Category: Biblical People

Short bios of people in the Bible

Biblical People: Lois

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date September 15, 2021

Paul refers to Lois, Timothy’s grandmother, as having sincere faith in God. She passes this on to her daughter Eunice. Eunice, in turn, passes her beliefs on to her son Timothy.

While we don’t know if Timothy has any children to teach his faith to, we do know that in his role as a missionary and church leader, he influences many others to grow in theirs.

Lois instills her faith in her daughter, the most significant thing she can do. As a result, two generations later, her grandson travels around the area to help others grow in their trust in God.

Even if we only influence one person to grow in their faith, we have no idea who else they may help. The only way we influence no one—now or in the future—is if we keep our faith a secret.

Who are we passing our faith to?

[Discover more about Lois in 2 Timothy 1:5.]

Learn about other biblical women in Women of the Bible, available in audiobook, e-book, paperback, and hardcover.

A lifelong student of the Bible, Peter DeHaan, PhD, wrote the 1,000-page website ABibleADay.com to encourage people to explore the Bible. His main blog and many books urge Christians to push past the status quo and reconsider how they practice their faith in every area of their lives.

Tags Biblical Characters, Lois

Biblical People

Biblical People: Bernice

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date September 15, 2021

Each time we see Bernice in the Bible, she’s paired with King Agrippa. Though Scripture doesn’t state their relationship, history does. They’re siblings.

The pair become involved in determining the fate of the imprisoned Paul. Throughout this story, we see Bernice as a partner to the king, accompanying him to events, sitting in on Paul’s hearing, and being part of the follow-up meeting.

After listening to Paul present his case, the pair, along with others, adjourns to discuss his situation. Bernice takes part in reaching the group’s conclusion that Paul has not done anything to deserve the severe penalty his detractors seek.

Whether a spouse, relative, or valued friend, God puts people in our lives who can work with us, support and encourage us, and help us make wise decisions.

Are we doing all we can to help those around us? Are we listening to those God has placed in our lives?

[Discover more about Bernice in Acts 25:13, 23, and Acts 26:30–31.]

Learn about other biblical women in Women of the Bible, available in audiobook, e-book, paperback, and hardcover.

Tags Bernice, Biblical Characters

Biblical People

Biblical People: Drusilla

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date September 14, 2021

Drusilla is Felix’s wife. She’s Jewish. He isn’t—or at least he doesn’t act like it. Drusilla only shows up once in the Bible, and it’s in the middle of the account about Governor Felix and the prisoner Paul.

Paul sits in prison under false charges and with a conspiracy to kill him hanging over his head. The jail is under the authority of Governor Felix.

Several days after hearing Paul’s case and deciding not to issue a judgment, Felix and Drusilla visit with Paul. He tells them about Jesus. He teaches Felix and Drusilla about faith, righteousness, self-control, and the coming judgment.

Paul’s words strike fear in Felix, but, as with the court case, Felix again delays making a decision. Paul languishes in jail for two years.

Though the Bible tells us Felix’s reaction to Paul’s teaching, we don’t know what Drusilla thinks. Is she convicted? Does she decide to believe in Jesus? Or is she unaffected by Paul’s words?

However, we know that spouses can influence each other. Drusilla could have encouraged her husband to do the right thing and release Paul. She also could have urged him to act on Paul’s teaching and follow Jesus.

Though we don’t know if she tries either of these, we do know Felix doesn’t let Paul go. We also know that Felix doesn’t decide to follow Jesus.

Drusilla may have been able to change either one of these situations and influence Felix to act.

Are we doing all we can to inspire others to act justly and to follow Jesus?

[Discover more about Drusilla in Acts 24:24–27.]

Learn about other biblical women in Women of the Bible, available in audiobook, e-book, paperback, and hardcover.

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Biblical People

Biblical People: The Sister of Paul

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date September 14, 2021

We know little about Paul’s family. All we can learn about him from Scripture is that he is a bachelor and has a sister and nephew. His nephew stumbles upon a conspiracy to kill Paul, alerts him, and then tells the authorities.

