Some unknown facts about Apostle Paul are places on the map, because a big part of his journeys ran through today’s Turkey. The Book of Acts follows him from Perge and Antioch in Pisidia to Ephesus and Miletus. The seven facts here are about the man, and a short list of those places comes after them.
- Before Paul, Christianity was much stricter and more conservative. Apostle Paul opened the faith to everyone who wished to come in.
- Paul’s hometown of Cilicia was very popular for producing a type of goat-hair cloth which is well known as and excellent type of fabric for making tents
- Contrary to what some think, he did not write the Bible. The letters in which he communicated with his followers were added to the Bible. The creation of the bible as a written book happened in the 4th century.
- Paul ended his ministry as an apostle in Rome just like Apostle Peter.
- Paul belonged to a wealth Roman – Jewish family.
- Apostle Paul was the author of 13 books in the New Testament.
- Apostle Paul had been one of the most popular characters in the early church since he could connect with both Jews and Christians and be known by many.
Unknown Facts About Apostle Paul in Today’s Turkey
Acts puts Paul in at least nine towns of today’s Turkey, and most of them can still be found on a map. Here they are in the order the book tells them:
- Perge, near Antalya (Acts 13:13)
- Antioch in Pisidia, near Yalvaç (Acts 13:14)
- Iconium, today’s Konya (Acts 14:1)
- Lystra and Derbe, between Konya and Karaman (Acts 14:6)
- Troas, in Çanakkale Province (Acts 16:8)
- Ephesus, nearby Selçuk (Acts 19:1)
- Assos, today’s Behramkale (Acts 20:13)
- Miletus, in Aydın Province (Acts 20:17)
I wrote long version of these roads in my post on the Cities Visited by Apostle Paul in Asia Minor. Tarsus, where he was born, has its own post on Saint Paul of Tarsus, and the miracle at Lystra is in Another 7 Interesting Facts About Apostle Paul.
Frequently Asked Questions
Did Apostle Paul preach in Turkey?
Yes. He passed through today’s Turkey on all three of his journeys, from the synagogue of Antioch in Pisidia (Acts 13:16) to three years of teaching in Ephesus (Acts 20:31). His hometown Tarsus is in Turkey too.
Where did Paul see the vision of the man from Macedonia?
At Troas, on the Aegean coast. A man of Macedonia begged him in the night to come over and help (Acts 16:9). The ruins of Alexandria Troas lie near the village of Dalyan.
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Want to learn more on Apostle Paul and his travels in Turkey? Contact me to ask your questions and to hire a professional licensed Turkish tour guide in Turkey. See you soon, Hasan Gülday.
