Acts 14:6, 20, 21
Derbe (gr. Dérb’). Lycaonian city. It appears for the first time in history in the 1st century BC; in Paul’s day it was in a section of the Roman province of Galatia. Derbe fell to the Romans in 25 BC and was added to the province of Galatia by Claudius in 41 AD Paul and Barnabas preached there during Paul’s 1st missionary journey and founded a Christian church in the city (Acts 14:20, 21 ). Paul visited her again on his 2nd missionary journey (16:1, 2), and possibly also on the 3rd 313 (18:23). Gaius, who later joined Paul, was a native of Derbe (20:4). 159. Kerti Hüyük, the site of the old Derbe. 160. Engraved stone, mentioning Derbe, found at Kerti Hüyük in 1956. Various suggestions have been made about the site of ancient Derbe, but the actual site was not discovered until 1956, when M. Ballance found at Kerti Hüyük a block of limestone with a Greek inscription mentioning Derbe (fig. 160). Kerti Hüyük is a hill or mound of moderate size, about 83 km southeast of Iconium, modern Konya. Map XX, B-5, places it about 72 km southeast of Iconium, but this map does not incorporate the latest discoveries about this site. Bib.: M. Ballance, Anatolian Studies (1957), t 7, pp 147-151. 161. The Judean desert on the road from Jerusalem to Jericho. Law. Translation of various Hebrew and Greek words. When referring to “right” in the sense of faculty or authority, the Hebrew word is used more than 30 times. mishpât, “judgment”, “duty”, “sentence”, “right”, “right” (Exo 23:6; Num 27:11; Deu 16:19; Job 31:13; etc.); Hebrew terms are also used. jôq or juqqâh, “assignment”, “mandate” (Lev 10:15; 2Ki 17:37; Isa 24:5); dîn (Est 1:13; Pro 31:5), and a few times tsedâqâh, “justice”, “right”, “righteousness” (2Sa 19:28; Neh 2:20, Isa 5:23; Eze 18:5 , 19, 21, 27 and 33:14, 16, 19). In the case of the birthright, the Heb. bek^râh, “firstborn”, “birthright” (1Ch 5:1, 2); and in the case of the right of redemption, the word ge*ullâh, “redemption”, “right to redeem” is used (Rth 4:6). See Adoption. In the NT the word translated “right” is always the Gr. exousía, “power”, “authority”, “right”, “freedom” (1Co 9:4-18; 2Th 3:9; Heb 13:10; Rev 22:14). When it comes to the right hand or the direction corresponding to the right, the Heb word is usually used. yâmîn (Gen 13:9; Exo 14:22; etc.) and the gr. dexios (Mat 5:29; Rev 5:1; etc.). Rest. See Rest. Desire. Translation of various Hebrew and Greek terms. In the NT generally from gr. epithunila, which is used both positively (Luk 22:15; Phi 1:23; 1Th 2:17) and negatively (Joh 8:44; Rom 13:14; etc.); the context makes it clear in what sense it is used. Epithuía is often translated as “lust”, evidently a carnal and evil passion, as is often clear from the context. The same term is used to indicate the inordinate desire for what another possesses, whether it be goods or people, which is usually translated as “greed”. See Greed. Desert. Translation of the: 1. Heb. midbâr, “place”, “wild”, “pasture”, “desert” (1Sa 17:28; Ps 65:13 etc.); in short, a wide and flat region, suitable for grazing cattle. The Judean desert (fig 161) is an arid, mountainous region, between the central mountain range and the Dead Sea and the lower Jordan 314 (Jdg 1:16). 2. Heb. ‘arâbâh, “arid region”, “desert” (Amo 6:14; Isa 33:9; Jer 2:6; etc.). With the article he identifies the Arabah* and the Kidron Valley* (najal hâ-‘Arâbâh), a plain that extends for many kilometers south of the Dead Sea. 3. Gr. ér’mos, “desert”, “pasture”, “wild region”. Neither of these words refers exclusively to a lifeless expanse of sand, but generally to an uninhabited and uncultivated region, where wild animals live. They also have a figurative meaning: they indicate deprivation, sterility, desolation (ls. 14:17; Hos 2:3; etc.). Synonymous words for “desert” are: Heb. tôhû, “empty”; heb. tsîyyâh, “arid land”; heb. jorbâh, “desolation”, “ruin”; gr. er’mine In the OT the term Heb is also used. yeshimôn, “arid desert”, which some scholars translated as Jesimón. A. According to Num 21:20 and 23:28 it would be a desert located at the northeast end of the Dead Sea. B. But 1Sa 23:19, 24 and 26:1, 3 refer to the wilderness near Ziph and Maon, in which David hid from Saul. It could be placed southeast of Hebron as going towards the Dead Sea. Other scholars think that Jesimon is simply another name for the wilderness of Judah. The following deserts are mentioned in the Bible and in this Dictionary (see explanations under names; add “Desert of/of”): Beersheba, Beth-aven, Kademoth, Damascus, En-gedi, Etam, Gibeon, Judah (Judea ), Maon, Moab, Paran, Shur, Sin, Sinai, Tekoa, Ziph, and Zin. Hamstring. Act of incapacitating an animal by cutting the tendons of the legs. Joshua and David thus disabled the horses of enemy chariots (Jos 11:6, 9; 2Sa 8:4; 1Ch 18:4). because they couldn’t use them. After the Israelites began using horses in their armies, they no longer followed this practice.
