Apostle Paul in Ephesus is one of the longest stories in the Book of Acts. Paul came to the city twice: a short stop at the end of his second journey (Acts 18:19–21), then a long stay on his third journey in the mid-50s AD. He taught three months in the synagogue and two years in the school of Tyrannus, and later he spoke of three years in Ephesus (Acts 19:8–10; 20:31).
Apostle Paul decided to visit Ephesus in his second journey around Asia Minor. Ephesus was an important place in Paul’s missionary service. Apostle Paul in Ephesus met Apollos and other believers who personally knew Saint John the Evangelist. Saint John visited Ephesus after Jesus Christ ascended, and he left Jerusalem with Mother Mary.
Paul stayed in Ephesus for two years after his arrival. Spreading the word of the Holy Bible in squares and synagogues every day. Paul started a church in Ephesus. When Paul was in Ephesus, he was visiting other churches in the Aegean region from time to time.
Several parts of this story have their own articles on my site, so here I keep them short and give you the links. If you want the Bible story in a few minutes, read what happened in Ephesus in the Bible and my list of 10 biblical events that took place in Ephesus. Let’s have a look at the whole story of Paul and Ephesus step by step.
Ephesus in the Time of Apostle Paul
Ephesus, which is within the borders of Selçuk district of Izmir today, was an ancient city in the Ionian region. Ephesus, a large and important city of the Roman Empire, was the connection point between the eastern and western parts of the Roman Empire. We also should mention that Ephesus was the largest port city in Asia. The road from the Euphrates and Mesopotamia would reach Ephesus through Colossae and Laodicea and then to the sea. Ephesus was a gateway for getting in and out of Asia.
“Peace to the brethren, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” (Apostle Paul, Letter to the Ephesians, Ephesians 6:23)
The Temple of Artemis, considered one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, was also in Ephesus. Artemis was worshiped for thousands of years by Greek people. Today the Temple of Artemis is nothing more than several columns lying on the ground. Ruins of the temple of Artemis are two and a half kilometers from Ephesus city center. Buildings such as the Domitian Temple, the Fountain of Trajan, the Temple of Hadrian, the Celsius Library and an open-air theater that took twenty-five thousand people were also in Ephesus.
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In addition to being a religious center, Ephesus was also the center of sorcerers and magicians. Paul wrote one of his most important letters to Ephesus before he arrived here. Saint John the Evangelist lived here on the year 66. After the Roman Empire split into two, Ephesus passed under the Byzantine dominion. One of the universal councils that are important for the history of Christianity was held in Ephesus in the year 431.
By the way, the magic of Ephesus was famous in the whole Greek world. A group of magical words called the Ephesia Grammata, the “Ephesian letters”, appears in inscriptions and on magical papyri from centuries before Paul. Keep this in mind, because it helps us to understand the story of the magic books below.
Paul’s First Visit to Ephesus
Paul’s first visit was very short. At the end of second journey he sailed from Cenchrea, the harbor of Corinth, together with his friends Priscilla and Aquila. He came to Ephesus, left the couple there, went into the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews (Acts 18:18–19). The Jews wanted him to stay for a longer time, but he did not agree, because he had to keep a feast in Jerusalem.
His goodbye was a promise: “I will return again unto you, if God will” (Acts 18:21). He sailed to Caesarea and went on to Antioch. However, the work in Ephesus did not stop. Priscilla and Aquila stayed in the city, and a few years later the believers of Ephesus were meeting in their house (1 Corinthians 16:19). You can read their story in Aquila and Priscilla in Ephesus.
Synagogue of Ephesus: The first location where Apostle Paul preached in Ephesus was the synagogue. Learn more about Synagogue of Ephesus and hire a tour guide for visiting Synagogue of Ephesus.
While Paul was away, a learned Jew from Alexandria called Apollos came to Ephesus. He spoke boldly in synagogue, but he knew only the baptism of John. Priscilla and Aquila took him aside and “expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly” (Acts 18:24–26).
