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Ephesus


Ephesus

Capital of the Roman province of Asia and a great commercial center. Ephesus was three miles from the sea, on the banks of the navigable river Cayster. It was an important business center, much of the commerce between east and west passing along the great highway that connected Ephesus with the Euphrates. It thus became a natural center for the Christian Church in Asia Minor. The city was celebrated as the guardian of the image of Artemis or Diana (Acts 19:35), and there was a large manufacture of silver shrines of the goddess. The magnificence of her temple was proverbial. Ephesus was visited by Paul at the close of his second missionary journey (Acts 18:19); he stayed there for two years on his third journey (Acts 19) and left in consequence of a disturbance caused by silversmiths whose trade in shrines of the goddess had suffered in consequence of the growth of the Christian faith. See also Acts 20:17; 1 Cor. 15:32; 16:8; 1 Tim. 1:3; 2 Tim. 1:18; 4:12. The city was also closely connected with the life of John. See also John.