Σαπφείρη (Sappheirē)
Sappheirē
Sapphira
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The name Sapphira appears only once in the New Testament, recorded in Acts 5:1 as the wife of Ananias. Derived from a Semitic root meaning "sapphire," the name itself carries no inherent theological weight or symbolic meaning within the biblical narrative. It serves simply to identify this specific individual in the early church’s history.
Her story is defined not by her name, but by her actions alongside her husband. Together they sold property and brought part of the proceeds to the apostles while secretly keeping back some money. The account highlights their shared deception regarding the sincerity of their gift to the community.
Because this word occurs in only a single verse, there is no range of usage or nuance to explore. It functions purely as a proper noun. The significance lies entirely in the context of Acts 5, where her fate mirrors that of Ananias, illustrating the seriousness with which the early church viewed honesty and integrity.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The name Sapphira appears in Acts 5:1 alongside her husband Ananias. This brief mention introduces a couple who sold property and brought part of the money to the apostles while secretly keeping back some for themselves. Their story is not about the meaning of their names, but about the honesty they failed to show within the early Christian community.
This account reminds us that integrity matters deeply in our walk with God. The early church valued transparency and trust above all else. When we hide parts of ourselves or our resources from others, we break that trust. Sapphira’s story warns against the danger of pretending to be more generous than we are.
May we strive for genuine honesty in our relationships and our faith. Let us seek to live with open hearts before God and one another. This kind of integrity builds strong communities and honors Christ.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- Sapphira1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- Σαπφίρῃ1×
Key Verses
-
Acts 5:1
But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession,
This verse introduces Sapphira as Ananias's wife, setting the stage for their joint deception regarding the proceeds of their land sale.