Apollos: An early Christian who was a companion of Apostle Paul. Apollos played an important role in the early times of the Ephesian Church.
Paul’s Long Stay in Ephesus
Paul kept his promise. On his third journey he went through Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening the disciples, and came back to Ephesus through the inland regions (Acts 18:23; 19:1). Here he found about twelve disciples who had received only the baptism of John the Baptist. Paul baptized them in the name of the Lord Jesus, laid his hands on them, and the Holy Spirit came on them (Acts 19:1–7).
Then he went to the synagogue, as he did in every city, and spoke boldly there for three months (Acts 19:8). When some of the listeners hardened and spoke evil of the new way in public, Paul took the disciples away and began to teach daily in “the school of one Tyrannus” (Acts 19:9).
Paul was teaching between 11:00 and 16:00 at the Tyrannus school in Ephesus. Due to the temperature of the air, the hall was empty at this time and Paul was easily teaching his students. Paul continued his lessons here every day for two years.
These hours come from some old manuscripts of Acts 19:9, which add that Paul taught from the fifth hour to the tenth. Many modern Bibles give this line in a footnote, as you can see in the footnote to Acts 19:9 in the NRSV. The exact place of the hall of Tyrannus in the city is not known.
Paul did not live with the money of his students. He told the elders of Ephesus later: “these hands have ministered unto my necessities, and to them that were with me” (Acts 20:34). He was a tentmaker by trade (Acts 18:3), and like many scholars I think he went on with this work in Ephesus, as he did in Corinth.
The result was huge. In two years “all they which dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks” (Acts 19:10). Paul’s helpers carried the message to other cities. Epaphras taught the Colossians, and Paul also praised his zeal for the believers of Laodicea and Hierapolis too (Colossians 1:7; 4:12–13).
After these things, Paul planned to go through Macedonia and Achaia to Jerusalem and then to see Rome, but for a while he “stayed in Asia for a season” (Acts 19:21–22). I tell this part of his life in more detail in Paul’s second visit to Asia Minor and his Ephesian years.
Miracles and the Magic Books of Ephesus
Acts says that God “wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul”. People took handkerchiefs and aprons from his body to the sick, and the sick were healed (Acts 19:11–12). Seven sons of a Jewish chief priest called Sceva tried to copy him. They said to a man with an evil spirit: “We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth.”
The spirit answered: “Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye?” The man jumped on them, and the seven brothers “fled out of that house naked and wounded” (Acts 19:13–16). Story spread in the whole city, among Jews and Greeks.
Many believers confessed their old practices, and those who used magic brought their books and burned them infront of everybody. They counted the price of the books and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver (Acts 19:18–19). “So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed” (Acts 19:20).
The Burning of the Books on Magic in Ephesus: Paul stood against the magicians in Ephesus and made them to burn their books in the Agora of Ephesus ancient city. Hire an English-speaking tour guide in Ephesus to learn more about The Burning of the Books on Magic in Ephesus.
Silversmiths’ Riot in Ephesus
Teachings of Paul were a great blow to polytheism and idolatry in Ephesus. Paul was crushing beliefs of Greeks who worshiped ‘’human-like gods’’ for thousands of years. “The gods made by human beings cannot be gods,” said Paul. Words and philosophy of Apostle Paul seriously worried those who fed on this system.
Therefore, a jeweler named Dimitrios, who made silver sculptures at the Temple of Artemis, gathered an angry mob against the Christians and especially Paul. Reacting to the teachings of Paul, the crowd gathered at the Ephesus Theater.
Bringing together those who are doing similar jobs like him, Dimitrios said, “Friends,” “You know, we have great earnings from this business. You see and hear that Paul says that handmade objects are not gods, not only in Ephesus but in almost all of Asia. So he convinced a large community.
