Place New Testament
Tarsus
Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, known as the birthplace and early residence of the apostle Paul (Act.9.11, 30; 21:39; 22:3). Mentioned in 5 verses across 1 book, first at Acts 9:11.
Why it matters. City in Cilicia, birthplace of the apostle Paul
- Primary passages
- Location
- 36.918, 34.892 (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 Tarsus
Tarsus was a prominent city in the Roman province of Cilicia, located in modern-day southern Turkey. It is best known as the birthplace and early residence of the apostle Paul (Act.22.3). Paul described himself as "a Jew from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no ordinary city" (Act.21.39), indicating Tarsus' significance and his own status as a citizen. After his conversion on the road to Damascus, Paul spent time in Tarsus (Act.9.30) before being brought to Antioch by Barnabas (Act.11.25). Tarsus was a center of Greek culture and learning, with a renowned university. It was also an important commercial hub, situated on major trade routes. The city's strategic location and cultural influence shaped Paul's background and prepared him for his future ministry as an apostle to the Gentiles.
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 5 verses across 1 book. Occurrence data from STEPBible TIPNR (CC BY 4.0); references only, no translation text.