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, dwellers in Mesopotamia, in Judea, in Cappadocia, in Pontus and Asia,
But certain men from the so-called "Synagogue of the Freedmen" and certain Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, Cilicians, and men from Roman Asia, started to dispute with Stephen,
Then they went through Phrygia and Galatia, the Holy Spirit having forbidden them to proclaim the message in Asia.
This went on for two years, so that all the inhabitants of Asia heard the Lord's message, Jews as well as Greeks.
So he sent two of his assistants, Timothy and Erastus, into Macedonia, while he himself kept back for a time on his way into Asia.
"And you see and hear that not only in Ephesus, but almost throughout all of Asia, this fellow Paul has persuaded and turned away many people, by telling them that they are no gods at all who are made with hands. "So there is danger not only that our trade come into disrepute, but also that the temple of the great goddess Diana will be brought into disrepute, and that she herself may even be deposed from her magnificence, she whom all Asia and the world now worships."
There accompanied him as far as Asia, Sopater of Berea, the son of Pyrrhus; and of the Thessalonians, Aristarchus and Secundus; and Gaius of Derbe, and Timothy; and the Asians, Tychicus and Trophimus.
For Paul had determined to sail past Ephesus, so as not to spend time in Asia, for he was hurrying to get to Jerusalem, if it were possible, by the day of Pentecost.
and when they arrived, he said to them. "You yourselves know quite well, how I lived among you, from the first day that I set foot 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/mnt'>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, dwellers in Mesopotamia, in Judea, in Cappadocia, in Pontus and Asia,
But certain men from the so-called "Synagogue of the Freedmen" and certain Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, Cilicians, and men from Roman Asia, started to dispute with Stephen,
Then they went through Phrygia and Galatia, the Holy Spirit having forbidden them to proclaim the message in Asia.
This went on for two years, so that all the inhabitants of Asia heard the Lord's message, Jews as well as Greeks.
So he sent two of his assistants, Timothy and Erastus, into Macedonia, while he himself kept back for a time on his way into Asia.
"And you see and hear that not only in Ephesus, but almost throughout all of Asia, this fellow Paul has persuaded and turned away many people, by telling them that they are no gods at all who are made with hands. "So there is danger not only that our trade come into disrepute, but also that the temple of the great goddess Diana will be brought into disrepute, and that she herself may even be deposed from her magnificence, she whom all Asia and the world now worships."
and some of the Asiarchs, too, who were his friends, sent word to him repeatedly, entreating him not to venture into the theater.
There accompanied him as far as Asia, Sopater of Berea, the son of Pyrrhus; and of the Thessalonians, Aristarchus and Secundus; and Gaius of Derbe, and Timothy; and the Asians, Tychicus and Trophimus.
For Paul had determined to sail past Ephesus, so as not to spend time in Asia, for he was hurrying to get to Jerusalem, if it were possible, by the day of Pentecost.
and when they arrived, he said to them. "You yourselves know quite well, how I lived among you, from the first day that I set foot in Asia,
But when the seven days were almost over, the Asiatic Jews caught sight of him in the temple, and began to stir up all the crowd, and laid hands on him, shouting.
"While I was thus engaged, they found me in the temple, purified, with no crowd and no uproar. But there were certain Asiatic Jews
We embarked in a ship of Adramyttium which was about to sail to the ports of the province of Asia, and put to sea. Aristarchus, a Macedonian of Thessalonica, accompanied us.
saying, "Write in a book what you see, and send it to the seven churches; to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamos and to Thyatira and Sardis and Philadelphia and 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 then Demetrius and his craftsmen have a grievance against any one, the courts are open and there are the proconsuls; let them accuse one another.
If then Demetrius and his craftsmen have a grievance against any one, the courts are open and there are the proconsuls; let them accuse one another.
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, dwellers in Mesopotamia, in Judea, in Cappadocia, in Pontus and Asia, in Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt, and the district of Lybia around Cretans and Arabians,
Then they went through Phrygia and Galatia, the Holy Spirit having forbidden them to proclaim the message in Asia.
This went on for two years, so that all the inhabitants of Asia heard the Lord's message, Jews as well as Greeks.
"And you see and hear that not only in Ephesus, but almost throughout all of Asia, this fellow Paul has persuaded and turned away many people, by telling them that they are no gods at all who are made with hands. "So there is danger not only that our trade come into disrepute, but also that the temple of the great goddess Diana will be brought into disrepute, and that she herself may even be deposed from her magnificence, she whom all Asia and the world now worships."
Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the elect who are sojourners of the dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Roman Asia, and Bithynia,
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/mnt'>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, dwellers in Mesopotamia, in Judea, in Cappadocia, in Pontus and Asia,
But certain men from the so-called "Synagogue of the Freedmen" and certain Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, Cilicians, and men from Roman Asia, started to dispute with Stephen,
Then they went through Phrygia and Galatia, the Holy Spirit having forbidden them to proclaim the message in Asia.
This went on for two years, so that all the inhabitants of Asia heard the Lord's message, Jews as well as Greeks.
So he sent two of his assistants, Timothy and Erastus, into Macedonia, while he himself kept back for a time on his way into Asia.
"And you see and hear that not only in Ephesus, but almost throughout all of Asia, this fellow Paul has persuaded and turned away many people, by telling them that they are no gods at all who are made with hands. "So there is danger not only that our trade come into disrepute, but also that the temple of the great goddess Diana will be brought into disrepute, and that she herself may even be deposed from her magnificence, she whom all Asia and the world now worships."
There accompanied him as far as Asia, Sopater of Berea, the son of Pyrrhus; and of the Thessalonians, Aristarchus and Secundus; and Gaius of Derbe, and Timothy; and the Asians, Tychicus and Trophimus.
For Paul had determined to sail past Ephesus, so as not to spend time in Asia, for he was hurrying to get to Jerusalem, if it were possible, by the day of Pentecost.
and when they arrived, he said to them. "You yourselves know quite well, how I lived among you, from the first day that I set foot in Asia,
But when the seven days were almost over, the Asiatic Jews caught sight of him in the temple, and began to stir up all the crowd, and laid hands on him, shouting.
We embarked in a ship of Adramyttium which was about to sail to the ports of the province of Asia, and put to sea. Aristarchus, a Macedonian of Thessalonica, accompanied us.
but by all the churches among the Gentiles. Salute likewise the church that meets in their home. Salute Epaenetus, my dearly beloved, the first man in Roman Asia to believe in Christ.
and it is he who has told me of your love for me in the spirit.
All things are pure to the pure; but to the contaminated and the faithless nothing is pure, nay, their very minds and consciences are tainted.
From John to the seven churches that are in Asia the Roman Province. Grace to you, and peace from Him that is and was and is to be, and from the Seven Spirits that are before his throne,
saying, "Write in a book what you see, and send it to the seven churches; to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamos and to Thyatira and Sardis and Philadelphia and 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.