Person New Testament
Onesiphorus
Onesiphorus was a friend of Paul who often refreshed him and was not ashamed of his imprisonment. Mentioned in 2 verses across 1 book, first at 2 Timothy 1:16.
Why it matters. Friend and supporter of Paul
- Primary passages
- Last reviewed
- 2026-08-30 by the FaithGraph team
About Onesiphorus
Onesiphorus was a Christian friend and supporter of the apostle Paul (2Ti.1.16). He is mentioned in Paul's second letter to Timothy as someone who often refreshed Paul and was not ashamed of his chains (2Ti.1.16). This suggests that Onesiphorus visited Paul during his imprisonment and provided him with comfort and support. Paul expresses his gratitude for Onesiphorus' kindness and asks the Lord to grant mercy to his household (2Ti.1.16). In the final chapter of the letter, Paul sends greetings to the household of Onesiphorus (2Ti.4.19), indicating that Onesiphorus and his family were well-known to the Christian community. The example of Onesiphorus highlights the importance of supporting and encouraging those who are facing hardship or persecution for their faith.
Description from STEPBible TIPNR (Tyndale House, Cambridge), CC BY 4.0, lightly reformatted. This is background reference material, not Scripture and not a FaithGraph editorial claim.
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Appears in Scripture
Named in 2 verses across 1 book. Occurrence data from STEPBible TIPNR (CC BY 4.0); references only, no translation text.