BIBLICAL REFERENCES FOR GREECE

Regions and Cities Traveled by Paul:

Achaia (Region)

1. This Roman province covered the mainland of Greece and the Peloponnese. Paul visited here twice (Acts 17:16-18:18 & 20:1-4); Apollos also planned to visit (Acts 18:27).

Amphipolis

1. A key district of Macedonia located along the Via Egnatia, the route followed by Paul, Timothy, and Silas (Acts 17:1).

Apollonia

1. Paul and Silas passed through this town on the Via Egnatia on their way to Thessalonica (Acts 17:1).

Athens

1. Paul’s brief visit to Athens (Acts 17:10-31) occurred after the city’s golden era. Philosophers still gathered at the stoas to hear new ideas. Here, Paul adapted his approach to missions, engaging with Greek philosophers and ideas. The city remains a symbol of Pericles' golden age.

Berea

1. Paul and Silas entered Berea, a town of mixed Greek, Jewish, and Roman populations. Paul preached here for three weeks (Acts 17:10-15). Many Jews became believers, and Silas and Timothy stayed behind after Paul departed. Berea was praised for its citizens' careful evaluation of the scriptures.

Cenchreae

1. Located across the narrow isthmus from Corinth, this port city served as Paul’s embarkation point when he sailed after spending 18 months in Corinth (Acts 18:18). Phoebe, a deaconess mentioned in Romans 16:1, was from Cenchreae. Ships were often unloaded at Corinth and transported overland to Cenchreae to avoid sailing around the Peloponnese.

Chios

1. Paul visited Chios on his journey to Samos (Acts 20:15). The island was known for its shrine of Cybele and as the likely home of the ancient poet Homer.

Corinth

1. Strategically located at the isthmus linking the Peloponnese to mainland Greece, Paul worked here for 18 months with Priscilla and Aquila (Acts 18). He shifted his mission strategy, recognizing the large population in Corinth allowed him to reach more people by staying than by moving. The modern Corinth Canal connects the Aegean and Ionian seas.

Cos (Kos)

1. After bidding farewell to the Ephesian elders, Paul sailed to Cos (Acts 21:1). Famous for its medical school and the birthplace of Hippocrates, it also housed the Temple of Asclepios, the god of healing.

Delphi

1. Delphi was home to the famous Temple of Apollo, and its oracle was consulted by people from all over the world. The city was sacred to the Greeks, and an inscription of Lucius Junius Gallio, the governor before whom Paul stood in Corinth, was found there, signaling his connection to Delphi.

Macedonia

1. This northern Greek province, which Paul visited during two journeys (Acts 16:8-10, 18:5, 20:1-4), is where Paul received the Macedonian call to cross to Europe (Acts 20:1-4).

Mytilene

1. Paul’s third journey brought him to Mytilene on the island of Lesbos (Acts 20:14). This port city was a vital stop for ships coming from the Dardanelles on their way to the Aegean Sea.

Neapolis (Kavala)

1. Paul and his team made their first European landing in Neapolis after sailing from Troas (Acts 16:11). This marked the beginning of his European ministry.

Patmos

1. This small, barren island became the place of John the Evangelist’s exile, where he received the Revelation (Rev. 1:9).

Phoenix (Loutro)

1. Paul’s ship was headed to Phoenix on Crete to wait for favorable weather but was wrecked before reaching it (Acts 27:12).

Philippi

1. This zity, the site of Paul’s first European sermon, saw the conversion of Lydia, a seller of purple (Acts 16:14). Paul and Silas were imprisoned but released after a miraculous earthquake (Acts 16:16-40).

Rhodes

1. On his journey back to Jerusalem, Paul sailed from Cos to Rhodes, a hub for famous philosophers and orators (Acts 21:1-2).

Samos

1. Paul passed through the island of Samos on his journey home to Jerusalem after completing his third missionary journey (Acts 20:15).

Samothrace

1. Known for the worship of Poseidon, Paul briefly stopped here while traveling from Troas to Neapolis (Acts 16:11).

Thessalonica

1. As the capital of Macedonia, Thessalonica was a key port city where Paul preached in the synagogue and reached out to both Jews and God-fearing Greeks (Acts 17:2, 17:4). The city became a prominent center for the early Christian movement.

Paul's Second Journey (Acts 15:36-18:22)
Estimated distance: 2,800 miles.

• Acts 17:2: Paul reaches the synagogue in Thessalonica.
• Acts 17:4: Many Greeks and prominent women believe.
• Acts 17:10: Paul and Silas depart for Berea at night.
• Acts 17:15: Paul is escorted to Athens.
• Acts 17:17: Paul debates in Athens’ synagogue.
• Acts 17:22-31: Paul addresses the Areopagus.
• Acts 17:34: Dionysius, a member of the Areopagus, becomes a believer.
• Acts 18:2: Paul meets Aquila and Priscilla in Corinth.
• Acts 18:5: Silas and Timothy arrive from Macedonia.
• Acts 18:11: Paul stays in Corinth for 18 months.
• Acts 18:14-17: Gallio's indifference to Paul's case.

Paul's Third Journey (Acts 18:23-21:8)
Estimated distance: 2,700 miles.

• Acts 19:21: Paul departs for Macedonia and Achaia.
• Acts 20:1: Paul sets out for Macedonia.
• Acts 20:6: Paul sails from Philippi to Troas.
• Acts 20:15: Paul sails to Mytilene, Samos, and Chios.
• Acts 21:1-2: Paul sails from Cos to Rhodes.