Bernice
Pronounced ber-NEES
- Meaning
- "Bringer of victory"
- Origin
- Greek
Bernice means "bringer of victory" in Greek. She was the eldest daughter of Herod Agrippa I and the sister of Drusilla and Agrippa II. She was present with her brother when Paul made his famous defense before King Agrippa. Paul's defense before Agrippa and Bernice included his dramatic conversion testimony and a direct appeal: "King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets?" Agrippa's famous reply — "Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian" — has become a proverbial expression for those who come close to faith without embracing it. Bernice's life was marked by scandal and political intrigue — she was rumored to have an incestuous relationship with her brother Agrippa. Later, she became the mistress of the Roman Emperor Titus. Despite her proximity to the Gospel through Paul's testimony, there is no record of her conversion.
Spiritual meaning
Bernice's name — 'bringer of victory' — contrasts with her spiritual defeat. Her story, alongside Agrippa's 'almost,' warns that proximity to truth without surrender brings no victory at all.
Related verses (KJV)
"And on the morrow, when Agrippa was come, and Bernice, with great pomp, and was entered into the place of hearing."
Acts 25:23 (KJV)
"Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian."
Acts 26:28 (KJV)