Tarsus
Paul's hometown — a major intellectual center in the Roman Empire
CiliciaAbout This Place
A prosperous city in Cilicia (southeastern Turkey) known for its university and intellectual culture. Paul was born here as a Roman citizen, which gave him legal protections he used throughout his ministry. He was 'a citizen of no ordinary city' (Acts 21:39).
Chapters Mentioning Tarsus
Acts
The Moment the Door Swung Open
Peter gets called out for eating with outsiders — and tells a story that silences the room. Meanwhile, scattered believers accidentally launch a church plant that reshapes the whole movement, and a new name sticks: Christians.
Acts
The Defense Nobody Wanted to Hear
Paul stands on the barracks steps and tells the angry Jerusalem mob his own story — how he went from hunting Christians to following Christ. They listen right up until he mentions the Gentiles. Then all hell breaks loose, and only his Roman citizenship keeps him alive.
Acts
The Man Who Switched Sides
The man who had been hunting Jesus's followers gets knocked off his horse and recruited by the very person he's been fighting against. Meanwhile, Peter heals a paralyzed man and raises a woman from the dead. Nobody saw any of this coming.
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