Source: Evangelical Bible Dictionary
in Lycaonia, a city situated at the foot of Mount Taurus. In the year 41, the Roman emperor Claudius annexed it to the Roman province of Galatia.
The apostle Paul visited the city of D. in the company of Barnabas where he evangelized and got many disciples, Acts 14, 6 and 20-21; 16, 1.
Descent of Christ into Hell This is one of the articles of the Catholic Creed or Symbol of the Apostles. The expression, which is found in 1 Pet 3, 18-20, perhaps alludes to the descent of Jesus into Hades or sheol, in Hebrew, the mansion of the dead, to which Mt 16, 18 refers, the interval between his death and resurrection , where he spent three days and three nights, as stated in Mt 12, 40, this text brings up the permanence of the prophet Jonah in the belly of the cetacean, Jon 2, 1; as well as in Acts 2, 24-31; Rm 10.7; Eph 4, 9; Heb 13, 20. In the text of the apostle Peter, quoted above, it says that Jesus in spirit went to preach to the spirits in prison, where some see the spirits of the dead in the flood, called by God to life, 1 P4, 6; as also those of the saints, Mt 27, 52; those of the just who waited for Christ, to enter with him into the Holy City, Hb 11, 39; 12, 23.
Digital Bible Dictionary, Grupo C Service & Design Ltda., Colombia, 2003
Source: Digital Bible Dictionary
A city in the southeastern corner of Lycaonia in Asia Minor. Paul visited her on his first journey after being stoned at Lystra (Acts 14:20), on his second journey (Acts 16:1), and probably on his third.
Gaius, who accompanied Paul to Jerusalem, was from this city (Acts 20:4).
Source: Hispanic World Bible Dictionary
The ancient city of Derbe, situated on the south-central side of Asia Minor, is mentioned in the Bible only in connection with Paul’s missionary activities. After their persecution and stoning at Lystra on their first missionary journey, Paul and Barnabas went to Derbe (Acts 14:21). From Derbe they returned and revisited the churches organized on the first missionary journey. Paul revisited Derbe on his second (Acts 16:1) and possibly on his third missionary journey (Acts 18:23). In Acts 20:4 a disciple and companion of Paul of Derbe is mentioned. Lystra and Derbe are identified as cities of Lycaonia in Acts 14:6. Derbe is mentioned in some secular sources (Cicero Ad Fam. 13. 73; Strabo 535, 569). It is identified by Strabo as the city of Antipater, the “robber-king”.
That a church flourished in Derbe for some time is known from the identification of four Derbe bishops who attended early church councils: Daphnus (Constantinople, AD 381), Thomas (Ephesus), Paulus (Chalcedon), and Cyricus (Le Quien, Oriens Christianus I, Paris, 1740, p. 1081).
I. Traditional location of Derbe. It was near the end of the 19th century that a site was suggested for ancient Derbe. JR Sitlington Sterret first suggested locating Derbe in the vicinity of a large Gudelisin promontory. Shortly thereafter, William M. Ramsay advanced the theory that the Gudelisin promontory is the site of Derbe (The Cities of St. Paul, pp. 393–97). There was no epigraphic evidence or extensive archaeological evidence for its identification; but the proximity to Lystra seems to fit the data for Hch. 2:20 p.m. However, there has always been some uncertainty as to this identification, although it occurs on virtually all maps depicting Paul’s missionary journeys. Gudelisin is situated in the foothills of the Taurus ca. 76 km. south of Konya (the old icon), and approximately 48 kms. southeast of the promontory of ancient Lystra.
II. Evidence for the New Derby Site. In 1957 M. Ballance published an inscription that he had found in 1956 in Kerti Huyuk (Anatolian Studies, 7, 1957, pp. 147–151). This inscription, cut from a regular-sized block of limestone, contained 16 lines of text. Based on the names mentioned, Ballance was able to date the inscription to AD 157. de JC On lines 9 and 10 the boule and demos of the town of Derbe (derbeton) are mentioned. This stone has been moved to Konya and is kept in the Archaeological Museum there.
Kerti Huyuk is a large promontory situated ca. 24 km. northeast of Karaman (ancient Larande), which is ca. 105 km. south of Konya. This new site is around 48 kms. east of the area suggested by Ramsay as Derbe’s territory. The promontory has not been excavated, but surface exploration clearly indicates extensive occupation during the Roman and Hellenic periods.
In 1962 another inscription was found that mentions Derbe’s name. This inscription was found inside a small house in the village of Suduraya. The natives claimed that the stone had been taken from the promontory of Kerti Huyuk, which is a short distance away. Based on the date lines and paleography, this inscription can be dated to the latter part of the fourth century AD. The text mentions the name of a “very God-loving” Bishop of Derbe. The name seems to be Miguel.
With these two inscriptions mentioning Derbe, Derbe’s location in Kerti Huyuk is almost definitely established. Acts 14:20b must be interpreted as implying a journey of more than one day. The second inscription further justifies the significance of Derbe in the early church. Undoubtedly future excavations by Kerti Huyuk could shed more light on the ancient city of Derbe.
Source: Archaeological Biblical Dictionary
City in Anatolia (Turkey) that in Paul’s time was in the region of Lycaonia, about 90 km SE of Lystra. Faced with the threat of being…