Bible Dictionaries
Niger

Holman Bible Dictionary

(ni' juhr) Latin nickname meaning, “black.” Surname of Simeon (KJV, Symeon), one of the teacher-prophets of the early church at Antioch. Blacks were a common sight among the populations of Egypt and north Africa in the Hellenistic period. Simeon's Latin nickname suggests that he originated from the Roman province of Africa, to the west of Cyrenica. His inclusion in Acts 13:1 demonstrates the multiracial and multinational leadership of the church at Antioch. Their concern for missions was likely rooted in their own ethnic diversity. Some have conjectured that Simeon Niger was identical to Simon of Cyrene ( Mark 15:21 ). Acts 13:1 , however, only designates Lucius as a resident of Cyrene.