A province in the southeast corner of Asia Minor; Paul was from Tarsus, the capital city of the province, and traveled through the region during his second missionary journey.
About Cilicia
A province of the Roman Empire, located in southeastern Asia Minor. The capital city was Tarsus, Paul’s hometown (Acts 21:39; 22:3). This is why Paul had Roman citizenship even though he was a Jew (16:37).
Antiochus the Great settled 2,000 Jewish families in the Asia Minor regions of Lydia and Phrygia in the second century BC (Josephus’s Antiquities 12.3.4). This may be the origin of the Jewish population in the area.
Key References
But Paul answered, “I am a Jew from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no ordinary city. Now I beg you to allow me to speak to the people.”
And when we had sailed across the open sea off the coast of Cilicia and Pamphylia, we came to Myra in Lycia.
And he traveled through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.
The governor read the letter and asked what province Paul was from. Learning that he was from Cilicia,
All Scripture References (8)
Acts (7)
But resistance arose from what was called the Synagogue of the Freedmen, including Cyrenians, Alexandrians, and men from the provinces of Cilicia and Asia. They disputed with Stephen,
and sent them with this letter: The apostles and the elders, your brothers, To the brothers among the Gentiles in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia: Greetings.
And he traveled through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.
But Paul answered, “I am a Jew from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no ordinary city. Now I beg you to allow me to speak to the people.”
“I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but raised in this city. I was educated at the feet of Gamaliel in strict conformity to the law of our fathers. I was just as zealous for God as any of you are today.
The governor read the letter and asked what province Paul was from. Learning that he was from Cilicia,
And when we had sailed across the open sea off the coast of Cilicia and Pamphylia, we came to Myra in Lycia.
Galatians (1)
Later I went to the regions of Syria and Cilicia.