In brief
Sosthenes is the ruler of the synagogue of Corinth during Paul's stay in that city, around the middle of the first century. When the Jews accuse Paul before the proconsul Gallio, he refuses to judge the case. Sosthenes is then seized and beaten before the judgment seat, and Gallio does not care. Later, Paul writes to the Corinthians together with “our brother Sosthenes.” The Bible does not say whether he is the same man.
What does the name Sosthenes mean?
Sosthenes is a Greek name generally linked to the words for “safe” and “strength.” The Bible does not explain this name.
The story of Sosthenes
Paul in Corinth
Acts 18:1-11Paul arrives in Corinth, works with Aquila and Priscilla and teaches every Sabbath in the synagogue. Facing opposition, he turns to the Gentiles. Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believes in the Lord with his whole household. The Lord tells Paul in a vision that he has many people in this city, and Paul stays there a year and six months.
The accusation before Gallio
Acts 18:12-16While Gallio is proconsul of Achaia, the Jews rise up against Paul and bring him to the judgment seat. They accuse him of persuading people to worship God in a way contrary to the law. Before Paul can even speak, Gallio refuses to judge disputes about words, names and Jewish law, and drives them from the judgment seat.
Beaten before the judgment seat
Acts 18:17Then all the Greeks seize Sosthenes, the ruler of the synagogue, and beat him before the judgment seat, and Gallio does not care about any of it. The text does not say why he is struck, nor exactly by whom. The leader of those who accused Paul ends up publicly humiliated.
Our brother Sosthenes
1 Corinthians 1:1-3A few years later, Paul writes to the church of God in Corinth. He joins to his letter “our brother Sosthenes.” The Corinthians therefore knew him. Many think he is the former synagogue ruler who became a disciple of Jesus, but the text does not say so.
What Sosthenes teaches us
- God protects his servants according to his promise, even in the midst of opposition.
- Human authorities may stay indifferent to injustice, but God sees everything.
- In a single city, God can open the hearts of religious leaders to the Gospel.
- Being called “brother” in the church speaks of the unity of those who belong to Christ.
- We must distinguish what the Bible affirms from what we suppose about a person.
Key verses
The Lord tells Paul not to be afraid but to speak, for no one will attack him to harm him. The episode before Gallio shows this promise fulfilled.
Sosthenes, ruler of the synagogue, is beaten before the judgment seat while Gallio does not care. This is the only account that presents him in this role.
Paul opens his letter to the Corinthians by joining to his own name “our brother Sosthenes,” a believer known to the church in Corinth.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Sosthenes of 1 Corinthians the synagogue ruler?
The Bible does not say. Acts 18:17 speaks of Sosthenes, ruler of the synagogue of Corinth, and 1 Corinthians 1:1 of “our brother Sosthenes,” known to the Corinthians. Many think it is the same man who became a Christian, like Crispus before him, but this remains a hypothesis.
What does the name Sosthenes mean?
Sosthenes is a Greek name. It is generally linked to two Greek words meaning “safe” and “strength,” but the Bible does not explain the name and gives no detail about his family or origin.
Where can I find Sosthenes' story in the Bible?
Sosthenes, ruler of the synagogue, appears in Acts 18:17, in the account of Paul's stay in Corinth (Acts 18:1-18). A “brother Sosthenes” is named with Paul at the beginning of the first letter to the Corinthians (1 Corinthians 1:1).