This is not only a danger against our art, but there is also a danger that can destroy the Temple of Artemis. Our supreme goddess will be ignored and forgotten. Eventually, the glory of Artemis, which the Asian region and the world respect, will be eliminated.’’.
The crowd caught two of Paul’s travel companions from Macedonia, Gaius and Aristarchus, and rushed with one accord into the theater (Acts 19:29). Most of the crowd had no idea why they had come together. When a Jew called Alexander tried to speak, they shouted “Great is Diana of the Ephesians” for about two hours (Acts 19:32–34). Diana is the Latin name of Artemis.
Finally town clerk calmed the people. He reminded them that these men had robbed no temple and had not blasphemed their goddess, that the courts were open, and that the city could be called to account “for this day’s uproar”. Then he dismissed the assembly (Acts 19:35–41).
Grand Theater of Ephesus: Ephesus Theater was the place where Apostle Paul preached to the Jewish and Pagan community of Ephesus. Learn more about Ephesus Grand Theater and hire a Turkish tour guide for visiting Grand Theater of Ephesus.
Despite all his success, Paul encountered great difficulties in Ephesus. Whenever believers multiplied, troubles also followed. Upon the riot of silversmiths led by Dimitrius, Paul had to leave Ephesus and sailed towards Macedonia. Paul appointed the young Timoteos as the leader of the Ephesus church before his departure.
Paul himself later reminded Timothy that he had asked him to stay on in Ephesus when he left for Macedonia (1 Timothy 1:3). Church tradition, as Eusebius tells us, remembers Timothy as the first bishop of Ephesus.
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Paul’s Farewell to the Elders of Ephesus at Miletus
Paul did not forget Ephesus. Around 57 AD, on his way back to Jerusalem, he decided to sail past the city, because he hurried to reach Jerusalem by the day of Pentecost (Acts 20:16). His ship stopped at Miletus, about 50 kilometers south of Ephesus, and from there he sent for the elders of the church (Acts 20:17). I wrote about the town in Apostle Paul in Miletus.
His speech to the elders is one of the most personal passages in the New Testament, he reminded them that he had taught them “publickly, and from house to house” and warned them “night and day with tears” for three years. He also told them that “grievous wolves” would come after him (Acts 20:20, 29–31).
Then he quoted a saying of Jesus that we do not find in the Gospels: “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35). He kneeled down and prayed with them all. They wept, sorrowing most of all for his words “that they should see his face no more”, and they walked with him to the ship (Acts 20:36–38).
Cities Visited by Apostle Paul in Asia Minor: Ephesus was not the only city which was visited by Apostle Paul in Anatolia. Learn more about the travels of Apostle Paul in Turkey and hire Biblical tour guide to visit Apostle Paul’s route in Asia Minor.
Letters of Paul Connected to Ephesus
Ephesus was also a writing desk for Paul. He wrote his first letter to the Corinthians here during his long stay, in the mid-50s AD (1 Corinthians 16:8). The letter to the Ephesians carries the name of the city, and the two letters to Timothy were written to the man Paul left in charge of the church there.
Each of these letters has a longer story with famous lines, so I keep them short here and give you my two articles about them.
Epistle to the Ephesians: Forty-ninth book of the Bible which was by Paul the Apostle to Ephesians.
Letters of Paul to the Cities in Asia Minor: Apostle Paul wrote several letters to cities of Asia Minor. Learn about Apostle’s letters to the cities of Anatolia.
Places of Apostle Paul in Ephesus Today
Most visits to Ephesus Ancient City start at the Upper Gate, the Magnesia Gate, and walk down to the Lower Gate. This is a nice order for Paul’s story too. Please keep it in mind that many monuments you see today came after Paul. The Library of Celsus, for example, was finished in the early 2nd century AD, decades after his time.
Walking down Curetes Street, I ask my guests to imagine the city without the later buildings: the same valley, the same hills and the same crowds of a busy port city, but fewer marble monuments.
