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Turkey and the New Testament

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The origin of the church in Turkey goes back to the events immediately following the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ in Judea. On the Day of Pentecost Jews from Cappadocia, Pontus, Asia, Phrygia, and Pamphylia were gathered in Jerusalem (Acts 2:9–10). Many of these became eyewitnesses to the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and Peter’s subsequent sermon. Some were undoubtedly among the three thousand who believed on Jesus that day (Acts 2:41). Returning home, these were the first Christians in Anatolia. One of the most interesting accounts recorded by the early church father Eusebius in his Church History (1.13) is a letter of Abgar V, king of Edessa. Abgar, dying of disease, wrote a letter, requesting Jesus to heal him. In his reply Jesus stated that he could not come but that a disciple would be sent later. After Pentecost Thaddeus was sent by the apostles. When he prayed for Abgar, the king was instantly healed. Abgar and his subjects believed in Jesus, and the kingdom converted to Christianity. Syriac Christianity, which persists in the region of Mardin, traces its historical origins to this tradition.

Although Jesus had commanded the early believers to preach the gospel outside of Jerusalem “to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8), this did not happen until the martyrdom of Stephen. Jews from Cilicia and Asia found a willing accomplice to this murder in Saul (Acts 6:9ff.; 7:58–8:1). Although born a citizen of Tarsus, Saul had been brought to Jerusalem as a youth to receive formal training in Judaism (Acts 21:39; 22:3). On the road to Damascus Saul was dramatically converted, and after a time in Arabia and Jerusalem he returned to Tarsus (Acts 9:30; Gal.1:21). In the meantime those scattered by Stephen’s death traveled as far north as Antioch, preaching first to Jews and then to Gentiles. A church quickly formed with many believing in the Lord (Acts 11:19–24). Barnabas brought Saul from Tarsus to assist in discipling these new believers, and at Antioch these believers were first called Christians (Acts 11:25–26).

New Testament Sites in Turkey

(with modern Turkish names)
Adramyttium (Edremit) Acts 27:2
Antioch (Antakya) Acts 6:5; 11:19-30; 13:1-3; 14:26-15:3; 15:22-35; 18:22-23
Asia Acts 2:9; 6:9; 16:6; 19:10, 22, 26, 27; 20:4, 16,18; 21:27; 24:19; 27:2; Rom 16:5; 1 Cor 6:19; 2 Cor 1:8; 2 Tim 1:15; 1 Peter 1:1; Rev 1:4
Assos (Behramkale) Acts 20:13-14
Attalia (Antalya)? Acts 14:25-26
Bithynia (Nicomedia [Izmit]; Nicea [Iznik]) Acts 16:7; 1 Peter 1:1
Cappadocia (Caesarea Mazaca [Kayseri]) Acts 2:9; 1 Peter 1:1
Cilicia Acts 6:9; 15:23, 41; 21:39; 22:3; 23:34; 27:5; Gal 1:21
Cnidus Acts 27:7
Colossae (Honaz) Col 1:2
Derbe (Ekin?z?) Acts 14:6-7, 20-23; 16:1
Ephesus (Selçuk) Acts 18:19-21, 24-26; 19:1-20:1; 20:16-17; 1 Cor 15:32; 16:8; Eph 1:1; 1 Tim 1:3; 2 Tim 1:18; 4:12; Rev 1:11; 2:1-7
Euphrates River (Firat Nehri) Rev 9:14; 16:12
Galatia Acts 16:6; 18:23; Gal 1:2; 3:1;- 2 Tim 4:10; 1 Pet 1:1
Haran (Harran) Acts 7:2, 4
Hierapolis (Pamukkale) Col 4:13
Iconium (Konya) Acts 13:51-14:5; 16:2
Laodicea (Denizli) Col. 2:1, 4:13-16; Rev 1:11; 3:14-22
Lycaonia Acts 14:6
Lycia Acts 27:5
Lystra (Hatunsaray) Acts 14:6-23; 16:1-5
Magog (Lydia?) Rev 20:8
Miletus (Milet) Acts 20:15-38; 2 Tim 4:20
Myra (Kale; Demre) Acts 27:5
Mysia Acts 16:7-8
Pamphylia Acts 2:10; 13:3; 14:24; 15:38; 27:5
Patara (Ova) Acts 21:1
Perga (Perge) Acts 13:13-14; 14:25
Pergamum (Bergama) Rev 1:11; 2:12-17
Philadelphia (Alasehir) Rev 1:11; 3:7-13
Phrygia Acts 2:10; 16:6; 18:23
Pisidian Antioch (Yalva?) Acts 13:14-50; 14:19, 21-23
Pontus (Amisos [Samsun]) Acts 2:9; 1 Pet 1:1
Sardis (Sart) Rev 1:11; 3:1-6
Seleucia (Samandag) Acts 13:4
Smyrna (Izmir) Acts 20:1(?); Rev 1:11; 2:8-11
Syria Matt 4:24; Luke 2:2; Acts 15:23, 41; 18:18; 20:3;21:3; Gal 1:21
Tarsus Acts 9:11,30; 11:25; 21:39; 22:3
Thyatira (Akhisar) Rev 1:11; 2:18
Troas (Dalyan) Acts 16:8-11; 20:1(?), 5-13; 2 Cor 2:12; 2 Tim 4:13
Trogyllium Acts 20:15(KJV)
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By LETO on June 21, 2000   /   Ancient Cities of Turkey, Biblical Sites in Turkey, Biblical Turkey, Churches in Turkey, Must-See Places in Turkey   /   Leave a comment
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ephesus tours

The big tip is to try and go completely private. Many of the large tour companies offer private tour and they are going to charge a significant amount of money for the tour guide. However, many locations offer self-guided tours and therefore you have the ability to supply your own tour guide. Easily Book your guided private Ephesus tours, to see all the treasures of Ephesus Turkey. It's often said that Turkey has more ancient cities and classical ruins than does Greece. Well, it's true, and the Aegean coast holds a great number of sites, including Ephesus, the grandest and best-preserved of them all.

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