They protect Paul, saving him from certain death at the hands of forty men committed to killing him.

Had they been successful, Paul’s ministry would have been cut in half and most of his letters to the churches would never have been written.

Our Bible would be much shorter, and Christianity would have been much different, if not for a young boy who did the right thing despite personal risk. It’s a good thing Paul’s sister raised her son well and taught him to do the right thing.

Though we thank Paul for his contributions to the Bible and our faith, we should also thank Paul’s nephew and sister who made his ongoing work possible. (In contrast, for a sister who didn’t support her sibling’s ministry, consider Miriam when she opposed her brother, Moses.)

Whether it’s a family member or close friend, being in the shadow of someone who is well-known or accomplished is never easy. Common reactions are envy, bitterness, or diminished self-worth.

Yet the small things we do, even though they go largely unnoticed, can help our relative or friend accomplish even more. We can contribute, behind the scenes, to their success.

What family members can we help to achieve better results?

[Discover more about Paul’s sister in Acts 23:12–24. Also, see Numbers 12.]

Learn about other biblical women in Women of the Bible, available in audiobook, e-book, paperback, and hardcover.

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Biblical People

Biblical People: Damaris

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date September 14, 2021

Damaris is another woman whose name only appears once in the Bible. And we know only one thing about her. After Paul tells a group of people about Jesus, she believes.

Luke writes that in addition to Damaris, Dionysius also believes, along with many others. But why is Damaris’s name recorded and most of the other new believers aren’t? We don’t know, but Luke must think it’s important we know that Damaris believes in Jesus.

While Damaris’s name is written in Scripture, Jesus says the names of others who serve him are written in heaven. Paul says the same thing. John warns about people whose names aren’t written in Jesus’s book of life and later commends those who are.

Although our name will never appear in the Bible, it can still be written in heaven and appear in Jesus’s book of life. Does yours?

[Discover more about Damaris in Acts 17:34. Also see Luke 10:20, Hebrews 12:23, Revelation 13:8, and Revelation 21:27.]

Learn about other biblical women in Women of the Bible, available in audiobook, e-book, paperback, and hardcover.

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Biblical People

Biblical People: Eunice

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date September 14, 2021

Eunice is the mother of Timothy, who, as Paul’s protégé, grows in his faith to help others grow in theirs. Though we know the results of Eunice’s character as reflected in her son, we know little about her.

She’s only mentioned twice in the Bible. She’s Jewish and believes in Jesus. However, contrary to Jewish law, she married a non-Jew. This puts her on the outside of Jewish society, causing true Jews to shun her or look down on her.

She also doesn’t circumcise her son, as required by Jewish law. However, despite the ramifications of who she marries, we also know she has a real faith, which she learned from her mother and passes on to her son.

Our faith is the greatest thing we can give to our children. Are we doing all we can?

[Discover more about Eunice in Acts 16:1 and 2 Timothy 1:5.]

Learn about other biblical women in Women of the Bible, available in audiobook, e-book, paperback, and hardcover.

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Biblical People

Biblical People: Artemis

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date September 14, 2021

The people in Ephesus worship the goddess Artemis. Though history tells us much about her, the Bible doesn’t. Looking only at the biblical text, we see her as a character of mythological stature, either a complete work of fiction or a blatant distortion of someone who once was.

The people have elevated her to the status of a god, and the tradespeople have built businesses around her.

The silversmith Demetrius is one such person. He crafts silver shrines, which he sells to people who worship her. Demetrius cares nothing about Artemis, only the profits he can earn by exploiting her notoriety. He even acknowledges she is a made-up god, void of divinity.

Yet he seeks to uphold her legend for personal gain, opposing Paul—and ultimately Jesus—in the process. Demetrius doesn’t want to see her discredited in any way, for his financial future depends on her.

He resorts to rhetoric. His zealous speech stirs up a mob. The agitated crowd yells for a couple of hours. The situation threatens to turn into a riot. At last, the city clerk quiets the crowd and restores civil obedience.

