Brief Overview of Σάπφιρα (Strong’s G4551: Sapphira)

Strong’s G4551: A feminine proper name meaning “sapphire” or “beautiful,” derived from the Greek σάπφειρος (sappheiros). Notable in Acts as the wife of Ananias, whose story serves as a powerful warning about honesty and integrity in the early church community.

U- Unveiling the Word

Σάπφιρα represents more than just a personal name in the New Testament. Derived from the word for the precious stone sapphire, it carries connotations of beauty and value. However, its theological significance lies in the dramatic narrative of Acts 5, where Sapphira and her husband Ananias demonstrate the serious consequences of attempting to deceive the Holy Spirit and the church community. The early church saw in this account a crucial lesson about the importance of truthfulness and genuine devotion in the Christian community. Today, this name continues to serve as a sobering reminder that God values authenticity and truthfulness in His people above appearances.

N – Necessary Information

• Greek Word: Σάπφιρα, Sapphira, /sap-fee’-rah/
• Pronunciation Guide: ‘sap’ as in ‘sapphire’, ‘fee’ as in ‘feet’, ‘rah’ as in ‘raw’
• Part of Speech: Proper Noun

Etymology:

• Derived from σάπφειρος (sappheiros) meaning “sapphire”
• Related to Hebrew סַפִּיר (sappir)
• Ultimately from Sanskrit शनिप्रिय (śanipriya) meaning “beloved of Saturn”

D – Defining Meanings

• Primary meaning: A feminine proper name meaning “sapphire”
• Secondary meaning: Beautiful or precious
• Cultural meaning: Associated with the precious stone and its qualities

Translation Options:

• Sapphira – Traditional English transliteration
• Saphira – Alternative transliteration
• Sappheira – More literal Greek transliteration

E – Exploring Similar Words

• σάπφειρος (sappheiros) /sap’-fei-ros/ – The precious stone sapphire. See G4552
• Ἀνανίας (Ananias) /an-an-ee’-as/ – Her husband’s name, meaning “Yahweh is gracious”. See G367

R – Reviewing the Word’s Morphology

Morphological features as a proper noun:

• Case: Indeclinable
• Number: Singular
• Gender: Feminine
• Declension: None (remains unchanged in all cases)

As a proper noun of Semitic origin transliterated into Greek, it doesn’t follow typical Greek declension patterns and maintains its form regardless of grammatical function.

S – Studying Lexicon Insights

BDAG identifies Σάπφιρα as the wife of Ananias in Acts 5. Thayer’s connects it to the sapphire stone and its beauty. LSJ traces its connection to the precious stone in Greek literature. Vine’s emphasizes its appearance in the important narrative of Acts 5. Strong’s links it to the Hebrew safir. Moulton and Milligan note its rare occurrence as a personal name in papyri.

T – Tracing the Scriptures

First appearance:
Acts 5:1: “But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira [Σάπφιρα] his wife, sold a possession”

Additional References:
Acts 5:2, Acts 5:7

A – Analyzing Classical Usage

N – Noteworthy Summary

Σάπφιρα’s story in Acts demonstrates that outward beauty and appearances mean nothing without inner truthfulness. While her name suggests precious beauty, her actions reveal the devastating consequences of deception in the church community. This narrative proclaims the good news by showing that God’s church must be built on truth and genuine devotion to Christ, not appearances or partial commitment.

D – Did You Know?

1. Sapphira’s name appears in ancient jewelry inventories as a description of sapphire stones
2. The account of Sapphira is one of the few instances in Acts where both husband and wife are named
3. Her story became a frequently cited example in early church teachings about truthfulness

Strong’s G4551: A feminine proper name derived from the word for sapphire, representing beauty and preciousness. Featured prominently in Acts 5 as part of a crucial narrative about truthfulness and integrity in the early church community.

Part of speech: Proper Noun

Tags: ananias, acts-5, early-church, deception, judgment, holy-spirit, church-discipline, truth, integrity, sapphire​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​