ARISTARCHUS . The name of one of St. Paul’s companions in travel. He was ‘a Macedonian of Thessalonica’ ( Acts 19:29; Acts 27:2 ), and a convert from Judaism ( Colossians 4:10 f.). From Troas, Aristarchus accompanied St. Paul on his departure for Jerusalem at the close of the third missionary journey ( Acts 20:4 ); he also embarked with the Apostle on his voyage to Rome ( Acts 27:2 ). In Colossians 4:10 he is called St. Paul’s ‘fellow-prisoner’ (cf. Philippians 1:23 , where Epaphras, not Aristarchus, is styled ‘my fellow-prisoner in Christ Jesus’). The expression probably refers not to a spiritual captivity, but either to a short imprisonment arising out of the turmoil described in Acts 19:29 , or to a voluntary sharing of the Apostle’s captivity by Aristarchus and Epaphras.

J. G. Tasker.