[Ănanī'as] - jehovah is gracious. This name is the Greek form of Hananiah, meaning, “Jehovah hath been gracious” from the Aramaic, meaning, “beautiful.”

1. The disciple who conspired with his wife to deceive the apostles in regard to the value obtained for their property
Acts 5:1-6: – ¹ Now a man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property.
² With his wife’s full knowledge he kept back part of the money for himself, but brought the rest and put it at the apostles’ feet.
³ Then Peter said, “Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land?
⁴ Didn’t it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn’t the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied just to human beings but to God.”
⁵ When Ananias heard this, he fell down and died. And great fear seized all who heard what had happened.
⁶ Then some young men came forward, wrapped up his body, and carried him out and buried him.

The Man Who Kept Back Part of the Price

How opposite Aquila and Priscilla are Ananias and Sapphira, both of whom agreed to a dishonest transaction! They were not compelled to sell their property but because of a recognized custom among the early Christian fraternity of having one common fund to draw upon, these two disciples wanted to maintain the appearance of self-denying liberality. There was no harm in keeping back part of the price – they might have kept back all. Their evil consisted in pretending to give all. Their lying was combined with hypocrisy. A certain part was retained, likely the greater part which would look more like the whole.

Peter, supernaturally endowed to detect and expose the fraud of Ananias and Sapphira, was their instrument of sudden death. Punishment was:

I. Prompt – it followed immediately the committal of sin.

II. Decisive – it marked the magnitude of sin.

III. Conspicuous – it was before many witnesses.

IV. Divine – it was not an act of Peter who simply reproved the two who, united in crime, were not separated in death (Ps. 19:13: -¹³ Keep your servant also from willful sins; may they not rule over me. Then I will be blameless, innocent of great transgression). It was God who punished them.

2. A godly disciple of Damascus to whom was made known the conversion of Saul of Tarsus
Acts 9:10-17: – ¹⁰ In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision,“Ananias!” “Yes, Lord,” he answered.
¹¹ The Lord told him, “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying.
¹² In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight.”
¹³ “Lord,” Ananias answered, “I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your holy people in Jerusalem.
¹⁴ And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.”
¹⁵ But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel.
¹⁶ I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.”
¹⁷ Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord—Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here—has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”

Acts 22:12: – ¹² “A man named Ananias came to see me. He was a devout observer of the law and highly respected by all the Jews living there.
and who baptized Saul.

3. The high priest anointed by Herod
Acts 23:2: – ² At this the high priest Ananias ordered those standing near Paul to strike him on the mouth.

Acts 24:1: – ¹ Five days later the high priest Ananias went down to Caesarea with some of the elders and a lawyer named Tertullus, and they brought their charges against Paul before the governor.