Theophilus in the Bible is the individual to whom the Gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles are addressed. His name, derived from the Greek "Theophilos," means "friend of God," "loved by God," or "lover of God"
. Luke, the author of these two books, addresses Theophilus as "most excellent," a title indicating high social standing or official importance, possibly a Roman official or someone of rank
. Theophilus is mentioned only twice in the New Testament, in the introductions of Luke (Luke 1:1-4) and Acts (Acts 1:1-3). Luke wrote these books around 61-63 AD, during the time the Apostle Paul was imprisoned in Rome
. The purpose of Luke’s writings was to provide Theophilus with a carefully investigated, orderly account of the life, death, resurrection, and teachings of Jesus Christ, so that Theophilus might know the certainty of what he had been taught about Jesus
. Most scholars believe Theophilus was a real person, likely a Gentile (non- Jew) who was either a friend of Luke or an influential figure interested in Christianity. Some traditions suggest he may have been a Jewish person of social standing or even a high priest, but the predominant view is that he was a respected Roman official or someone of similar status
. In summary, Theophilus was the named recipient of Luke’s two-volume work (Gospel of Luke and Acts), and his identity is generally understood as a high- ranking or influential individual, probably a Gentile, to whom Luke sought to provide a reliable and comprehensive account of Jesus and the early Christian movement
