Δέρβη
Derbe
Definition
Derbe was a city in the region of Lycaonia, located in the southern part of the Roman province of Galatia in Asia Minor. It is mentioned in the New Testament as a significant location in the missionary journeys of the Apostle Paul. In Acts 14:6, Paul and Barnabas flee to Derbe and its surrounding region after being persecuted in Iconium and Lystra. Following a stoning in Lystra, Paul returned to Derbe (Acts 14:20), and later, on a subsequent journey, he revisited the city where he met Timothy, a disciple whose mother was a Jewish believer and whose father was a Greek (Acts 16:1). In all biblical references, Derbe functions solely as a proper noun identifying this specific geographical location.
Biblical Usage
The word Δέρβη (Derbe) is used exclusively as a proper noun to identify a specific city. All three of its New Testament occurrences are in the Book of Acts, specifically within the narratives of Paul's first and second missionary journeys (Acts 14:6, 14:20, 16:1). The usage pattern shows Derbe as a place of refuge and ministry, forming part of a circuit of cities (including Lystra and Iconium) that were central to the early spread of the gospel into the Gentile world of Galatia.
Etymology
The name Δέρβη (Derbē) is of Greek origin, but its specific meaning and derivation are uncertain. It is simply the proper name of the city, adopted into Greek from the local language or tradition. As a toponym, it does not derive from a common Greek root with a translatable meaning, functioning purely as a geographical identifier.
Semantic Range
Derbe was a Hellenistic city within the Roman Empire, part of a region (Lycaonia) with a mixed population. Understanding its location helps modern readers grasp the geographical scope of Paul's missionary work. As a city in southern Galatia, it was part of the audience for Paul's Epistle to the Galatians. Its status as a Roman colony or administrative center is less clear than cities like Philippi, but it was a significant regional hub. Knowing Paul visited and established a church there underscores the intentional spread of the gospel from major urban centers into surrounding regions.
There are no direct synonyms for this proper noun. Geographically related terms for 'city' in the New Testament include: πόλις (polis, G4172) — the general Greek word for a city or town.
Word Details
How this works
Definitions are from the Dodson Greek-English Lexicon, a concise public-domain resource suitable for introductory word study. Brief glosses are supplemented by STEPBible TBESG data (CC BY 4.0). For advanced research, standard scholarly references include BDAG (Danker, 3rd ed.) and LSJ.
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