Lydia Meaning - Bible Definition and References (2024)

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What does Lydia mean biblically? ›

According to Coleman Baker, "Lydia is described as a “worshipper of God" (probably synonymous with "God-fearer," used elsewhere in Acts) "from the city of Thyatira" (located in Western Asia Minor) and "a dealer in purple cloth" (a luxury item in the ancient Mediterranean).

Lydia of Thyatira teaches how the power of prayer allows us to open our hearts to the Lord in reciprocal communication, praying for others to come to God and experience the joy of a life with Christ. She teaches us the value of reading Scripture and placing it in our hearts.

Described as "a dealer in purple cloth," Lydia is a successful businesswoman—and very hospitable (Acts 16:14). After converting to Christianity, she opens her home to Paul and his companions. Both Tabitha and Lydia filled leadership roles in the early Christian church.

As Lydia receives the Spirit and is baptized along with her household, the spirit of generosity leads to extending hospitality to a group of missionary men. Verse 15 goes on to say that not only does she offer her home, but almost insists they come and stay with her.

Meaning: Lydia comes from the Greek word “Λυδία,” or “ludia,” which means “beautiful one” or “noble one.” Gender: Lydia is traditionally a female name.

Metaphysical meaning of Lydia (mbd) Lydia, lyd'-i-å (Gk. fr. Heb.)-- travail- contention; strife; conception; pregnancy; childbirth; offspring.

Luke calls her “a dealer in purple cloth” and a God fearer or worshipper of God. Lydia was a successful businesswoman who sold luxury textiles dyed purple. It was only the wealthy who wore garments dyed purple or had purple furnishings in their homes.

Acts 16:14-15

14 One of those listening was a woman from the city of Thyatira named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth. She was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul's message. 15 When she and the members of her household were baptized, she invited us to her home.

SUMMARY. Paul and others visit Philippi, where they meet Lydia. God brings her to faith in Christ, and she hosts the missionaries and a developing group of believers in her house (16:40).

Who baptized Lydia in the Bible? ›

It was by the river at Philippi that Paul is said to have baptised Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth, between 49 and 50 AD – an iconic baptism because it is believed to be the first baptism on the continent of Europe; by performing it, Paul supposedly laid the foundations for a Judeo-Christian European civilisation ( ...

Lydia is the first recorded person in Europe to become a follower of Jesus Christ. She was Saint Paul's first baptized convert at Philippi. What we know of Lydia is found in the Acts of the Apostles. She was from Thyatira, an industrial center located in what is now western Turkey.

Lydia had formal authority over her household, and members of the home were members of the church. She had presumably shared the good news about Jesus with her household and subsequently prepared them for Christian baptism (Acts 16:15).

In Biblical Baby Names the meaning of the name Lydia is: A standing pool.

While there are countless Biblical stories about giving, money, and wealth; Lydia challenges us to reflect on our role of being prepared for the moment, seeking something bigger than ourselves, and being willing to invite others to experience what we have experienced.

🔽Etymology of the name Lydia

Other translations have kept the Hebrew names Lud and Ludim. There's also a town in Hebrew called לד (Lod — 1 Chronicles 8:12, Ezra 2:33) which in the Greek of the New Testament is called Λυδδα (Lydda — Acts 9:32).

You are moral, balanced, honest and intellectual, and you may attain spirituality. You are wise and practical with an appreciation of beauty. You always think before you act. You are inventive, intuitive and extremely methodical.

Lydia is also a Biblical name, where she features as a "seller of purple," most likely a wealthy woman of business.

Lydia developed after the decline of the Hittite Empire in the 12th century BC. In Hittite times, the name for the region had been Arzawa. According to Greek source, the original name of the Lydian kingdom was Maionia (Μαιονία), or Maeonia: Homer (Iliad ii.