ANANIAS  , the Gr.

form of Hananiah, or Ananiah, a name occurring several times in the Old Testament and Apocrypha (Neh . 23, 1 Ck. xxv . 23, Tob. v . 12 . &c.), and three times in the New Testament . Special mention need be made only of the bearers of the name in the New Testament . (1) 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 v . 1—1o; cf . Josh. vii . 1 ff.) . (2) A disciple at Damascus who figures in the story of the con-version and baptism of Paul (Acts ix . 10—17, xxii .

12—16) . (3) Son of Nedebaios (Jos .

Ant. xx . 5 . 2), a high priest who presided during the trial of Paul at Jerusalem and Caesarea (Acts xxiii . 2, xxiv . 1-5) . He officiated as high priest from about A.D . 47 to 59 . Quadratus, governor of Syria, accused him of being responsible for acts of violence . He was sent to Rome for trial (A.D . 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 .