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Acts 17:34 |
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Howbeit certain men clave unto him, and believed: among the which [was] Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris, and others with them.
Note 7 at Acts 17:34: This is the only mention of Dionysius in scripture. However, much can be gleaned about him from this verse.
The use of the word "Areopagite" meant that Dionysius was a member of Athens' highest court which met on the Areopagus or Mars hill (see note 5 at Acts 17:18, p. ???). To be a member of this court, all the judges had to have been an archon or governor of the city. Therefore, it is certain that Dionysius was one of the men before whom Paul was being tried and a very prominent man in Athens.
There is an abundance of references about Dionysius out side of scripture, including one account that he became the first bishop of Athens at Paul's appointment, but these claims can not be substantiated.
Note 8 at Acts 17:34: This is the only time that this woman Damaris is mentioned in scripture. As with Dionysius (see note 7 at this verse), extra-biblical comments on this woman exist but they can not be proven.

