Ephesus
Ephesus is an ancient city mentioned in the New Testament, located in the region of Asia Minor in modern-day Turkey. It appears across 20 verses in Scripture.
Biblical History
Ephesus was the most prominent city of the Roman province of Asia and one of the most important centers of early Christianity. Paul first visited briefly on his second missionary journey (Acts 18:19–21), leaving Priscilla and Aquila there. He returned on his third journey and spent approximately three years in the city (Acts 19:1–20:1), a period of remarkable ministry during which the word of God spread throughout Asia. His preaching disrupted the trade in silver shrines of Artemis and sparked the famous riot in the great theater (Acts 19:23–41). Paul addressed the Ephesian elders at Miletus with one of Scripture's most moving farewell discourses (Acts 20:17–38). He later wrote the epistle to the Ephesians while imprisoned. Timothy ministered there under Paul's direction (1 Timothy 1:3), and tradition holds that the apostle John eventually settled in Ephesus and that Mary accompanied him. In Revelation 2:1–7, the risen Christ commends Ephesus for its perseverance but calls the church to repent of having abandoned its first love.
Archaeological & Historical Notes
Ephesus near modern Selcuk in western Turkey is among the best-excavated ancient cities in the world, with Austrian-led excavations ongoing since 1895. The site preserves the Temple of Artemis (one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World), the Library of Celsus, a 25,000-seat theater, the Curetes Street colonnade, and extensive residential terraced houses with preserved mosaics and frescoes. A church building traditionally associated with the Council of Ephesus (431 CE) and a structure identified as the tomb of St. John have been excavated. Inscriptions, statuary, and commercial infrastructure confirm the city's role as a major administrative and religious hub throughout the New Testament period.
Verse Appearances (20)
Sources: ISBE Encyclopedia · OpenBible Geocoding (CC BY) · Pleiades Gazetteer View all →