Apphia

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

Philippians 1:2 , supposed by some to have been the wife of Philemon.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Philippians 1:2

Fausset's Bible Dictionary

Latin; Αppia . The wife, or close relative, of Philemon. She would not otherwise be mentioned with Philemon in the address ( Philemon 1:2), on a domestic matter.

Holman Bible Dictionary

Acts 26:2

Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible

APPHIA . A Christian lady of Colossæ, a member of the household of Philemon, probably his wife ( Philippians 1:2 ).

Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament

(in some Manuscripts and VSS ^{[Note: SS Versions.]} Aphphia or Appia )

A Christian lady of Colossae, designated by St. Paul ( Philemon 1:2) as ‘sister’ ( ἁδελφῇ, so א ADE), in the Christian sense. Authorized Version , following inferior manuscript testimony, substitutes ‘beloved’ ( ἀγαπητῇ); some Manuscripts have both words. Grotius regards the name as a softened and hellenized form of the Latin Appia  ; but Lightfoot ( Col. and Philem . ³ , 1879, p. 306) and Zahn ( Introd. to NT , 1909, i. 453) show that the name is Phrygian and is found in numerous ancient Phrygian inscriptions.

Most commentators (following Chrysostom and Theodoret) regard Apphia as Philemon’s wife, since otherwise her name either would not have been introduced at all in a private letter, or at least would have been put after the name of Archippus ( q.v. [Note: quod vide, which see.] ), who was an office-bearer. As the wife of Philemon, Apphia would have some claim to be consulted in such a matter as the forgiveness and emancipation of a slave. The possibility, however, of her being the sister (literally) of Philemon is not grammatically excluded if the reading ‘sister’ be accepted.

The ancient Greek Martyrology represents Apphia (along with Philemon) as suffering martyrdom under Nero on Nov. 22 (see Menœa for November).

Literature.-See under Philemon. Henry Cowan.

Morrish Bible Dictionary

Probably the wife of Philemon, whom Paul addresses in that epistle, ver. 2.

Smith's Bible Dictionary

Ap'phia. (fruitful). A Christian woman addressed jointly with Philemon and Archippus in Philemon 1:2; apparently a member of Philemon's household, and not improbably his wife. (A.D. 57).

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

       af´i a ap´fi a Ἀπφίᾳ  Apphı́a   Apphı́a  Philippians 1:2  Apphı́a   Amphı́a   Appı́a  A C  Col 

Kitto's Popular Cyclopedia of Biblial Literature

Ap´phia, the name of a woman ( Philemon 1:2) who is supposed by Chrysostom and Theodoret to have been the wife of Philemon.

Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature

(pron. Af'fia, Ἀπφία , prob. for Ἀππία, the Greek form of the Lat. name Appia), the name of a female affectionately saluted by Paul (A.D. 57) as a Christian at Colossee ( Philemon 1:2); supposed by Chrysostom and Theodoret to have been the wife of Philemon, with whom, according to tradition, she suffered martyrdom. (See Philemon).