Derbe

Biblical References

Acts 14:20-21

Derbe was the last city visited on Paul and Barnabas's first missionary journey. From Derbe they retraced their steps back to Attalia, before sailing from there, back to Syrian Antioch.

Acts 16:1

Paul re-visited Derbe at the start of the so-called Second Missionary Journey, as he set about strengthening churches established on the first journey. This was before being guided by the Holy Spirit to Alexandria Troas and receiving the call to move west into Europe.

Other references

Acts 20:4 - Reference is made to Derbe as the home town of Gaius, a believer who accompanied Paul on the journey to Jerusalem.

Visiting the Site

I visited Derbe in 2012 as part of a solo journey tracing Paul and Barnabas's first missionary journey. At that time Derbe was an unexcavated mound. Excavations began at the site a year later! Yet another site to which I need to make a return visit?!

Click here for a Google Earth view of the tel of Derbe.

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