How long did Paul live in Ephesus?

On his return journey from Corinth, Paul came to the bustling city of Ephesus to fulfill his promise. After a short visit, he returned and stayed in Ephesus for about two and a half years between 53-56 AD. This period marked an important point in his mission for the spread of Christian teachings throughout Asia Minor. By interacting with the Ephesians, Paul shared his wisdom and laid a strong foundation for Christianity. Once famous for its pagan worship, Ephesus became the haven of a growing Christian community thanks to Paul's tireless efforts.

St. Paul frescoe at the Cave of St. Paul

Cave of St. Paul in Ephesus

During the excavations at Ephesus, more than 3,500 inscriptions have been found. Some of the most interesting are in a small cave on the slope of Bülbül Mountain (Nightingale Mountain).  According to a local legend, when St. John brought the Virgin Mary to Ephesus from Jerusalem, they had no place to stay.  John found this cave and hid Mary there for her safety.  It was not until some time later that John located a more suitable home for Mary higher up on the mountain, known as Panaya Capoulu.  In more recent years, the cave has been re-named “Cave of St. Paul” due to the frescoes and inscriptions on the walls which refer to St. Paul. 

The cave has been a Christian sacred site since the 1st or 2nd century. The walls were decorated with frescoes and inscriptions and white-washed several times, then re-painted with new images. Discovered under plaster on the walls are important 5th-century frescoes, with inscriptions, depicting the Virgin Mary, St. Paul and St. Thecla (a female disciple of Paul). This is the only known depiction of St. Paul at Ephesus and the earliest known appearance in the world of Paul and Thecla together.

The cave was discovered by a group of priests in 1892, while looking for the tomb of the Virgin Mary. Under the layers of plaster on the corridor walls are Greek phrases such as “the hidden of Mother of God” and “Paul help your servant”-written in charcoal and chalk. To protect these delicate and ancient wall frescoes, the cave is not open to the public. Unfortunately this site can not be visited during the Ephesus Tours.

What did St Paul do in Ephesus?

​The first Christian congregation in Ephesus was founded by St John the Apostle and expanded by St Paul. On his return journey from Corinth, Paul came to the city of Ephesus to fulfill his promise after a short visit, and he came back and stayed for about two and a half years between 53-56AD. Most likely St. Paul wrote the Corinthians No.1 letter in Ephesus at this time period. When Paul came to Ephesus, he preached the gospel in the synagogue of Ephesus and the hall of Tyrannus. Tyrannus was an owner of a lecture hall at Ephesus. All this information is  mentioned in the New Testament, in the book of Acts of the Apostles (19:9).  The Ephesus Church, leaded the Seven Churches in the Asia Minor (Western Turkey today).

St. Paul preaching to Ephesians

What happened to Paul at Ephesus?
​By St. Paul’s efforts, in a short time, Ephesus became the third important city of Christianity after Jerusalem and Antioch. Christianity quickly gained popularity in Ephesus. The popularity of this new religion concerned some people in Ephesus. The silversmith Demetrius and others, who made a living by selling and making silver statues of Mother Goddess Artemis, were very upset. Demetrius and his colleagues provoked thousands of people and met them at the Ephesus theater and started a big riot in 56AD. The crowd was shouting "Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!". St Paul wanted to face the crowd, but the disciples didn't let him. Finally, the city clerk calmed down the crowd. Probably St. Paul was jailed in Ephesus for a while before he departed to North. 

It is obvious that Ephesus had an important role in Christianity. Both St. John and St. Paul was in Ephesus but neither of them were in Ephesus at the same time. 

In the New Testament, there are 13 letters of St. Paul. During his house arrest in Rome in 61 AD, St. Paul mailed 3 letters to the city of Ephesus: Timothy No.1, Timothy No. 2 and Ephesians. Paul's letters tended to be written in response to certain crises. Ephesus Church, most probably was facing major difficulties and St. Paul was aware of these.
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Timothy was one of the disciples of St. Paul. St. Paul met with Timothy during his missionary journeys in Lystra. Afterwards Timothy joined Paul and Silas, and they travelled together to the city of Ephesus. After Paul had to leave the city of Ephesus. Timothy became the head of the Christian Community in Ephesus. He is considered to be the first bishop of Ephesus. Although not stated in the bible, according to some apocryphal gospels, Timothy was martyred in Ephesus in 97AD when he was 80 years old. Probably Timothy met with St. John the Apostle , although there is no mention of this in the New Testament.

​The Companions of Paul who lived in Ephesus

• Aristarchus and Gaius: Gaius and Aristarchus were Paul's travel companions who were captured by the angry mob in the Great Theater at Ephesus.
• Timothy: A travel companion of Paul from Lystra. Paul wrote two letters to Timothy from Rome which are mentioned as Timothy 1 and Timothy 2. Timothy became the first Christian bishop of Ephesus.
• Luke the Evangelist: He is the author of the Third Gospel and Acts, and his writings have been historically verified. Luke was also a doctor. He was probably Greek and was born in Antioch. Paul speaks of Luke, the "the beloved physician"
• Silas: He traveled with Paul through Anatolia and Greece.
• Epaphras: The churches in Colossae, Hierapolis and Laodicea was founded by Epaphras. Paul calls him “the faithful minister” Epaphras was from Colossae. The believers learned from Epaphras, who learned from Paul during his days in Ephesus.
• Trofimus and Tychius: Both were Gentile Greeks and native of Ephesus. Accompanied Paul on his third missionary journey. Mentioned as "Asianoi", meaning the native of the Roman province of Asia.
• Priscilla and Aquila: A Jewish Christian married couple who were deported from Rome by Claudius Caesar. Paul stayed in Corinth with them. They lived, worked, and traveled with the Apostle Paul. Paul described them as his "fellow workers in Christ Jesus". Like St. Paul they were also tent makers. 
• Apollios: An Jewish Christian from Alexandria. Played an important role in the early development of the church of Ephesus. Apollos arrived Ephesus before Paul. Priscilla and Aquila, instructed Apollos the Christian baptism, since Apollos "knew only the baptism of John". 
• Tyrannus: He owned a lecture hall (school) in Ephesus, where Paul preached.  Probably one of Paul's early converts in Ephesus.​

Where did St. Paul die?

The exact details of St. Paul's death are unknown, but tradition holds that he was beheaded in Rome and thus died a martyr for his faith. St. Paul's death can be attributed to the Roman emperor Nero's death warrant targeting Christians following the devastating fire that devastated the city in 64 AD. The historical context shows that St. Paul wrote a series of letters to various Churches in Asia Minor from AD 60 to 64, during his period of house arrest until his execution. The most important of these letters are Philemon, Colossians, Ephesians, First Timothy and Second Timothy. We can analyze these letters as evidence of the religious and political climate of the period and shed light on the difficulties faced by early Christians under the Roman Empire.

Walking in the footsteps of St. Paul​

​We are proud to offer our valued customers the opportunity to go on an unforgettable Ephesus Biblical Tour. Our tours are conducted by our team of expert and knowledgeable Ephesus tour guides. The tour has been meticulously prepared to touch upon the rich history and importance of Paul in Ephesus. We understand the importance of experiencing these sacred places with a professional touch, of carefully planning and executing every detail to deliver a truly profound and enlightening journey. If you are looking for an unforgettable experience and would like to learn more about our Ephesus Biblical Tours, please do not hesitate to contact us. Our dedicated team looks forward to assisting you and providing all the necessary information.

Documentary of Cave of St. Paul in Ephesus:

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Ephesus Biblical Tour
​Ephesus in the Bible
​7 Churches Tour Turkey