Carpus

CARPUS (kar'pŭs). A Christian brother living at Troas, mentioned only in 2Tim.4.13. He had evidently been Paul’s host in Troas.

---

CARPUS kär’ pəs (Κάρπος, G2842, perhaps from καρπός, G2843, fruit). Carpus was a resident of Troas, prob. a Christian, with whom Paul stayed during his last visit there. According to 2 Timothy 4:13, Paul left his cloak there. If he did so during the visit recorded in Acts 20:6-12, it may have been because he decided to walk across the peninsula from Troas to Assos and board his ship there. Paul requested Timothy to bring his cloak to Rome, presumably because he had been placed in a Rom. dungeon. Carpus is not mentioned elsewhere in Scripture, but, according to Hippolytus, he later became the bishop of Berytus or Beroea in Thrace.

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (1915)

A name but once mentioned in the New Testament (2Ti 4:13), "the cloak that I left at Troas with Carpus." These words were written from the dungeons, where Paul was confined during his second imprisonment. The name, common enough in Paul’s day, signifies "fruit" (Young) or "wrist" (Davis). The words indicate that Paul must have been very well acquainted with the family of Carpus. He was presumably one of his converts; and the apostle must have lodged with him and also have had considerable confidence in him, since he committed to his care not only the comparatively valueless "cloak," but especially the priceless "books and parchments." It is idle to attempt to find out the identity of Carpus, but one cannot help wondering what were the contents of these books and parchments for which the apostle longed in his bitter second imprisonment.

Henry E. Dosken