Macedonia · City
Philippi
- Ancient name
- Philippi
- Modern location
- Archaeological site of Philippi, near Kavala · Greece
- Region
- Macedonia
- Location
- Identified site
Editorial summary
A Roman colony and leading city of its district. Lydia and her household were baptized here; later Paul and Silas were beaten and imprisoned, and the jailer and his household were baptized.
What happened here
5Lydia is baptized
On the Sabbath, by a riverside place of prayer outside the city, Lydia, a seller of purple from Thyatira, listened to Paul. She and her household were baptized, and she persuaded the travelers to stay at her house.
Prison, earthquake and the jailer
After Paul cast a spirit of divination out of a slave girl, her owners dragged Paul and Silas before the magistrates, who had them beaten and imprisoned. At midnight, as they prayed and sang, an earthquake opened the doors; the jailer and all his household were baptized, and he rejoiced with his household, having believed in God.
Sailing from Philippi
Because of a plot against him as he was about to sail for Syria, Paul returned through Macedonia. After the days of Unleavened Bread, Paul and the narrator sailed from Philippi and came to Troas in five days.
Acts 20:6 names Philippi as the place Paul sailed from. The companions listed in 20:4 had gone ahead and were waiting at Troas (20:5).
Paul hopes to send Timothy to Philippi
Paul and Timothy wrote together to the saints at Philippi. Paul told them he hoped to send Timothy to them soon, as soon as he saw how things would go with him, for Timothy had served with him in the Good News as a child serves a father.
Philippians is from Paul and Timothy to the saints at Philippi (1:1). Paul does not say where he was when he wrote, so only the city he wrote to is mapped.
Epaphroditus sent back to Philippi
Paul wrote to the believers at Philippi that he was sending back Epaphroditus, his fellow worker, whom they had sent to serve his needs. Epaphroditus had longed for them and had been sick nearly to death, and Paul sent him so that they might rejoice to see him again.
Philippians is addressed to the saints at Philippi (1:1). Paul does not say where he was held when he wrote, so only Epaphroditus’ destination is mapped.
People here
5On these journeys
Scripture
Nearby in the atlas
Location certainty
Scholarly consensus identifies this site.
- Coordinates
- 41.0121° N, 24.2846° E