SAPPHIRA sə fī’ rə (Gr. Σαπφείρα, from Aram. שְׁפִירָא, beautiful), wife of Ananias. They sold a piece of property and pretended to bring the money to the apostles. For their hypocrisy in pretending not to have kept any of the money for themselves, and lying to the Holy Spirit, they both died suddenly within three hours of each other, much to the fear of the Early Church and of all who heard about it (Acts 5:1-11).