A woman named Junia was an apostle? Really?
You might be thinking, “A female apostle in the New Testament? I’ve never heard of her!” Although mentioned by Paul in his letter to the early Christians in Rome (Romans 16:7), Junia’s story has been buried for centuries.
Older, more traditional Bibles use the name “Junias,” a mistranslation introduced by the medieval church, which opposed women in leadership roles. Martin Luther, in his 1534 translation of the New Testament, popularized this made-up name. Extensive research has shown that “Junias” was never used as a name in the ancient world.
Additionally, the early Church Fathers (some of the first readers and interpreters of Paul’s letter to the Romans) recognized that Junia was a woman and praised her as a gifted apostle. For many reasons, it has been confirmed that the correct translation is “Junia” and that Paul did describe her as an outstanding apostle in his letter to the Romans. Most recent Bible translations have corrected the misrepresentation.
Who Was Junia?
“Greet Andronicus and Junia, my fellow Jews who have been in prison with me. They are outstanding among the apostles, and they were in Christ before I was.” Romans 16:7 (NIV)
From Paul’s letter to the early Christians in Rome, we learn several things about Junia. She was:
a leader in the early Christian movement in Rome before Paul or Peter arrived
Jewish
She was in prison with Paul
in prison with Paul
a prominent apostle