second missionary journeys. He may also have stopped there on his third missionary tour as he traveled from “place to place through the country of Galatia.”—Acts 14:6, 20, 21; 16:1; 18:23.

LYCIA

(Lycʹi·a) [perhaps, wolf].

A mountainous region on the southwestern coast of Asia Minor. To the NW of Lycia lay Caria; to the N, Phrygia and Pisidia, and to the NE, Pamphylia. The mountains in the territory of ancient Lycia are spurs of the Taurus range. Particularly in the eastern half of the region they rise almost directly from the coast. The river valleys, chief of which is that of the Xanthos (Koca), are fertile. Vegetation thrives on the hills, and the mountain slopes provide pasture for sheep.

During the course of its history Lycia was subject to Persia, Alexander the Great, Seleucid and Ptolemaic rulers and finally to Rome. Despite this it was able to maintain a large measure of freedom.

Two Lycian cities, Patara and Myra, are specifically mentioned in connection with the apostle Paul’s travels. But there is no record of his doing any preaching there.—Acts 21:1; 27:5.

LYDDA

(Lydʹda).

A city located in the plain of Sharon about eleven miles (18 kilometers) SE of Joppa. At Lydda, Peter healed paralyzed Aeneas. This miracle caused many in the vicinity to accept Christianity. (Acts 9:32-35, 38) Lydda is considered to be the same as Lod.—1 Chron. 8:12, see LOD.

LYDIA

(Lydʹi·a).

This woman and her household were among the first persons in Europe to accept Christianity as a result of the apostle Paul’s activity at Philippi in about 50 C.E. Originally she lived at Thyatira, a city in Asia Minor known for its dyeing industry. Later, at Philippi in Macedonia Lydia sold purple, either the dye or garments and fabrics colored therewith. It appears that she was the head of her household (this could include slaves and servants), and, therefore, she was possibly widowed or single.—Acts 16:14, 15.

A “worshiper of God,” Lydia probably was a Jewish proselyte. It may be that there were few Jews and no synagogue at Philippi so that on the sabbath day she and other devout women assembled by a river outside the city. When the apostle Paul preached to these women, Lydia listened attentively. After being baptized along with her household she entreated Paul and his companions to stay with her, saying: “If you men have judged me to be faithful to Jehovah, enter into my house.” Such genuine offer of hospitality simply could not be refused. The writer of Acts, Paul’s traveling companion Luke, adds: “She just made us come.”—Acts 16:11-15.

Later, after Paul and Silas were released from prison, they again went to the home of Lydia. There they encouraged the brothers and then left Philippi.—Acts 16:36-40.

Perhaps at least partly because of Lydia’s hospitality, Paul wrote to the Philippians: “I thank my God always upon every remembrance of you in every supplication of mine for all of you, as I offer my supplication with joy, because of the contribution you have made to the good news from the first day until this moment.”—Phil. 1:3-5.

LYE

See LAUNDRYMAN.

LYSANIAS

(Ly·saʹni·as) [ending sorrow].

The district ruler or tetrarch of Abilene when John the Baptist began his ministry (29 C.E.), during the fifteenth year of Tiberius Caesar’s rule. (Luke 3:1) This Roman tetrarchy had its capital at Abila, near Damascus of Syria. An inscription of the time of Tiberius Caesar found there commemorates a temple dedication by a freedman of “Lysanias the tetrarch.” Because Josephus (Antiquities of the Jews, Book XV, chap. IV, par. 1) refers to a Lysanias executed about 36 B.C.E. by Mark Antony at Cleopatra’s instigation, some have charged Luke with inaccuracy. However, Luke did not err, for the Lysanias he mentions is not the same person as the earlier Lysanias (the son of Ptolemy) who, before being executed, ruled, not Abilene, but nearby Chalcis, and who is not called a tetrarch.

LYSIAS

See CLAUDIUS LYSIAS.

LYSTRA

(Lysʹtra).

A city of Lycaonia, a region in the S central part of Asia Minor. Lystra has been identified with a mound to the N of Hatunsaray, situated in a fertile, well-watered area about twenty miles (32 kilometers) S of Konya (Iconium).

It was to Lystra in the Roman province of Galatia that the apostle Paul and Barnabas came after being forced to leave Iconium because of an attempt to have them stoned. The city was then a Roman colony, having earlier been made such by Augustus. The native inhabitants, however, continued to speak the Lycaonian language. After Paul healed a man lame from birth, the crowds concluded that he and Barnabas were incarnated gods, Hermes and Zeus. Barely were they able to restrain the people from sacrificing to them. Later, however, Jews from Iconium and Pisidian Antioch so stirred up the inhabitants of Lystra against Paul that they stoned him and dragged his body outside the city, imagining him to be dead. Afterward, when surrounded by fellow Christians, Paul got up, entered Lystra and then, accompanied by Barnabas, left the next day for Derbe.—Acts 14:1, 5-20.

Subsequent to their activity at Derbe, Paul and Barnabas returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch. They strengthened and encouraged the disciples associated with the newly established Christian congregations in those cities and appointed older men.—Acts 14:21-23.

Later, after the circumcision issue was settled by the apostles and older men of the Jerusalem congregation (c. 49 C.E.), Paul again visited Derbe and Lystra. The reference to this at Acts 16:1 could be understood to mean that the young man Timothy resided at either Lystra or nearby Derbe. But the evidence seems to favor Lystra. For while Derbe is not mentioned again in connection with Timothy, Acts 16:2 specifically states that Timothy “was well reported on by the brothers in Lystra and Iconium.” (See also 2 Timothy 3:10, 11.) Timothy had made such good progress that Paul chose him as a traveling companion.—Acts 16:3.

When the apostle Paul visited various places in “the country of Galatia” on his third missionary tour he may also have stopped at Lystra.—Acts 18:23.

MAACAH

(Maʹa·cah) [oppression, or, perhaps, stupid].

The name of several persons and of a kingdom.

1. A child born to Nahor, Abraham’s brother, by his concubine Reumah. The child was evidently a male, as a kingdom and its inhabitants derived their name from this person.—Gen. 22:23, 24; 2 Sam. 10:6, 8.

2. Wife of the Manassite Machir.—1 Chron. 7:14-16.

3. One of the concubines of Caleb (the son of Hezron) who bore several of his children.—1 Chron. 2:18, 48, 49.

4. The wife of Jeiel “the father of Gibeon.”—1 Chron. 8:29; 9:35.

5. One of David’s wives and the daughter of Talmai the king of Geshur. She was Absalom’s mother.—2 Sam. 3:2, 3; 1 Chron. 3:1, 2.

6. Father or ancestor of Hanan, a mighty man of David’s military forces.—1 Chron. 11:26, 43.

7. Father or ancestor of Shephatiah, a prince of Israel appointed leader of the Simeonites in David’s