Reference: Asia
American
One of the great divisions of the eastern continent, lying east of Europe. The Asia spoken of in the Bible is Asia Minor, a peninsula which lies between the Euxine or Black sea and the eastern part of the Mediterranean, and which formerly included the provinces of Phrygia, Cilicia, Pamphylia, Caria, Lycia, Lydia, Mysia, Bithynia, Paphlagonia, Cappadocia, Galatia, Lycaonia, and Pisidia. On the western coast were anciently the countries of Eolia, Ionia, and Doris, the names of which were afterwards retained, although the countries were included in the provinces of Mysia, Lydia, and Caria. Many Jews were scattered over these regions, as appears from the history in Acts, and from Josephus, the writers of the New Testament comprehend, under the name of Asia, either (1) the whole of Asia Minor, Ac 19:26-27; 20:4,16,18; or (2) only proconsular Asia, that is, the region of Ionia, of which Ephesus was the capital, and which Strabo also calls Asia, Ac 2:9; 6:9; 16:6; 19:10,22. Cicero speaks of proconsular Asia as containing the provinces of Phrygia, Mysia, Caria, and Lydia.
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Parthians, Medes, Elamites, the inhabitants of Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus,
when some out of the several synagogues, belonging to the freed men, to the Cyrenians, Alexandrians, and to those of Cilicia, and of Asia, came to dispute with Stephen.
but after they had travers'd Phrygia and Galatia, they were order'd by the holy spirit not to preach the gospel in Asia:
this he continued for two years; so that the Jews and proselytes of that part of Asia heard the doctrine of the Lord Jesus.
he sent therefore Timothy and Erastus, two of his assistants in the ministry, before to Macedonia; but stay'd himself in Asia for some time.
yet your own eyes and ears have inform'd you, that not only at Ephesus, but almost throughout all Asia, this Paul by his persuasions has turn'd the heads of a world of people, asserting, that these are Gods of our own making, and not really such. so that not only our profession runs the risk of being vilified; but the temple of the great goddess Diana will be depreciated, and her majesty, so rever'd thro' all Asia, and the whole world, will be discarded."
Aristarchus and Secundus of Thessalonica, Gaius of Derby and Timothy, Tychicus and Trophimus both Asiatics, all accompanied him to Asia,
for Paul had determined not to go ashore at Ephesus, to avoid losing time in Asia: because he was eager to get to Jerusalem, if possible, by the day of pentecost.
and when they were arriv'd he told them, you know how I have always behav'd towards you from the first day of my arrival in Asia:
Easton
is used to denote Proconsular Asia, a Roman province which embraced the western parts of Asia Minor, and of which Ephesus was the capital, in Ac 2:9; 6:9; 16/6/type/mace'>16:6; 19:10,22; 20:4,16,18, etc., and probably Asia Minor in Ac 19:26-27; 21:27; 24:18; 27:2. Proconsular Asia contained the seven churches of the Apocalypse (Re 1:11). The "chiefs of Asia" (Ac 19:31) were certain wealthy citizens who were annually elected to preside over the games and religious festivals of the several cities to which they belonged. Some of these "Asiarchs" were Paul's friends.
Illustration: Proconsular Asia and the Seven Churches
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Parthians, Medes, Elamites, the inhabitants of Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus,
when some out of the several synagogues, belonging to the freed men, to the Cyrenians, Alexandrians, and to those of Cilicia, and of Asia, came to dispute with Stephen.
but after they had travers'd Phrygia and Galatia, they were order'd by the holy spirit not to preach the gospel in Asia:
this he continued for two years; so that the Jews and proselytes of that part of Asia heard the doctrine of the Lord Jesus.
he sent therefore Timothy and Erastus, two of his assistants in the ministry, before to Macedonia; but stay'd himself in Asia for some time.
yet your own eyes and ears have inform'd you, that not only at Ephesus, but almost throughout all Asia, this Paul by his persuasions has turn'd the heads of a world of people, asserting, that these are Gods of our own making, and not really such. so that not only our profession runs the risk of being vilified; but the temple of the great goddess Diana will be depreciated, and her majesty, so rever'd thro' all Asia, and the whole world, will be discarded."
but was prevented by his disciples, and by the primates of Asia, who were his friends, and sent to desire he would not venture to the theatre:
Aristarchus and Secundus of Thessalonica, Gaius of Derby and Timothy, Tychicus and Trophimus both Asiatics, all accompanied him to Asia,
for Paul had determined not to go ashore at Ephesus, to avoid losing time in Asia: because he was eager to get to Jerusalem, if possible, by the day of pentecost.
and when they were arriv'd he told them, you know how I have always behav'd towards you from the first day of my arrival in Asia:
The seven days being almost expir'd, the Asiatic Jews seeing him in the temple, rais'd a tumult, and fell upon him,
there religiously employ'd some Asiatic Jews found me, without crowd or tumult:
a cohort in Augustus's legion. we embark'd in a vessel of Adramyttium, designing to coast it along Asia, and set sail with Aristarchus a Macedonian of Thessalonica.
saying, "I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, what you shall see, write in a book, and send it to the seven churches which are in Asia; to Ephesus, to Smyrna, to Pergamos, to Thyatira, to Sardis, to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea."
Fausets
In the New Testament not the continent, nor Asia Minor, but the W. of Asia Minor, with Ephesus as its capital, including Mysia, Lydia, Caria. Attalus, king of Pergamus, left it to the Romans 138 B.C. It was placed by Augustus among the senatorial provinces, as distinguished from the imperial provinces. Hence it was governed by a "proconsul," as Ac 19:38 (anthupatos), with the minute propriety which marks truth, incidentally intimates. It had its "assize days" (agoraioi, margin "the court days are kept.") Here were the seven churches addressed in the Revelation. In the Old Testament "Asia" does not occur.
