Considering the title, it might seem as though you\u2019ve fallen victim to \u201cclickbait.\u201d Did you just get sucked into a vacuum of nonsense? Like when you couldn\u2019t resist finding out some juicy, never-before-revealed secret about a celebrity you <\/span>claim<\/span><\/i> to dislike? Don\u2019t worry, this is nothing like that. I assure you it\u2019s all legit, and if you value truth as I do, you\u2019ll indeed find it disturbing. So, let\u2019s get right into it.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n We know of Lydia from the book of Acts. According to our Bibles, Lydia was a God-fearing Gentile woman, who was converted by Paul at Philippi. However, in this post, we\u2019re going to discuss the <\/span>real<\/span><\/i> Lydia of Scripture, that many people are unaware of.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n First, let\u2019s take a look at our key passage. The following is taken from Acts 16:14:<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0 \u03ba\u03b1\u1f77\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u03c4\u03b9\u03c2\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u03b3\u03c5\u03bd\u1f74\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u1f40\u03bd\u1f79\u03bc\u03b1\u03c4\u03b9\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u039b\u03c5\u03b4\u1f77\u03b1\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0and \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 one\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 woman \u00a0 \u00a0 fame\/name\u00a0 of\/from Lydia <\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u03c0\u03bf\u03c1\u03c6\u03c5\u03c1\u1f79\u03c0\u03c9\u03bb\u03b9\u03c2\u00a0 \u00a0\u03c0\u1f79\u03bb\u03b5\u03c9\u03c2\u00a0 \u0398\u03c5\u03b1\u03c4\u03b5\u1f77\u03c1\u03c9\u03bd\u00a0 \u00a0 \u03c3\u03b5\u03b2\u03bf\u03bc\u1f73\u03bd\u03b7\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n dealer of purple\u00a0 of city\u00a0 \u00a0 Thyateira\u00a0 reverencing\/fearing\u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\n \u03c4\u03bf\u03bd\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u03b8\u03b5\u03bf\u03bd\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u1f24\u03ba\u03bf\u03c5\u03b5\u03bd<\/span><\/p>\n the \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 God\u00a0 \u00a0she was listening\/obeying\/paying attention<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/span>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Best Translation:<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cAnd one woman with fame of Lydia, a dealer of purple of city Thyateira, reverencing the God, she was listening.\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n Clarification:<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cAnd one, an esteemed woman from Lydia, a dealer of purple, of the city of Thyateira, who respected God, was listening.\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n In case you missed it, here\u2019s the point: There\u2019s no one in this passage named Lydia. There\u2019s only mention of a certain woman whom Paul and his crew encountered. The Greek noun <\/span>onomati<\/span><\/i> can simply mean \u201cname,\u201d but it can also mean \u201cfame,\u201d \u201cglory,\u201d or \u201creputation.\u201d In this passage, the latter is the better translation, and in a moment, we\u2019ll look at why.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n So, then who is the real Lydia of Scripture? The question is not who, but what? For those who don\u2019t know, Lydia in the Bible was a <\/span>place<\/span><\/i> \u2014 the region or province of Lydia.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Lydia, originally named after its first king Lydus, was located in Asia Minor, also called Anatolia (Cartwright). Thyateira, a city known for its \u201cpurple selling,\u201d was located in the northern part of Lydia (Perseus). <\/span><\/p>\n Ancient Lydia was a prosperous land, known for its gold and silver, and was supposedly the first, or among the first, to produce coins. Historically, Lydians were known as merchants and were also polytheists, which meant they worshiped multiple gods.<\/span><\/p>\n Therefore, though the Lydian woman respected the Lord, she probably worshiped and prayed to other gods, which is a big \u201cno-no.\u201d Nevertheless, as a result of Paul\u2019s teachings, she repented, meaning she acknowledged the God of Abraham as the one true God and accepted his chosen king, Jesus Christ.<\/span><\/p>\n Several verses later, we see evidence that the real Lydia of Scripture was in fact a place, not a person. Except for maybe five or six translations, all English versions say that when Paul and Silas left prison, they went to Lydia\u2019s <\/span>house<\/span><\/i> (v.40). However, the verse in Greek, generally reads as follows:<\/span><\/p>\n \u03b5\u03be\u03b5\u03bb\u03b8\u03bf\u03bd\u03c4\u03b5\u03c2 \u03b4\u03b5 \u03b5\u03ba \u03c4\u03b7\u03c2 \u03c6\u03c5\u03bb\u03b1\u03ba\u03b7\u03c2 \u03b5\u03b9\u03c3\u03b7\u03bb\u03b8\u03bf\u03bd <\/span>\u03b5\u03b9\u03c2 \u03c4\u03b7\u03bd \u03bb\u03c5\u03b4\u03b9\u03b1\u03bd<\/span> \u03ba\u03b1\u03b9 \u03b9\u03b4\u03bf\u03bd\u03c4\u03b5\u03c2 \u03c4\u03bf\u03c5\u03c2 \u03b1\u03b4\u03b5\u03bb\u03c6\u03bf\u03c5\u03c2 \u03c0\u03b1\u03c1\u03b5\u03ba\u03b1\u03bb\u03b5\u03c3\u03b1\u03bd \u03b1\u03c5\u03c4\u03bf\u03c5\u03c2 \u03ba\u03b1\u03b9 \u03b5\u03be\u03b7\u03bb\u03b8\u03bf\u03bd<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cHouse\u201d or \u201chome\u201d is the Greek word \u03bf\u1f36\u03ba\u03bf\u03c2.