Ananias

Ananias is a personal name of Hebrew origin, meaning “Yahweh has shown grace” or “God has been gracious.” In the New Testament, several figures bear the name, and distinctions among them are important for interpretation.

Ananias of Damascus is described in the opening chapters of the Acts of the Apostles as a devout disciple in Damascus. According to Acts 9, he is instructed by a vision from the Lord to visit Saul, who has been blind on the road to Damascus. Ananias lays his hands on Saul, restoring his sight and filling him with the Holy Spirit, after which Saul is baptized and begins preaching. Paul later recounts his encounter with Ananias in his defenses in Acts 22 and 26. Ananias of Damascus is often labeled “Ananias the disciple” to distinguish him from other figures named Ananias.

Ananias and Sapphira is a couple in the Jerusalem church who, according to Acts 5, withheld part of the proceeds from a land sale and lied about the amount they had given to the apostles. When Ananias confronts Peter, he falls dead; Sapphira subsequently dies after lying about the same matter. The incident is presented as a sermonic example of divine judgment and reverent fear within the early Christian community.

Ananias the high priest appears in Acts 23:2, where he orders Paul to be struck on the mouth. The apostle Paul rebukes him as a “whitewashed wall” in return. This Ananias is identified as the high priest during Paul’s trial periods, and is separate from Ananias the Damascus disciple.

Together, these figures illustrate the name’s presence across distinct roles in early Christian narrative.