Cnidus
Cnidus is an ancient city mentioned in the New Testament, located in the region of Asia Minor in modern-day Turkey. It appears across 1 verse in Scripture.
Biblical History
Cnidus appears once in the New Testament, in the narrative of Paul's final voyage to Rome recorded in Acts 27. Luke, accompanying Paul as a prisoner aboard a grain ship, notes that the vessel sailed slowly for many days and arrived with difficulty off Cnidus (Acts 27:7). Unable to make headway against the prevailing northwesterly winds, the ship was forced to change course and sail under the lee of Crete. This brief mention places Cnidus at a pivotal moment in Paul's journey — a journey that would ultimately bring the gospel to the heart of the Roman Empire. The city's location at the southwestern tip of Asia Minor made it a natural landmark for mariners navigating the Aegean and eastern Mediterranean. Though Cnidus plays no further role in biblical history, its mention in Acts reflects Luke's careful attention to geographical and navigational detail, lending historical credibility to the account of Paul's perilous sea voyage.
Archaeological & Historical Notes
Ancient Cnidus occupied a narrow promontory at the southwestern extremity of the Datca Peninsula in modern Turkey, commanding strategic views across major sea lanes. The city was renowned in antiquity for its medical school, its wine, and above all the famous statue of Aphrodite by Praxiteles — considered a masterwork of Greek sculpture. Archaeological work at the site, particularly by the American excavations from the 1960s onward, has uncovered temples, a theater, stoas, and harbor structures. The city was laid out on a Hippodamian grid plan. Significant ceramics, coins, and inscriptions confirm its prosperity during the Hellenistic and Roman periods when Paul's ship passed by.
Verse Appearances (1)
Acts
Sources: ISBE Encyclopedia · OpenBible Geocoding (CC BY) · Pleiades Gazetteer View all →