<\/span> You don\u2019t have to read Greek to see that \u03bf\u1f36\u03ba\u03bf\u03c2 isn\u2019t in this verse. As the text says, they entered <\/span>\u03b5\u03b9\u03c2 \u03c4\u03b7\u03bd \u03bb\u03c5\u03b4\u03b9\u03b1\u03bd,<\/span><\/i> that is<\/span>, into the Lydia<\/span><\/i>, or simply into Lydia. There\u2019s no justification for adding the word \u201chouse.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Okay. Look, I get it. Without the word \u201chouse,\u201d it sounds like the apostles took part in some perverted sexual act with a woman named Lydia. And we can\u2019t have <\/span>that<\/span><\/i>, can we? So do we just alter God\u2019s word based on our own understanding? Absolutely not. <\/span><\/p>\n Unless it\u2019s a matter of grammar, there\u2019s never a good reason to add or take away from Scripture. It\u2019s misleading and it pollutes the pure word of God. Instead, we should pray for understanding, asking God to guide us to the truth.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n So, it\u2019s likely that Paul and Silas stayed at Philippi for some days before they were arrested and jailed. After their release from jail, they would have left Philippi, in Macedonia, and entered the region of Lydia, to meet the woman they\u2019d met at the river.<\/span><\/p>\n Being the master of her house, she\u2019d revealed the desire to continue in Paul\u2019s teachings (v. 14). The brethren may have traveled to Lydia for this purpose. After she and her household were baptized, she entreated the men to tarry (v. 15). So, Paul and the others accepted, exhorting the brethren there, then they left (v. 40).<\/span><\/p>\n Possibly, this is why they couldn\u2019t preach in Asia before (Acts 16:4). Through this humble, reputable woman, perhaps the Lord was opening<\/span> a door that not just some, but many would walk through. His timing is always on point and with a purpose.<\/p>\n So, to conclude, Scripture doesn\u2019t indicate that \u201cLydia\u201d was the personal name of the woman mentioned in Acts 16. Her <\/span>name<\/span><\/i> wasn\u2019t Lydia, but she was <\/span>from Lydia<\/span><\/i>. In fact, according to many sources, the name Lydia used today, literally means \u201ca woman of Lydia.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n So, what\u2019s the big deal about this seemingly insignificant detail? I mean, who cares what her name was?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Exactly! For the most part, <\/span>Nobody<\/span><\/i> cares.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n That\u2019s probably why it wasn\u2019t mentioned. Her name neither adds or subtracts anything from the passage. Paul wants us to focus on her actions, not her personal identity.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n But why is this whole thing disturbing? It\u2019s because though this is a small thing, it\u2019s the way many divisions and false doctrines have entered the church\u2014through relying on mistranslations of Scripture, along with our own understandings. The Father must be grieved by such things. <\/span><\/p>\n But, how can we address the problem? God and his word deserve to be represented correctly, so how can we do this? We do this by seeking truth\u2014His<\/em> truth.<\/span><\/p>\n Roughly 500 years ago, when the New Testament was first translated into English, there was no internet and limited resources. What\u2019s the reason for our ignorance today? Why do we hesitate to ask questions? Why do we condemn those who challenge traditional thinking?<\/span><\/p>\n Do we believe our English Bibles are divinely translated by God? They\u2019re not. Could it be that we aren\u2019t seeking God\u2019s will and truth as we claim? I believe so.<\/span><\/p>\n Isn\u2019t it time we stopped relying on traditions and took God\u2019s word more seriously? Isn\u2019t it time we began to seek <\/span>his<\/span><\/i> will and study Scripture more deeply?<\/span><\/p>\n In these last days, the Lord is turning people back to his pure, undefiled word. Are you going to be a part of what he\u2019s doing? Or will you stand in his way?<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n **Unless otherwise noted, the thoughts expressed in this post are my own, and are intended to guide, not replace one\u2019s own conviction and study of Scripture.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Bibliography<\/span><\/p>\n Perseus Digital Library. (n.d.). Retrieved May 2, 2023, from https:\/\/www.perseus.tufts.edu\/hopper\/<\/span><\/p>\n Cartwright, M. (2016, April 03). Lydia. World History Encyclopedia. Retrieved from <\/span>https:\/\/www.worldhistory.org\/lydia\/<\/span><\/a><\/p>\nBreaking Down Acts 16:14<\/span><\/h2>\n
Discovering the Real Lydia of Scripture<\/span><\/h2>\n
How Is Discovering the Real Lydia of Scripture Disturbing?<\/span><\/h2>\n
A Call to Return to Truth<\/span><\/h2>\n