At the bottom of the street, nearby the Library of Celsus, lies the Commercial Agora. Ephesus had two agoras, one for business and one for the state. Acts does not tell us where Paul worked, but a tentmaker needed customers, and a big market like this was the place where craftsmen sold their work.
From the agora, Marble Street takes you to the Great Theater, the place of the riot in Acts 19. When I guide a Paul day in Ephesus, we read Acts 18, 19 and 20 at these places, and the theater is always the strongest moment.
Outside the ancient city, in Selçuk, you can see the place of the Temple of Artemis, the temple that the silversmiths were afraid to lose. From there you look up to Ayasuluk Hill. The Basilica of Saint John stands there over the traditional tomb of John, and the Ayasuluk Fortress, which is open to visitors, crowns the hill. You can read more in Ayasuluk Hill nearby Ephesus.
For me, this view joins the two apostles of Ephesus. Paul taught in the city below, and John, by tradition, was buried on the hill above.
Grotto of Apostle Paul in Ephesus: Learn about this little cave located on the outskirts of Ephesus. Please keep it in mind that the grotto is closed to visitors today, so we can see it only in photos and in my video below.
BONUS CONTENT!
Here is a video which was made by me and my wife during our special expedition to the Grotto of Apostle Paul in Ephesus. I hope you will enjoy the information and exclusive photos in this video.
Interesting Facts About Apostle Paul
Apostle Paul in Turkey: Read the whole story of Apostle Paul in Asia Minor.
- 7 Interesting Facts About Apostle Paul
- 7 Unknown Facts About Apostle Paul
- 7 Interesting Facts About Saint Paul of Tarsus
- 7 Amazing Facts About Apostle Paul
- Another 7 Interesting Facts About Apostle Paul
Frequently Asked Questions
How long did Paul stay in Ephesus?
About three years, in Paul’s own words (Acts 20:31). Acts counts three months of teaching in the synagogue and two years of daily teaching in the school of Tyrannus (Acts 19:8–10), and then some more time in Asia before he left for Macedonia (Acts 19:22; 20:1).
When was Paul in Ephesus?
His short first visit came at the end of his second journey, and his long stay on the third journey fell in the mid-50s AD. Scholars give slightly different years, roughly between 52 and 57 AD. He met the Ephesian elders at Miletus around 57 AD.
What did Paul do in Ephesus?
He taught in the synagogue and in the school of Tyrannus, baptized about twelve disciples who knew only John’s baptism, worked with his own hands, wrote his first letter to the Corinthians and sent helpers to the cities of Asia. His stay ended after the silversmiths’ riot (Acts 19–20).
Did Paul found the church in Ephesus?
Paul is remembered as its founder, and he led it for years. However, Priscilla and Aquila were already in the city before his long stay, and a church met in their house (Acts 18:19; 1 Corinthians 16:19).
Hire Ephesus Biblical Tour Guide to Learn More about Apostle Paul in Ephesus
My day guiding covers Ephesus, İzmir and Pamukkale, so Ephesus Ancient City, the Temple of Artemis and Ayasuluk Hill fit easily into one Paul day from Kuşadası or İzmir. Elsewhere in Turkey, my national license lets me join you as your personal guide on longer journeys, for example to Tarsus, Pisidian Antioch, Patara and Myra.
You can check my guiding rates and guiding areas, or write to me to hire me as your licensed guide.
When a tour group arrives at Ephesus today, they can still see a great number of buildings where Apostle Paul gave his speeches. The Grand Theater of Ephesus is a good example. I especially like to have a moment in this theater to think about the hard times these people of the early church had here.
Also, it is an excellent place to have some reading of the Letter of Saint John in the Revelation to Ephesus and also Apostle Paul’s letter to Ephesian. I hope one day you will have an Ephesus tour which will touch your spirit.
You can always contact me to learn more about Apostle Paul’s works in Ephesus. Also, you can contact me to hire a professional licensed biblical Turkish tour guide to Ephesus. See you soon, Hasan Gülday.
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