Aristar´kus ( Ἀρίσταρχος , Arı́starchos , “best ruler”) was one of those faithful companions of the apostle Paul who shared with him his labors and sufferings. His name repeatedly occurs in the Acts and Epistles ( Acts 19:29; Acts 20:4; Acts 27:2; Colossians 4:10; Philemon 1:24).
He was a native of Thessalonica ( Acts 20:4; Acts 27:2 ), and became the companion of Paul in his third missionary tour. He is first mentioned along with Gaius in the riot in Ephesus ( Acts 19:29 ). Both Gaius and Aristarchus, were designated “men of Macedonia, Paul’s companions in travel.” They were probably seized to extract from them information about their leader Paul, but when they could tell nothing, and since they were Greeks, nothing further was done to them.
He left that city with the apostle, and accompanied him in his subsequent journeys ( Acts 20:4), even when taken as a prisoner to Rome ( Acts 27:2); He remained with Paul during Paul’s two-year imprisonment in Rome ( Acts 28:16; Acts 28:30; Colossians 4:10; Philem 1:24).
The traditions of the Greek Church represent Aristarchus as bishop of Apamea in Phrygia, and allege that he continued to accompany Paul after their liberation, and was at length beheaded along with him at Rome in the time of Nero. The Roman martyrologies make him bishop of Thessalonica.
Compiled from BiblePortal Wiki