Pisidia

In the Bible

Pisidia is mentioned twice in Acts.

• Acts 13:14: Paul and Barnabas leave Perga in Pamphylia and come "to Antioch in Pisidia." In the preceding verse, Acts 13:13, John Mark leaves the group at Perga and returns to Jerusalem. At Antioch, Paul enters the synagogue on the Sabbath and preaches (Acts 13:16-41). On the following Sabbath, almost the whole city gathers. When some of the Jews oppose them, however, Paul and Barnabas declare that they are turning to the Gentiles (Acts 13:46-47), quoting Isaiah 49:6. In the end, the two are expelled from the region, shake off the dust of their feet, and go on to Iconium (Acts 13:50-51).
• Acts 14:24: On the return journey, the two revisit Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch, strengthening the disciples and appointing elders in every church (Acts 14:21-23). Then, "after they had passed throughout Pisidia, they came to Pamphylia."

In 2 Timothy 3:11, Paul refers to the persecution he suffered at Antioch; this Antioch is commonly understood to be Pisidian Antioch. The name "Pisidia," however, does not appear in the verse itself.

Background

The name comes from the Greek place name Pisidia (Πισιδία). Pisidia was a rugged mountainous region bordered by the coastal plain of Pamphylia to the south, Lycaonia to the east, and Phrygia to the north and west. In antiquity its inhabitants were known for resisting outside powers, and the region had a reputation for being infested with bandits.

In the Roman period, the region belonged largely to the Roman province of Galatia. Pisidian Antioch is known to have been a Roman colony settled by army veterans, and its ruins are identified near modern Yalvaç, Turkey. In the later Roman Empire, Pisidia became a separate province, with Antioch reportedly serving as its chief city.

Significance in the Bible as a Whole

In Acts, Pisidia is portrayed as a gateway through which the gospel moved beyond the coast into the interior of Asia Minor. The sermon delivered at Pisidian Antioch is the first of Paul's sermons recorded at some length in Acts. In it, Paul traces the history of Israel and proclaims the resurrection of Jesus Christ and the forgiveness of sins. The episode is often read as a clear illustration of the pattern of Paul's missionary journeys, in which the mission begins in the synagogue and then extends to the Gentiles.

Interpretive Issues

• The name "Pisidian Antioch": Ancient geographers described the city as belonging to Phrygia but lying near Pisidia. Some therefore understand the name to mean "Antioch toward Pisidia" rather than "Antioch located in Pisidia." The name served to distinguish the city from Antioch in Syria.
• The recipients of Galatians: One view holds that the churches Paul founded on his first journey, at Pisidian Antioch, Iconium, Lystra, and Derbe, were the recipients of Galatians; this is known as the South Galatian hypothesis. The North Galatian hypothesis, by contrast, holds that the recipients were churches in the northern territory of Galatia. Scholars remain divided on the question.
• What the text does not say: The text does not explain why Paul left the coast and went up into the highlands, nor why Mark turned back. Some interpreters connect the "infirmity of the flesh" in Galatians 4:13 with an illness contracted in the region of Perga, but this is speculation. Likewise, linking the bandits of Pisidia with the "perils of robbers" in 2 Corinthians 11:26 remains the view of only some commentators.

In the Korean Church

The ruins of Pisidian Antioch are sometimes included in pilgrimage itineraries in Turkey that follow the route of Paul's first missionary journey.