New Testament · New Testament
Dorcas (Tabitha)
“In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (in Greek her name is Dorcas); she was always doing good and helping the poor.”Acts 9:36
Biography
Dorcas (Hebrew: Tabitha) was a disciple in Joppa described as 'always doing good and helping the poor.' She was known especially for making garments for widows and needy people. When she died, the community sent for Peter, and the widows stood weeping and showing the garments she had made. Peter prayed, and she was raised from the dead — one of only two resurrection miracles in the book of Acts. Her rising caused many in Joppa to believe in the Lord.
Spiritual Lesson
Dorcas is the patron saint of practical love. She did not preach or lead; she sewed. Yet the impact of her life was so great that a community's grief summoned an apostle and God raised her from the dead. Her resurrection served as a witness to the city. She shows us that acts of service done faithfully and consistently, over time, create a testimony that endures beyond a person's death — and that God honors the lives of servants as much as the lives of speakers.