Biblical Places

Today: Antakya, Turkey

Where disciples were first called Christians; base of Paul’s missionary journeys.

Today: Athens, Greece

Center of Greek philosophy; Paul preached on the Areopagus about the unknown God.

Today: Hillah (near Babylon ruins), Iraq

Capital of Nebuchadnezzar; Judah exiled here; Daniel and Ezekiel prophesied in captivity.

Today: Al-Eizariya (east of Jerusalem), West Bank, Palestine

Home of Martha, Mary, and Lazarus; Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead.

Today: Bethlehem, West Bank, Palestine

Birthplace of David and of Jesus Christ; Rachel’s tomb nearby.

Today: Caesarea National Park, Israel, Mediterranean coast

Roman port city; Cornelius baptized; Paul imprisoned and appealed to Caesar.

Today: Tel Hum (Capernaum archaeological site), Israel, northwest shore of Sea of Galilee

Jesus’ base during much of His Galilean ministry; Peter’s home; many miracles and teachings.

Today: Honaz (near ancient tell, largely unexcavated), Turkey

City of the church that received Paul’s letter on Christ’s supremacy.

Today: Ancient Corinth (Archaia Korinthos), Greece

Wealthy Greek city; Paul lived and preached here eighteen months; two epistles to the church.

Today: Damascus, Syria

One of the oldest cities; Paul converted on the road here; Elisha anointed Hazael.

Today: Dead Sea, Israel / Jordan / West Bank

Border of the Promised Land; Sodom and Gomorrah traditionally nearby; Ezekiel’s vision of healing waters.

Today: Efes (Ephesus ruins), Turkey, near Selçuk

Major city of Asia; Paul preached; Temple of Artemis; letters to Ephesians and to this church in Revelation.

Today: Garden of Gethsemane, Mount of Olives, Jerusalem, Israel

Where Jesus prayed in agony and was betrayed before His arrest.

Today: Harran, Turkey, Şanlıurfa Province

City where Terah died and where Abraham sojourned before entering Canaan.

Today: Hebron (Al-Khalil), West Bank, Palestine

Burial place of the patriarchs and matriarchs in the cave of Machpelah; David’s first capital.

Today: Jericho (Tell es-Sultan and modern city), West Bank, Palestine

First city taken in the conquest of Canaan; Zacchaeus’ town; Jesus healed blind Bartimaeus nearby.

Today: Jerusalem (Old City), Israel / Palestine

Capital of David’s kingdom, site of Solomon’s Temple, center of Jewish worship, and city of Christ’s Passion, death, and Resurrection.

Today: Jordan River, Israel / Jordan / West Bank

Israel crossed into Canaan; Naaman healed; John baptized Jesus.

Today: Tel Megiddo, Israel, Jezreel Valley

Strategic fortress; Solomon fortified it; name linked to final battle in Revelation.

Today: Mit Rahina (Memphis ruins), Egypt, near Cairo

Capital of ancient Egypt during Israel’s sojourn; Joseph served Pharaoh’s court.

Today: Mount Ararat (Ağrı Dağı), Turkey, near Armenia/Iran border

Traditional resting place of Noah’s ark after the Flood.

Today: Mount Carmel ridge, Israel, near Haifa

Elijah defeated the prophets of Baal; symbol of beauty in Song of Songs.

Today: Mount Nebo (Siyagha), Jordan

Moses viewed the Promised Land before his death; buried by the Lord in an unknown grave.

Today: Mount of Olives, Jerusalem, Israel

David wept here; Jesus wept over Jerusalem; Ascension traditionally marked here.

Today: Mount Sinai (Jebel Musa), traditional site, South Sinai, Egypt

Mountain where Moses received the Ten Commandments and the Law.

Today: Nazareth, Israel

Home of Mary and Joseph; where the angel announced Christ’s conception to Mary.

Today: Mosul (Kuyunjik and Nebi Yunus mounds), Iraq

Capital of Assyria; Jonah was sent to preach repentance to its people.

Today: Patmos, Greece, Dodecanese island

John exiled here; received the Revelation of Jesus Christ.

Today: Petra, Jordan

Capital of Nabataeans; associated with Edom; trade crossroads though not always named directly.

Today: Filippoi archaeological site, Greece, Macedonia

First European city where Paul preached; Lydia baptized; Paul and Silas imprisoned.

Today: Qumran archaeological site, West Bank, Palestine

Not named in canonical Scripture; Essene settlement near where biblical manuscripts were hidden.

Today: Red Sea / Gulf of Suez region, Egypt, Sinai border

Israel crossed on dry land during the Exodus; Pharaoh’s army drowned.

Today: Rome, Italy

Capital of the empire; Paul appealed here, was imprisoned, and tradition holds both Peter and Paul were martyred.

Today: Sebastia (West Bank), West Bank, Palestine

Capital of the northern kingdom of Israel; Jesus passed through Samaria and spoke with the woman at the well.

Today: Lake Kinneret (Sea of Galilee), Israel

Scene of the call of fishermen, walking on water, calming the storm, and post-Resurrection appearances.

Today: Saida, Lebanon

Phoenician city; Jesus ministered in the district; Elijah stayed with a widow of Zarephath nearby.

Today: Shush (Susa ruins), Iran, Khuzestan Province

Persian capital; setting of the book of Esther; Nehemiah served the king here.

Today: Temple Mount / Haram al-Sharif (Old City, Jerusalem), Israel / Palestine

Abraham offered Isaac here (tradition); David purchased the threshing floor; Solomon built the first Temple. The second Temple stood in Christ’s time; He taught and prayed in its courts. The mount is the holiest site in Judaism and among the holiest in Islam.

Today: Thessaloniki, Greece

Major Macedonian city; Paul founded a church amid opposition.

Today: Sur (Tyre), Lebanon

Phoenician port; Jesus visited the region; prophesied destruction by Alexander.

Today: Tell el-Muqayyar, Iraq, Dhi Qar Province

Birthplace of Abraham before God called him to Canaan.