Who was Zenas in the bible?

Zenas is named once in the New Testament as “Zenas, the lawyer,” a person Paul directs Titus to help and send on promptly with Apollos. The Greek name Ζηνᾶς (Zenas) is explained in lexicon paraphrase as likely formed from elements associated with “Zeus” and “gift.”

Zenas in Scripture

Zenas appears in the closing instructions of Paul’s letter to Titus. In the immediate context, Paul has just spoken about dealing with a person who persists in wrongdoing:

“knowing that such a one is perverted and sins, being self-condemned.” (Titus 3:11, WEB)

From that admonition, Paul turns to practical travel and ministry arrangements, including Paul’s own plans and Titus’s next steps:

“When I send Artemas to you, or Tychicus, be diligent to come to me to Nicopolis, for I have determined to winter there.” (Titus 3:12, WEB)

Within these instructions, Zenas is mentioned alongside Apollos. Paul’s directive is specific and urgent, emphasizing both speed and provision:

“Send Zenas, the lawyer, and Apollos on their journey speedily, that nothing may be lacking for them.” (Titus 3:13, WEB)

This verse is the sole direct information about Zenas. It identifies him by name and by a descriptive role—“the lawyer”—and places him among traveling coworkers who are to be assisted materially (“that nothing may be lacking for them”). The instruction is framed as part of a broader concern that the community’s life be marked by useful, necessary good works rather than fruitlessness:

“Let our people also learn to maintain good works for necessary uses, that they may not be unfruitful.” (Titus 3:14, WEB)

Paul concludes with greetings and a blessing, placing these directives—including the assistance to Zenas—within the warm relational texture of the letter’s closing:

“All who are with me greet you. Greet those who love us in faith. Grace be with you all. Amen.” (Titus 3:15, WEB)

Read as a whole, Titus 3:11–15 moves from warning about a self-condemned sinner (v. 11), to coordinating personnel and travel (v. 12), to the concrete act of outfitting Zenas and Apollos for travel so that “nothing may be lacking” (v. 13), and then to the larger principle that believers should “maintain good works for necessary uses” (v. 14), ending with greetings and grace (v. 15). Zenas’s single appearance is therefore situated in a brief set of closing instructions that connect practical provision with the practice of good works.

Name and Meaning

In Greek the name is written Ζηνᾶς, transliterated Zenas, and pronounced dzay-nas’. In lexicon paraphrase, the name is probably contracted from a poetic form associated with “Zeus” (Ζεύς, Δίς) and the word δῶρον (doron), meaning “gift,” yielding a formation built from the ideas of “Zeus” and “gift.”

Brief observation

Zenas is remembered only in Paul’s instruction that Titus “Send Zenas, the lawyer, and Apollos on their journey speedily, that nothing may be lacking for them” (Titus 3:13, WEB), a concrete example in the same passage that urges believers to “maintain good works for necessary uses” (Titus 3:14, WEB).

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the name Zenas mean?

Zenas is probably a contracted form connected with Zeus and the word for “gift.”

How many times does Zenas appear in the Bible?

Zenas appears 1 time in the Bible.

Who was Zenas in the Bible?

Zenas is named as “the lawyer” in Titus 3:13.

What does Titus 3:13 say to do about Zenas?

Titus 3:13 says, “Send Zenas, the lawyer, and Apollos on their journey speedily, that nothing may be lacking for them.”

Explore Further

If you found this page about Zenas 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).