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Sapphira is a notable figure in the New Testament, specifically in the Book of Acts. She is best known for her involvement in a significant event in the early Christian church that underscores the importance of honesty and integrity within the community of believers.

Biblical Account

Sapphira, along with her husband Ananias, is mentioned inActs 5:1-11. The couple was part of the early Christian community in Jerusalem, a group characterized by their communal living and sharing of resources. Members of this community would sell their possessions and lay the proceeds at the apostles' feet to be distributed according to need.

Ananias and Sapphira sold a piece of property, but they conspired to keep back part of the proceeds for themselves while pretending to donate the entire amount to the apostles. This act of deceit was not merely a lie to the apostles but was considered a lie to the Holy Spirit and to God.

The Berean Standard Bible recounts the event as follows: "But Peter said, 'Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and withhold some of the proceeds from the land? Did it not belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? How could you conceive such a deed in your heart? You have not lied to men, but to God.'" (Acts 5:3-4).

Upon hearing Peter's words, Ananias fell down and died. Later, Sapphira entered, unaware of her husband's fate. Peter questioned her about the sale price, and she confirmed the false amount. Peter then said, "How could you conspire to test the Spirit of the Lord? Look! The feet of the men who buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out also." (Acts 5:9). Immediately, she fell at his feet and died.

Theological Significance

The account of Ananias and Sapphira serves as a sobering reminder of the seriousness with which God views sin, particularly deceit within the church. Their account illustrates the holiness and purity expected in the body of Christ and the severe consequences of hypocrisy and dishonesty.

This event also highlights the role of the Holy Spirit in the early church. The sin of Ananias and Sapphira was not just against the community but against the Spirit of God, emphasizing the divine presence and authority within the church.

Moral and Ethical Lessons

From a moral and ethical standpoint, the account of Sapphira and Ananias teaches the importance of truthfulness and integrity. It warns against the temptation to seek personal gain or recognition through deceitful means. The narrative encourages believers to live transparently and honestly before God and others, fostering a community built on trust and sincerity.

Cultural and Historical Context

In the cultural and historical context of the early church, communal living and sharing of resources were vital for the survival and growth of the Christian community. The actions of Ananias and Sapphira threatened the unity and trust that were essential for this fledgling movement. Their account serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of undermining communal values for personal benefit.

Sapphira's account, though brief, leaves a lasting impact on the understanding of Christian ethics and the nature of the early church. Her life and actions are a testament to the call for holiness and the serious nature of sin in the eyes of God.Sapphira

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Sapphira

[ANANIAS]

Sapphira

SeeANANIAS1

Beautiful, the wife of Ananias (q.v.). She was a partner in his guilt and also in his punishment (Acts 5:1-11).SAPPHIRA

sa-fi'-ra (shappira'; Aramaic for either "beautiful" or "sapphire"; Sappheira): Wife of Ananias (Acts 5:1-10).

SeeANANIAS, (1).

4551. Sapphire --Sapphira, a Christian woman
...Sapphira, a Christian woman. Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine Transliteration: Sapphire
Phonetic Spelling: (sap-fi'-ray) Short Definition:Sapphira Definition...

367. Ananias -- Ananias, the name of three Israelites
... Noun, Masculine Transliteration: Ananias Phonetic Spelling: (an-an-ee'-as) Short
Definition: Ananias Definition: Ananias, (a) husband ofSapphira, a member of...

Ananias andSapphira
... ANANIAS ANDSAPPHIRA. BY REV. GEORGE MILLIGAN, MA, DD. One of the most striking
features of the early Christian Church was what we...

Ananias andSapphira.
... LECTURES LECTURE VI. ANANIAS ANDSAPPHIRA. Chap. v.1-11. WE have seen the
success of the Apostles in persuading many of the Jews...

Of the Deaths of Ananias andSapphira, and Judas, which they...
... Prolegomena. Chapter XXV. Of the deaths of Ananias andSapphira, and Judas,
which they underwent through the impulse of covetousness....

A Warning against Hypocrisy
... In sharp contrast to the example of benevolence shown by the believers, was the
conduct of Ananias andSapphira, whose experience, traced by the pen of...

Of the Persons by Whom, and the Uses for Which, Ecclesiastical...
... But if any one act otherwise (which may God forbid), let him take care lest he meet
the condemnation of Ananias andSapphira, and be found guilty of sacrilege...

The Women of the Apostolic Age
...Sapphira and Ananias had sold their possession and had laid a part of the price
at the Apostles' feet, under the pretence that they were devoting their all....

Acts V
... In contrast with the course of Barnabas, we are told: (1) "But a certain man named
Ananias, withSapphira his wife, sold a possession, (2) and kept back part...

The Wheat and the Tares
... Side by side stand Barnabas and the wretched couple, Ananias andSapphira....
The judgment onSapphira was not inflicted by Peter....

The Parables Exemplified in the Early History of the Church.
... Of hearers in whom the seed is scorched up by the fire of temptation or persecution,
we may see instances in Ananias andSapphira, who fell under the...

Of the Origin of the Sarabaites and their Mode of Life.
... unfaithful kind of monks; or rather, that baleful plant revived and sprang up again
which when it first shot up in the persons of Ananias andSapphira in the...

Sapphira (1 Occurrence)
...SAPPHIRA. sa-fi'-ra (shappira'; Aramaic for either "beautiful" or "sapphire";
Sappheira): Wife of Ananias (Acts 5:1-10)....Sapphira (1 Occurrence)....

Ananias (11 Occurrences)
... A common Jewish name, the same as Hananiah. (1.) One of the members of the church
at Jerusalem, who conspired with his wifeSapphira to deceive the brethren...

Covetousness (22 Occurrences)
... Israel had entered into the promised land (Achan, Jos 7); and also in the early
Christian church immediately after its founding (Ananias andSapphira, Acts 5...

Sapphi'ra (1 Occurrence)
Sapphi'ra.Sapphira, Sapphi'ra. Sapphire .... Acts 5:1 And a certain man, Ananias
by name, withSapphira his wife, sold a possession, (See RSV)....

Lying (203 Occurrences)
... who are guilty of this sin are cast into the lake of fire (Revelation 21:8). We
are reminded of the awful fate meted out to Ananias andSapphira when they lied...

Goods (231 Occurrences)
... The penalty inflicted on Ananias andSapphira was not for any failure to comply
fully with this custom, but because this freedom which they possessed (Acts 5:4...

Discomfiture (6 Occurrences)
... It was given him to pronounce the solemn sentence on the guilty pair, Ananias and
Sapphira, and to rebuke in the power of the Spirit the profane Simon Magus...

Community (77 Occurrences)
... The penalty inflicted on Ananias andSapphira was not for any failure to comply
fully with this custom, but because this freedom which they possessed (Acts 5:4...

Possession (251 Occurrences)
... NAS NIV). Acts 5:1 But a certain man named Ananias, withSapphira, his wife,
sold a possession, (WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS YLT). Acts 5:3...

Agree (24 Occurrences)
... Ananias andSapphira were in perfect agreement and equally guilty (Luke 5:36 Acts
15:15). Jacob W. Kapp. Multi-Version Concordance Agree (24 Occurrences)....

Why did God kill Ananias and Sapphira for lying? | GotQuestions.org

Who was Ananias in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org

Is it ever right to lie? | GotQuestions.org

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