Place New Testament
Miletus
Also known as Miletus =ESV, NIV, KJV; Miletum =KJV
Miletus, a city in Asia Minor where Paul met with the elders of the Ephesian church on his way to Jerusalem (Act.20.15, 17) and where Trophimus was left ill (2Ti.4.20). Mentioned in 3 verses across 2 books, first at Acts 20:15.
Why it matters. A city in Asia Minor visited by Paul
- Primary passages
- Location
- 37.500, 27.300 (approximate, within about 2 km)
Coordinates from STEPBible TIPNR (palopenmaps.org link). Approximate; not independently verified.
- Last reviewed
- 2026-08-30 by the FaithGraph team
About Miletus
Miletus was an ancient city located on the western coast of Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey), near the mouth of the Maeander River. It was a significant port city and a center of trade and culture in the Greco-Roman world.
In the New Testament, Miletus is mentioned in connection with the Apostle Paul's missionary journeys. During his third journey, Paul stopped at Miletus on his way to Jerusalem and sent for the elders of the church in Ephesus to meet him there (Act.20.15, 17). He delivered a farewell address to the Ephesian elders, warning them about false teachers and encouraging them to remain faithful to God (Act.20.18-35).
In 2Ti.4.20, Paul mentions that he left Trophimus, one of his companions, ill at Miletus. This statement provides insight into the challenges and hardships faced by early Christian missionaries as they traveled and spread the gospel message.
Miletus was known for its wool industry and its intellectual and artistic achievements. It was the birthplace of several notable Greek philosophers, including Thales, Anaximander, and Anaximenes, who were among the first to seek rational explanations for natural phenomena.
Description from STEPBible TIPNR (Tyndale House, Cambridge), CC BY 4.0, lightly reformatted. This is background reference material, not Scripture and not a FaithGraph editorial claim.
Connections
No reviewed connections yet.
Appears in Scripture
Named in 3 verses across 2 books. Occurrence data from STEPBible TIPNR (CC BY 4.0); references only, no translation text.