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Sosthenes/ˈsɒsθə.niːz/ (Greek: Σωσθένης,Sōsthénēs, "safe in strength") was the chief ruler of thesynagogue atCorinth, who, according to theActs of the Apostles, was seized and beaten by the mob in the presence ofGallio (c. 5 BC – c. AD 65), theRoman governor, when Gallio refused to proceed againstPaul (c. 5 – c. 64/65 AD) at the instigation of the Jews (Acts 18:12–17). The motives of this assault against Sosthenes are not recorded.[1] Some manuscripts assert the mob was composed of "Greeks" (Acts 18:17) while others read "Jews".[citation needed]
Some historians, beginning withEusebius,[2] identify this Sosthenes with a companion ofPaul the Apostle referred to as "Sosthenes our brother" (Greek:Σωσθένης ὁ ἀδελφός,Sōsthénēs ho adelphós, literally "Sosthenesthe brother"), a convert to the Christian faith and co-author of theFirst Epistle to the Corinthians (1 Corinthians 1:1–2). It is not clear whether this identification is tenable.[1] According to Protestant theologianHeinrich Meyer, "Theodoret and most commentators, including Flatt, Billroth, Ewald, Maier [and] Hofmann, identify Sosthenes with the person so named in Acts 18:17, but this is denied byMichaelis, Pott, Rückert, andde Wette".[3] The name was a common one.[4]
It has also been suggested that Sosthenes is a later name ofCrispus, who is mentioned in Acts 18:8 and 1 Corinthians 1:14, butStrong andMcClintock say this "is arbitrary and unsupported".[4]
He is traditionally listed among theSeventy Disciples ofLuke 10:1.[5]
This article incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain: Easton, Matthew George (1897). "Sosthenes".Easton's Bible Dictionary (New and revised ed.). T. Nelson and Sons.