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if Demetrius and the other artists, that are with him, can lay their action against any man, the law is open, and the proconsul is near; let them begin their process.
if Demetrius and the other artists, that are with him, can lay their action against any man, the law is open, and the proconsul is near; let them begin their process.
Hastings
In the NT this word invariably means the Roman province Asia, which embraced roughly the western third of the peninsula which we call Asia Minor. It was bounded on the N.E. by the province of Bithynia, on the E. by the province of Galatia, on the S. by the province of Lycia, and had been ceded to the Romans by the will of the Pergamenian king Attalus III. in b.c. 133. The following ethnic districts were in this province
Morish
A'sia
This term in the N.T. does not refer to the portion of the earth now called Asia, nor does it include the whole of Asia Minor; but applies simply to the western part of Asia Minor, which was bequeathed to Rome by Attalus III. Philometor, king of Pergamus or king of Asia, B.C. 133. The province, with Ephesus as its capital, included Caria, Lydia, and Mysia, which were anciently called Doris, Ionia, and AEolis. It was governed by a proconsul. In Ac 2:9-10 'Asia' does not include Cappadocia, Pontus, Phrygia, and Pamphylia, which are all included in Asia Minor. Again, in Ac 16:6, Phrygia and Galatia are distinct from Asia: see also 1Pe 1:1. It will be seen in a map that all the seven churches of Asia, mentioned in the Revelation, are in the above named district. As Paul laboured in other parts of Asia Minor, and there being frequent intercourse between the various places and Ephesus, it may be that a wider area is in some passages referred to as 'Asia,' as in Ac 19:10,26-27.
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Parthians, Medes, Elamites, the inhabitants of Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus, Asia, Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt, the parts of Libya about Cyrene, foreigners from Rome, Jews, and proselytes,
but after they had travers'd Phrygia and Galatia, they were order'd by the holy spirit not to preach the gospel in Asia:
this he continued for two years; so that the Jews and proselytes of that part of Asia heard the doctrine of the Lord Jesus.
yet your own eyes and ears have inform'd you, that not only at Ephesus, but almost throughout all Asia, this Paul by his persuasions has turn'd the heads of a world of people, asserting, that these are Gods of our own making, and not really such. so that not only our profession runs the risk of being vilified; but the temple of the great goddess Diana will be depreciated, and her majesty, so rever'd thro' all Asia, and the whole world, will be discarded."
PETER an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the foreigners dispers'd thro' Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, whom God the father has chosen in pursuance of his decree,
Smith
A'sia
(orient). The passages in the New Testament where this word occurs are the following;
Ac 2:9; 6:9; 16/6/type/mace'>16:6; 19:10,22,26-27; 20:4,16,18; 21:27; 27:2; Ro 16:5; 1Co 16:19; 2Co 1:8; 2Ti 1:15; 1Pe 1:1; Re 1:4,11
In all these it may be confidently stated that the word is used for a Roman province which embraced the western part of the peninsula of Asia Minor and of which Ephesus was the capital.
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Parthians, Medes, Elamites, the inhabitants of Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus,
when some out of the several synagogues, belonging to the freed men, to the Cyrenians, Alexandrians, and to those of Cilicia, and of Asia, came to dispute with Stephen.
but after they had travers'd Phrygia and Galatia, they were order'd by the holy spirit not to preach the gospel in Asia:
this he continued for two years; so that the Jews and proselytes of that part of Asia heard the doctrine of the Lord Jesus.
he sent therefore Timothy and Erastus, two of his assistants in the ministry, before to Macedonia; but stay'd himself in Asia for some time.
yet your own eyes and ears have inform'd you, that not only at Ephesus, but almost throughout all Asia, this Paul by his persuasions has turn'd the heads of a world of people, asserting, that these are Gods of our own making, and not really such. so that not only our profession runs the risk of being vilified; but the temple of the great goddess Diana will be depreciated, and her majesty, so rever'd thro' all Asia, and the whole world, will be discarded."
Aristarchus and Secundus of Thessalonica, Gaius of Derby and Timothy, Tychicus and Trophimus both Asiatics, all accompanied him to Asia,
for Paul had determined not to go ashore at Ephesus, to avoid losing time in Asia: because he was eager to get to Jerusalem, if possible, by the day of pentecost.
and when they were arriv'd he told them, you know how I have always behav'd towards you from the first day of my arrival in Asia:
The seven days being almost expir'd, the Asiatic Jews seeing him in the temple, rais'd a tumult, and fell upon him,
a cohort in Augustus's legion. we embark'd in a vessel of Adramyttium, designing to coast it along Asia, and set sail with Aristarchus a Macedonian of Thessalonica.
salute the church that is in their house. salute my dear Epenetus, who is the first christian convert of Asia.
who also declared to us the love you bear to us upon a spiritual account.
to the pure all things are pure: but to corrupt infidels nothing is pure; whose very mind and conscience is polluted.
JOHN to the seven churches which are in Asia: favour and peace be with you from him WHO IS, WHO WAS, WHO WILL BE; and from the seven spirits who are before his throne;
saying, "I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, what you shall see, write in a book, and send it to the seven churches which are in Asia; to Ephesus, to Smyrna, to Pergamos, to Thyatira, to Sardis, to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea."
Watsons
ASIA, one of the four grand divisions of the earth. It is also used in a more restricted sense for Asia Minor, or Anatolia. In the New Testament it always signifies the Roman Proconsular Asia, in which the seven Apocalyptic churches were situated.