They misuse the memory of Artemis to mislead people and generate income, exploiting her for personal gain.

How have we ever exploited a person, or their memory, to maintain power or earn a profit?

[Discover more about Artemis in Acts 19:23–41.]

Learn about other biblical women in Women of the Bible, available in audiobook, e-book, paperback, and hardcover.

Tags Artemis, Biblical Characters

Biblical People

Biblical People: The Fortune Teller

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date September 14, 2021

When Paul and Silas are in Philippi, they meet a slave girl who has the psychic ability to tell people’s future. Using her fortune-telling skills, she earns a great deal of money for her owners.

When she sees Paul, the spirit within her shouts supernatural truth: “These men are servants from God Most High. They’re telling you how to get saved.” She continues proclaiming this day after day. Finally, Paul grows exasperated. Evoking Jesus’s name, Paul commands the fortune-telling spirit to leave her.

The spirit obeys, and the girl loses the ability to tell people their future. Her owners can no longer charge people for having her tell them their fortunes.

She’s now free of her controlling spirit. Though we don’t know what happens to her after this, we do know what happens to Paul and Silas: they spend a night in the pokey for their trouble.

The slave girl is exploited by her owners and spiritually freed by Jesus, through Paul’s boldness.

Who does Jesus want us to help become free? He’ll take the lead. All we need to do is follow.

[Discover more about the fortune teller in Acts 16:16–19.]

Learn about other biblical women in Women of the Bible, available in audiobook, e-book, paperback, and hardcover.

Tags Biblical Characters, The Fortune Teller

Biblical People

Biblical People: Lydia

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date September 14, 2021

Lydia is a merchant who sells expensive purple material. She lives in Philippi. She worships God but doesn’t know about Jesus.

When Paul shows up, he tells her who Jesus is and what he did. She wants to follow Jesus too. She believes and is baptized to show her commitment to him. Then she asks Paul and his buddies to stay at her house.

Later, Paul and Silas heal a fortune-telling slave girl and end up in jail as a result. The next day they’re released and head back to Lydia’s where they meet with more of Jesus’s followers. After encouraging them, Paul and Silas leave town.

When Lydia decides to follow Jesus, she goes all in. She even has people meet at her home. She doesn’t need to take a class, join a church, or wait until her faith matures. She does what she can right away.

We later learn of an active local church in Philippi. I imagine Lydia is a key part of it. They might still meet at her house.

Do we make people wait before we let them serve Jesus or help at church?

[Discover more about Lydia in Acts 16:14–40.]

Learn about other biblical women in Women of the Bible, available in audiobook, e-book, paperback, and hardcover.

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Biblical People

Biblical People: Rhoda

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date September 12, 2021

Rhoda is present at the prayer meeting for Peter when he’s sitting in jail and facing execution. Rhoda is a servant, possibly of Mary (7) (mother of John Mark) at whose house the people have met to pray.

We gather that Rhoda is also a follower of Jesus, praying for Peter along with everyone else.

During the prayer meeting, there’s a knock on the door. As part of her duties, Rhoda goes to the door. Fearing for their safety, lest they’re arrested too, she asks who’s there. Peter identifies himself.

Overjoyed at hearing his voice, Rhoda runs to tell everyone the good news that Peter is there, but she forgets to let him in.

The people, despite their intense prayers for Peter’s release, don’t believe God answered their request. Though they pray for a miracle, they fear the worst.

It’s only after Peter’s continued knocking that they let him in and discover the truth. Once they see him, they finally realize God’s amazing answer to their prayers.

Unlike the others present, Rhoda prays with expectation. Merely hearing Peter’s voice is all the evidence she needs. Everyone else doubts. Their faith may not be as strong as Rhoda’s.

When we pray, do we pray in faith with the expectation of answers or in doubt out of fear? Or is it okay for our prayers to have a mixture of belief and unbelief?

[Discover more about Rhoda in Acts 12:12–16.]

Learn about other biblical women in Women of the Bible, available in audiobook, e-book, paperback, and hardcover.

Tags Biblical Characters, Rhoda