Ananias (of Damascus)
A disciple in Damascus whom God sent to heal Saul of Tarsus (Paul) and baptize him after his dramatic conversion on the road to Damascus.
Ananias (of Jerusalem)
A member of the early Jerusalem church who, together with his wife Sapphira, was struck dead for lying to the Holy Spirit about the proceeds from a land sale.
Andrew
Andrew is presented in Scripture as a man of initiative, faith, and practical service. He is not as prominently featured as his brother Peter, but he is consistently shown as a connector and a bringer of people to Jesus. His defining characteristic is his readiness to share the good news of the Messiah, first with his own brother, and then with others, including the boy with the loaves and the seeking Greeks. He is a disciple who listens, follows, and immediately brings others to the Master.
Anna
An elderly prophetess who served in the Temple day and night and was among the first to recognize the infant Jesus as the Messiah.
Annas
A high priest who served from AD 6-15 and remained a powerful religious figure behind the scenes during the trials of Jesus and the early apostles.
Apollos
An eloquent Jewish Christian from Alexandria who became a powerful preacher of the gospel and a colleague of the Apostle Paul.
Aquila
A Jewish Christian tentmaker from Pontus who, together with his wife Priscilla, became a close coworker and friend of the Apostle Paul.
Asa
The third king of Judah who reigned for 41 years and is remembered as a reformer who removed idolatry from the land.
Asaph
A prominent Levite musician and seer appointed by King David as director of worship, credited with authoring twelve psalms.
Asher
The eighth son of Jacob and second son of Zilpah (Leah's handmaid), whose descendants became the tribe of Asher, known for prosperity and abundance.
Athaliah
The daughter of Ahab and Jezebel who seized the throne of Judah and reigned for six years after massacring the royal family.
Augustus (Caesar Augustus)
The first Roman emperor, Gaius Octavius, whose decree that all the world should be registered brought Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem, fulfilling the prophecy of the Messiah's birth.
Azariah (Abednego)
The Hebrew name of Abednego, a faithful companion of Daniel who was thrown into the fiery furnace for refusing to worship Nebuchadnezzar's golden image.
Azaziah
A Levite musician appointed by King David to play the harp during the transportation of the Ark of the Covenant.
Azel
A descendant of King Saul through Jonathan's line, listed among the Benjamite genealogies in the post-exilic period.
Azgad
The ancestor of a family of exiles who returned to Jerusalem from Babylon with Zerubbabel and later signed Nehemiah's covenant.
Aziel
A Levite musician of the Merari clan who participated in the joyful procession bringing the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem.
Aziza
An Israelite from the family of Zattu who was among those compelled by Ezra to divorce his foreign wife during the post-exilic reform.
Azmaveth
The name of several biblical figures, including one of David's mighty warriors, a descendant of Saul, and the treasurer under King David.
Azor
An ancestor of Jesus Christ listed in the genealogy of Matthew, living during the post-exilic and intertestamental period.
Azriel
A chief of the half-tribe of Manasseh (east of the Jordan) who led his clan during the time of the exile.
Azrikam
The name of several officials in Judah, including a descendant of King Saul, a Levite gatekeeper, and an officer assassinated during the reign of Ahaz.
Azubah
The name of two women: one was the wife of Caleb (the spy) and the other was the mother of King Jehoshaphat of Judah.
Azur
The father of the false prophet Hananiah of Gibeon, who opposed Jeremiah by falsely prophesying the return of Temple vessels from Babylon.
Azzan
The father of Paltiel, a tribal prince of Issachar who was appointed by Moses to help divide the Promised Land among the tribes.
Azzur
A Benjamite whose son Jaazaniah was among the seventy elders seen in Ezekiel's vision committing idolatry in the Temple chambers.
Baalis
The king of the Ammonites who conspired with Ishmael to assassinate Gedaliah, the Babylonian-appointed governor of Judah.
Balaam
A non-Israelite prophet hired by King Balak of Moab to curse Israel, but God forced him to bless them instead, leading to his eventual death.
Balak
The king of Moab who hired Balaam to curse Israel, terrified by their numbers and recent victories over the Amorites.
Barabbas
A notorious prisoner and insurrectionist released by Pontius Pilate instead of Jesus Christ, in accordance with the Passover custom.