Lydia

Lydia, a seller of purple goods from Thyatira, was converted by Paul in Philippi and hosted the church in her home.

Lydia was a businesswoman from the city of Thyatira who sold purple goods (Act 16:14). She was living in Philippi, a Roman colony in Macedonia, when she encountered the apostle Paul and his companions. Lydia is described as a worshiper of God, suggesting that she was a Gentile who followed the Jewish faith. When Paul preached the gospel, the Lord opened her heart to respond to his message (Act 16:14). Lydia and her household were baptized, becoming the first recorded converts in Europe (Act 16:15). She then invited Paul and his companions to stay at her home, demonstrating her hospitality and eagerness to support the spreading of the gospel (Act 16:15). After Paul and Silas were released from prison, they visited Lydia's house and met with the believers before departing from Philippi (Act 16:40). Lydia's conversion and her role in hosting the early church in Philippi highlight the importance of women in the early Christian movement and the gospel's appeal to people from various backgrounds.

A woman of Thyatira, a “seller of purple,” who dwelt in Philippi (Acts 16:14, 15). She was not a Jewess but a proselyte. The Lord opened her heart as she heard the gospel from the lips of Paul (16:13). She thus became the first in Europe who embraced Christianity. She was a person apparently of considerable wealth, for she could afford to give a home to Paul and his companions.