Ananias is the Greek form of Hananiah, or Ananiah, a name occurring several times in the Old Testament and Apocrypha (Nehemiah 3:23, 1 Chronicles 15:23, Tobit 5:12. etc.), and three times in the New Testament. Special mention need be made only of the bearers of the name in the New Testament:
- A member of the first Christian community, who, with his wife Sapphira, was miraculously punished by Peter with sudden death for hypocrisy and falsehood (Acts 5:1-10; cf. Joshua 7:1 ff.).
- A disciple at Damascus who figures in the story of the conversion and baptism of Paul (Acts 9:10-17, 22:12-16.)
- Son of Nedebaios (Josephus, Antiquites xx. 5. 2), a high priest who presided during the trial of Paul at Jerusalem and Caesarea (Acts 23:2, 24:1-5). He officiated as high priest from about AD 47 to 59. Quadratus, governor of Syria, accused him of being responsible for acts of violence. He was sent to Rome for trial (AD 52), but was acquitted by the emperor Claudius. Being a friend of the Romans, he was murdered by the people at the beginning of the Jewish war.
