Ephesus in the Bible

📖 Ephesus in the Bible: The Journeys of Mary and Paul

🏛 Ephesus holds a significant place in Christian history, mentioned multiple times in the Bible and serving as a key location for Mary, the mother of Jesus, and Paul the Apostle.

🌿 The Virgin Mary in Ephesus
📜 Christian tradition states that John the Apostle brought Mary to Ephesus after Jesus’ crucifixion in 33 AD.
⚠️ Why Ephesus? Christianity was still persecuted, and John sought refuge for Mary on Bulbul Mountain, just outside the city.
⛪ Pilgrimage Site – The House of the Virgin Mary still exists today and is a holy site for both Christians and Muslims.

💡 Did You Know? Many Popes, including Pope Paul VI (1967), Pope John Paul II (1979), and Pope Benedict XVI (2006), have visited Mary’s House.

🕊 Paul the Apostle in Ephesus (53-56 AD)
Paul’s time in Ephesus is detailed in Acts 19, where he preached Christianity for over two years.

📌 Key Moments in Ephesus:
✔ Preaching at the Synagogue – The Jewish community rejected Paul’s message, so he moved to a local school.
✔ The Holy Spirit – Paul introduced the Ephesians to the Holy Trinity.
✔ Miracles – Paul healed the sick by touching them or sending them cloths.
✔ Tentmaking at the Commercial Agora – Paul sold tents for income, a skill passed down from his father and grandfather.

⚔ The Riot of 56 AD (Acts 19:23-41)
🔹 The Silversmiths’ Uprising – Paul’s teachings angered silversmiths who made statues of Artemis, the city’s Greek goddess.
🔹 Mob at the Great Theater – Furious craftsmen gathered in the theater, shouting “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”
🔹 Paul’s Escape – Fearing for his life, Paul fled the city and later wrote The Book of Ephesians while imprisoned in Rome.

💡 Did You Know? Paul’s Roman citizenship (inherited from his father) allowed him to travel freely and request a trial in Rome, where he was eventually executed.

📍 Must-Visit Biblical Sites in Ephesus
🔹 House of the Virgin Mary – Sacred pilgrimage site.
🔹 Great Theater – Site of the Paul vs. Artemis silversmiths riot.
🔹 Commercial Agora – Where Paul worked as a tentmaker.
🔹 Celsus Library – Located near where Paul preached.
🔹 Church of Mary – Hosted the Third Ecumenical Council (431 AD).

✝ Explore Ephesus on a Biblical Tour
🛡 3-Day & 5-Day Christian Pilgrimage Tours – Follow Paul’s footsteps in Ephesus, Miletus, and Pergamon.
📖 Ephesus & The Seven Churches Tour – Discover the Book of Revelation’s historical sites.

👣 Walk through the places where Christianity took root and changed history! 🏺