Who was Alexander in the bible?

Alexander (Greek Ἀλέξανδρος) is a New Testament name borne by several individuals. In Scripture he is (1) the son of Simon of Cyrene, named during the crucifixion narrative; (2) a man listed among relatives of the high priest; (3) a figure put forward in a public uproar who attempted to speak; and (4) an Alexander associated with discipline for blasphemy, also called “the coppersmith” who “did much evil” to Paul.

Alexander in Scripture

The most extended narrative setting that mentions an Alexander appears in Mark’s account of Jesus’ trial and crucifixion. The chapter opens with religious leaders taking formal action against Jesus and bringing him to the Roman governor:

“Immediately in the morning the chief priests, with the elders and scribes, and the whole council, held a consultation, bound Jesus, carried him away, and delivered him up to Pilate.” (Mark 15:1, WEB)

Pilate questions Jesus—“Are you the King of the Jews?”—and receives the reply, “So you say” (Mark 15:2). Though “the chief priests accused him of many things” (Mark 15:3), “Jesus made no further answer, so that Pilate marveled” (Mark 15:5). The narrative describes a customary release of a prisoner at the feast (Mark 15:6) and names Barabbas as one who had been involved in an insurrection and murder (Mark 15:7). Pilate offers the crowd a choice, but the chief priests influence the outcome, and the crowd calls for crucifixion (Mark 15:13–14). The account summarizes the official decision and the treatment of Jesus:

“Pilate, wishing to please the multitude, released Barabbas to them, and handed over Jesus, when he had flogged him, to be crucified.” (Mark 15:15, WEB)

Soldiers mock Jesus with a purple robe, a crown of thorns, and derisive homage—“Hail, King of the Jews!” (Mark 15:17–18)—and then “led him out to crucify him” (Mark 15:20). At this point Alexander is mentioned, not as an actor in the scene, but as a family identifier for Simon of Cyrene, who is compelled to carry Jesus’ cross:

“They compelled one passing by, coming from the country, Simon of Cyrene, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to go with them, that he might bear his cross.” (Mark 15:21, WEB)

Mark continues with the crucifixion at Golgotha, “The place of a skull” (Mark 15:22). Jesus refuses wine mixed with myrrh (Mark 15:23), and the soldiers divide his garments by lot (Mark 15:24). The accusation above him reads, “THE KING OF THE JEWS” (Mark 15:26). He is crucified between two robbers (Mark 15:27), and the chapter records hostile speech from passersby and leaders, including, “Crucify him!” (Mark 15:13) earlier and later taunts such as, “save yourself, and come down from the cross!” (Mark 15:30) and “He saved others. He can’t save himself.” (Mark 15:31). Darkness covers the land (Mark 15:33), and Jesus cries, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Mark 15:34). After Jesus’ death (Mark 15:37), “The veil of the temple was torn in two from the top to the bottom” (Mark 15:38), and a centurion responds, “Truly this man was the Son of God!” (Mark 15:39). The burial narrative follows (Mark 15:42–47).

Outside this crucifixion context, Acts names an Alexander among a group associated with the high priestly circle when apostles are confronted by authorities:

“Annas the high priest was there, with Caiaphas, John, Alexander, and as many as were relatives of the high priest.” (Acts 4:6, WEB)

Later in Acts, during a tumultuous public scene, an Alexander is pushed forward from the crowd and tries to address the people:

“They brought Alexander out of the multitude, the Jews putting him forward. Alexander beckoned with his hand, and would have made a defense to the people.” (Acts 19:33, WEB)

In Paul’s correspondence to Timothy, Alexander is named in a disciplinary context alongside Hymenaeus:

“of whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I delivered to Satan, that they might be taught not to blaspheme.” (1 Timothy 1:20, WEB)

In a later letter, Paul names Alexander again with an occupational description and a moral assessment:

“Alexander, the coppersmith, did much evil to me. The Lord will repay him according to his deeds,” (2 Timothy 4:14, WEB)

Multiple Bearers

The name Alexander refers to more than one person in the New Testament passages cited. Mark identifies an Alexander only as a son of Simon of Cyrene: “Simon of Cyrene, the father of Alexander and Rufus” (Mark 15:21). Acts includes an Alexander in a list connected to the high priest: “Annas the high priest… with Caiaphas, John, Alexander” (Acts 4:6). Acts also describes an Alexander who was put forward in a crowd and attempted a public defense: “Alexander beckoned with his hand, and would have made a defense to the people” (Acts 19:33). Paul names an Alexander in connection with being “delivered to Satan… that they might be taught not to blaspheme” (1 Timothy 1:20) and also names “Alexander, the coppersmith” who “did much evil” to him (2 Timothy 4:14). These references do not explicitly identify whether any of these Alexanders are the same individual.

Name and Meaning

The name is written in Greek as Ἀλέξανδρος (transliteration Alexandros; pronunciation al-ex’-an-dros). Its derivation is explained in the lexicon as coming from elements related to a word for “rooster” (alektor, ἀλέκτωρ) and a word for “man” (aner, ἀνήρ).

Observation

Across these passages, “Alexander” can function simply as an identifying name within a larger event—“the father of Alexander and Rufus” (Mark 15:21)—or as a figure connected with public controversy and moral judgment, as when one “would have made a defense to the people” (Acts 19:33) and another is said to have “did much evil to me” (2 Timothy 4:14).

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the name Alexander mean?

Alexander is a Greek name formed from elements meaning “to ward off/defend” and “man.”

How many times does Alexander appear in the Bible?

Alexander occurs 6 times.

Who was Alexander in the Bible?

The name Alexander refers to multiple people in the New Testament, including the son of Simon of Cyrene (Mark 15:21), a man named among relatives of the high priest (Acts 4:6), and someone brought forward in a public uproar (Acts 19:33). It also names Alexander associated with Hymenaeus (1 Timothy 1:20) and “Alexander, the coppersmith” (2 Timothy 4:14).

What does 2 Timothy say about Alexander the coppersmith?

It says, “Alexander, the coppersmith, did much evil to me” (2 Timothy 4:14).

Explore Further

If you found this page about Alexander interesting and would like to discover more about other biblical characters, explore our comprehensive Encyclopedia of Biblical Characters. For those looking to delve deeper into the Greek origins of these names and terms, our Greek Lexicon is an invaluable resource.

Sources: Name and occurrence data from Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance and STEPBible reference data (CC BY). Scripture quotations from the World English Bible (public domain).