bernice as a visible symbol of Judean royalty whose presence lends political weight and ceremony to Paul’s trial.

Role in Paul’s Ministry

When Festus convened the hearing (Acts 25–26), Paul had already endured years of imprisonment. Christ had foretold that Paul would “bear My name before the Gentiles and kings” (Acts 9:15), and Bernice’s attendance with Agrippa II fulfills that prediction. Her inclusion means that, once again, the gospel confronted Herodian power, offering both personal salvation and prophetic witness to Israel’s ruling house.

Moral Reputation and Character

Contemporary Jewish and Roman writers charge Bernice with scandalous behavior—including rumors of an incestuous relationship with her brother and later involvement with the future emperor Titus. Scripture, however, neither confirms nor denies these reports. The New Testament simply records her ceremonial dignity. By keeping the narrative focus on Paul’s testimony, Luke allows the gospel rather than Bernice’s notoriety to dominate the scene, illustrating that God’s word remains central even when surrounded by political intrigue.

Theological Significance

• Sovereign Placement of Witnesses: Bernice’s attendance at Paul’s defense demonstrates God’s providence in positioning His servants before influential listeners (compare Acts 23:11).
• Contrast of Earthly Glory and Eternal Truth: Luke’s note that the royal pair arrived “with great pomp” (Acts 25:23) highlights the temporary splendor of human rulers versus the enduring power of the gospel Paul preached (Acts 26:22–23).
• Fulfillment of Prophetic Pattern: From John the Baptist before Herod Antipas to Jesus before Herod Antipas and Pilate, and now Paul before Agrippa II and Bernice, the pattern of gospel confrontation with political authority reinforces the unity and reliability of Scripture.

Later History and Legacy

Extra-biblical sources suggest that Bernice later accompanied Titus to Rome before he became emperor, but the political climate forced their separation. Her account illustrates the fleeting nature of political favor. In contrast, Paul’s testimony delivered in her presence continues to shape Christian faith centuries later.

Practical Reflections

• God’s message is not hindered by the moral or political status of its hearers; it remains “the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes” (Romans 1:16).
• Earthly prominence, whether that of Bernice or any modern equivalent, cannot substitute for personal response to the risen Christ.
• The believer’s call to speak truth with respect (Acts 26:25–27) stands firm, regardless of hostile or indifferent authorities.

Thus, Bernice serves as a historical backdrop against which the gospel’s unstoppable advance shines all the more clearly.

Forms and Transliterations
Βερνικη Βερνίκη Βερνικης Βερνίκης Bernike Bernikē Berníke Berníkē Bernikes Bernikēs Berníkes Berníkēs
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Interlinear GreekInterlinear HebrewStrong's NumbersEnglishman's Greek ConcordanceEnglishman's Hebrew ConcordanceParallel Texts
Englishman's Concordance
Acts 25:13 N-NFS
GRK: βασιλεὺς καὶ Βερνίκη κατήντησαν εἰς
NAS: Agrippa and Bernice arrived
KJV: Agrippa and Bernice came unto
INT: king and Bernice came down to

Acts 25:23 N-GFS
GRK: καὶ τῆς Βερνίκης μετὰ πολλῆς
NAS: came together with Bernice amid great
KJV: was come, and Bernice, with great
INT: and Bernice with great

Acts 26:30 N-NFS
GRK: ἥ τε Βερνίκη καὶ οἱ
NAS: up and the governor and Bernice, and those
KJV: and Bernice, and
INT: also Bernice and those who

Strong's Greek 959
3 Occurrences


Βερνίκη — 2 Occ.
Βερνίκης — 1 Occ.

958
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