Original Word: εὐνοῦχος
Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine
Transliteration: eunouchos
Pronunciation: yoo-noo'-khos
Phonetic Spelling: (yoo-noo'-khos)
KJV: eunuch
NASB: eunuch, eunuchs
Word Origin: [from eune (a bed) and G2192 (ἔχω - have)]

1. a castrated person (such being employed in Oriental bed-chambers)
2. (by extension) an impotent or unmarried man
3. (by implication) a chamberlain (state-officer)

eunuch.

From eune (a bed) and echo; a castrated person (such being employed in Oriental bed-chambers); by extension an impotent or unmarried man; by implication, a chamberlain (state-officer) -- eunuch.

see GREEK echo

2135 eunoúxos – properly, "alone in bed" (i.e. without a marriage partner) – literally, a castrated (emasculated) man; a eunuch; " 'a chamberlain, keeper of the bed-chamber' of an Eastern potentate, 'a eunuch' " (Souter); (figuratively) someone who abstains from marriage (sexual relations) to be solely devoted to God – as in Mt 19:12 where 2135 (eunoúxos) refers to someone who voluntarily chooses a life of sexual abstinence (see also LXX: Est 2:14,15; Is 56:3,4).

Word Origin
from euné (a bed) and echó
Definition
a eunuch
NASB Translation
eunuch (5), eunuchs (3).

STRONGS NT 2135: εὐνοῦχος

εὐνοῦχος, εὐνούχου, ὁ (from εὐνή a bed, and ἔχω), the Sept. סָרִיס; from Herodotus down; properly, a bed-keeper, bed-guard, superintendent of the bedchamber, chamberlain, in the palace of oriental monarchs who support numerous wives; the superintendent of the women's apartment or harem, an office held by eunuchs; hence,

a. an emasculated man, a eunuch: Matthew 19:12b. But eunuchs in oriental courts held other offices of greater or less importance, like the oversight of the treasury, held by the Ethiopian eunuch mentioned in Acts 8:27, 34, 36, 38f; cf. Gesenius, Thesaurus, ii., p. 973; (B. D. under the word ).

b. one naturally incapacitated — either for marriage, Matthew 19:12a; or for begetting children, Wis. 3:14, cf. Grimm, exgt. Hdb. at the passage c. one who voluntarily abstains from marriage: Matthew 19:12c. Fischer, De vitiis lexamples N. T. etc., p. 485ff treats of the word more fully.

Entry Title: Eunuch (Strong’s Greek 2135)

Historical Background

• In the ancient Near East, court officials tasked with guarding royal harems or managing treasuries were frequently castrated, both to remove sexual rivalry and to assure singular loyalty to the monarch.
• By the Greco-Roman period, the word had broadened to include high-ranking civil servants, whether physically altered or not, though the original sense still lingered.
• Within Judaism, the Mosaic Law barred castrated men from priestly service (Leviticus 21:20) and from entering the assembly (Deuteronomy 23:1). Yet the prophetic vision of Isaiah 56:3-5 foretold a day when faithful eunuchs would receive “an everlasting name.”

Scriptural Occurrences and Context

1. Matthew 19:12—In teaching on marriage and celibacy, Jesus distinguishes three categories:
• those “born that way from their mother’s womb,”
• those “made that way by men,”
• those who “live like eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven.”

His statement elevates voluntary celibacy, not as a mandate, but as a gift granted to some for undivided devotion.

2. Acts 8:27-39—Luke devotes a substantial narrative to an Ethiopian eunuch, the chief financial officer of Candace. Key points:
• The eunuch journeys to Jerusalem to worship, demonstrating his reverence for Israel’s God despite potential exclusion.
• On his return, he reads Isaiah aloud. Philip, prompted by the Spirit, explains the prophecy, “and beginning with this Scripture he told him the good news about Jesus” (Acts 8:35).
• Upon confession of faith and baptism, the eunuch proceeds on his way rejoicing, illustrating the fulfillment of Isaiah’s promise and signaling the gospel’s reach to the ends of the earth.

Theological and Ministry Significance

• Jesus’ words in Matthew 19 affirm that physical condition neither confers righteousness nor hinders participation in God’s kingdom. The decisive factor is wholehearted surrender to Christ.
• The Ethiopian official becomes the first recorded African convert, modeling the principle that the gospel demolishes ethnic, social, and ritual barriers (compare Galatians 3:28).
• The account verifies the prophetic legitimacy of Isaiah 53 and demonstrates apostolic evangelism rooted in Scripture.
• The narrative also affirms the Spirit’s guidance in missionary encounters, encouraging believers to be attentive and obedient to divine promptings.

Practical Application

1. Celibacy is esteemed in Scripture when embraced “for the sake of the kingdom,” providing an undistracted capacity for service and reflecting total reliance on God’s sufficiency.
2. Local congregations are exhorted to welcome all who confess Christ, irrespective of background, status, or physical condition, mirroring the inclusive redemption displayed in Acts 8.
3. Evangelism should be Scripture-centered and Spirit-led, following Philip’s example of beginning where seekers are and leading them to Christ.

Christ and the Inclusion of Eunuchs

• The merger of Matthew 19 and Acts 8 demonstrates Christ’s redemptive arc: from announcing a place for celibates and eunuchs to showcasing one who joyfully receives that place.
• In contrast to the Law’s exclusion, the gospel institutes a new era where faith in Jesus grants full covenant participation, fulfilling Isaiah’s vision of “a memorial and a name better than sons and daughters.”

Conclusion

Strong’s Greek 2135 underscores the sweeping reach of divine grace: whether one’s status is chosen or imposed, the gospel offers honor, community, and purpose in the risen Christ.

ευνουχοι ευνούχοι εὐνοῦχοι ευνούχοις ευνούχον ευνουχος ευνούχος εὐνοῦχος ευνούχου ευνούχους ευνούχω ευνούχων eunouchoi eunoûchoi eunouchos eunoûchosInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts