Romans 16:7

‘Salute Andronicus and Junias, my kinsmen, and my fellow-prisoners, who are outstanding among the apostles, who also have been in Christ before me.'

Andronicus was a common Greek name. Junia may have been his wife. Or it may be a man's name, Junias. Either way they were possibly Paul's relatives, (whilst ‘my kinsmen' could simply indicate that they were Jews (Romans 9:3) Paul here separates some Jews out from others as ‘my kinsmen', and would thus seem to be indicating a closer relationship. Perhaps they were Benjamites) and interestingly they had become Christians before he did. They were seemingly converted during the first wave of Apostolic ministry, or even possibly through the teaching of Jesus Himself. They may have been Galileans, and among the 120 mentioned in Acts 1:15.

‘Outstanding, of note' among the Apostles' may simply signify that they were well known by the Apostles (possibly translating en as ‘in the eyes of') and held in high esteem by the Apostles as a whole (for a similar use of en which differentiates the one spoken of from those that he is ‘among' compare Romans 15:9; Luke 2:44; John 1:14; 1 Corinthians 2:2; Galatians 3:1 (in D; G); etc).

‘The Apostles', when used by Paul without qualification, usually refers to the twelve, plus James, the Lord's brother, and himself. Whilst Paul occasionally speaks of messengers to the churches as being ‘apostles' (those sent) in a general way (2 Corinthians 8:23; Philippians 2:25; 1 Thessalonians 2:6), he nowhere speaks of Apostles as a group except when he is signifying the twelve plus James, and he, of course, included himself as an Apostle (see, however, 1 Thessalonians 2:6 where the significance of ‘we -- apostles' is debatable). This verse is thus very flimsy evidence for actually making them ‘apostles', even with its lesser meaning of ‘official messengers'. There is no reason for thinking of the position in 2 Corinthians 8:23; Philippians 2:25 as being more than temporary. Andronicus and Junia(s) had clearly been in prison for Christ's sake, possibly, although not necessarily, at the same time as, and along with, Paul.