Pamphylia
Pamphylia is a region mentioned in the New Testament, located in the region of Asia Minor in modern-day Turkey. It appears across 5 verses in Scripture.
Biblical History
Pamphylia was a narrow coastal region along the southern shore of Asia Minor (modern Turkey), situated between Lycia to the west and Cilicia to the east. It first appears in Scripture at Pentecost, when Jews from Pamphylia were among those in Jerusalem who heard the apostles speaking in their own languages (Acts 2:10), indicating an established Jewish community in the region. Pamphylia became significant during Paul's first missionary journey when he and Barnabas sailed to Perga, the region's chief city (Acts 13:13). It was here that John Mark departed from the mission and returned to Jerusalem, a decision that later caused a sharp disagreement between Paul and Barnabas (Acts 15:38). On the return leg of that same journey, Paul and Barnabas came back through Pamphylia, preaching the word in Perga before sailing from the port city of Attalia (Acts 14:24-25). Paul later passed through Pamphylian waters during his voyage to Rome as a prisoner (Acts 27:5). The region thus served as both a gateway for the gospel's westward expansion and the setting for an early church leadership crisis.
Archaeological & Historical Notes
Pamphylia corresponds to the coastal plain of Antalya Province in southern Turkey. The region contains some of the best-preserved ancient cities in the Mediterranean world. Perga, its principal city visited by Paul, has been extensively excavated, revealing a magnificent Roman gateway, colonnaded streets, a large stadium, and a theater seating 15,000. The port city of Attalia is modern Antalya, Turkey's major Mediterranean resort city. Nearby ancient cities of Aspendos (with its remarkably intact Roman theater) and Side have also been thoroughly investigated. Archaeological work has uncovered inscriptions attesting to Jewish communities in the region, corroborating the Acts narrative. The Antalya Archaeological Museum houses significant finds from across Pamphylia, including sarcophagi, statuary, and mosaics.
Verse Appearances (5)
Sources: ISBE Encyclopedia · OpenBible Geocoding (CC BY) · Pleiades Gazetteer View all →