The Apostolic Fathers · AD 70–130
Tertius the Scribe
fl. c. 57 (death unrecorded) · Amanuensis of the Epistle to the Romans · Corinth
The Apostolic Fathers
Who Tertius the Scribe was
“I Tertius, who wrote this epistle, salute you in the Lord” — the only secretary in the Pauline corpus who steps out of the shorthand to greet the readers in his own voice, and in his own faith (“in the Lord”). A Latin name (“Third”) in Greek Corinth, likely a trained slave or freedman stenographer. Every text of Romans descends from his pen; his one sentence is the profession’s patron-verse.
Common questions
When was Tertius active?
Tertius the Scribe is dated fl. c. 57 (death unrecorded) in the archive, which places Tertius in the Apostolic Fathers (AD 70–130). The dating is traditional and approximate; the archive marks it as uncertain rather than fixing a year the sources do not give.
What did Tertius write?
Tertius the Scribe has 1 catalogued writing in the archive: The greeting of the amanuensis (Romans 16:22).
Which early sources mention Tertius?
Tertius the Scribe is named in 3 primary-source passages catalogued here, drawn from Paul (per Tertius), Origen of Alexandria and John Chrysostom. Every passage is quoted from a named public-domain translation, earliest first.
Where was Tertius from?
The archive associates Tertius the Scribe with Corinth.
Writings (1)
The greeting of the amanuensis (Romans 16:22)
One sentence of his own inside the epistle he penned for PaulI Tertius, who wrote this epistle, salute you in the Lord.Read the full text ↗
Scripture record
Primary-source mentions (3)
Every passage below is quoted from a named public-domain translation, earliest first.
Romans 16:22
c. AD 57I Tertius, who wrote this epistle, salute you in the Lord.Paul (per Tertius) · read ↗
Origen, Commentary on Romans X (on the amanuensis)
c. AD 246Homilies on Romans XXXII
c. AD 391“I Tertius, who wrote this Epistle, salute you.” This too is no small encomium, to be Paul’s amanuensis. Still it is not to pass encomiums on himself that he says this, but that he might attach a warm love to him on their part, for this ministration.John Chrysostom · Homilies on Romans XXXII · source text
Connected in the archive
People
Events in this lifetime
- AD 30 · Crucifixion, Resurrection and Pentecost, AD 30–33
- AD 44 · Persecution under Herod Agrippa I, AD 44
- AD 49 · The Council of Jerusalem, AD 49
- AD 57 · Paul writes Romans, AD 57
- AD 62 · James the Just stoned, AD 62
- AD 64 · The Great Fire and Nero’s persecution, AD 64
- AD 70 · The fall of Jerusalem, AD 70
Place
Places served
The one place the sources put Tertius.