Dorcas (called Dorcas in Greek and Tabitha in Aramaic/Hebrew, meaning 'gazelle') was a disciple at Joppa full of good works and almsdeeds; after her death, Peter raised her in the name of the Lord.
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Life & Story
Dorcas lived in Joppa, a port city on the Mediterranean coast, where she was an active disciple within the local community of believers. Her name "Tabitha" is Aramaic (with a Hebrew cognate), while "Dorcas" is its Greek translation; both mean "gazelle," an image of gentleness and grace. Her life was marked by practical compassion: Scripture describes her as "full of good works and almsdeeds," and she is remembered for making garments and giving generously to widows and the poor, becoming a central figure in the charitable ministry of the Joppa community. According to Acts, she fell sick and died. The disciples washed her body, laid her in an upstairs room, and sent for Peter, who was then in nearby Lydda. The scene echoes the Old Testament account of Elisha raising the Shunammite's son (2 Kings 4) and mirrors the Lord's raising of Jairus's daughter (Mark 5). When Peter arrived, he put everyone out of the room, knelt down and prayed, then turning to the body said, "Tabitha, arise." She opened her eyes, saw Peter, and sat up. This miracle publicly displayed the Lord's presence and the authenticity of the gospel proclaimed by the apostles in Joppa. After her restoration, Dorcas continued within the community of disciples. Her account forms part of the immediate setting for Peter's later ministry at the house of Cornelius, and her story has long been associated with charitable needlework and care for widows in Christian tradition. Her life reminds readers that authentic discipleship is expressed in concrete acts of mercy, and that the resurrection power of the Lord Jesus continues to be manifested through the apostles in the early church.