Derbe was a city in the Roman province of Galatia in Asia Minor. The Apostle Paul visited Derbe twice during his missionary journeys, and it was the only city that welcomed him and immediately accepted the Gospel message.
Derbe is located in the south-central region of Türkey, 3 kilometers (1.9 miles) north of Ekinözü Village in Karaman province. It has not been excavated, so there is little to see but the mound under which it lies, called Kerti Höyük.
Derbe (Kerti Hüyük) Map
Here is the larger Google Custom Map.
Derbe in the Bible
Paul and Barnabus visited Derbe during their first missionary journey after preaching in Pisidian Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra. After their opponents from Antioch and Iconium stirred up the crowds against them, they stoned Paul and Barnabus, dragged them out of the city, and left them for dead. At Derbe, they received a much better reception, and many of the people there became Christians.
During Paul’s second missionary journey, this time with Silas, he visited Derbe again. On Paul’s third missionary journey, the Book of Acts records that he traveled through the regions of Galatia and Phrygia, so he may have visited Derbe a third time. On the third journey, one of his companions, Gaius, was a native of Derbe.
Biblical References
Acts 14:6, 20; 16:1; 20:4
Visiting Derbe
At the top of Kerti Höyük, you can see the excavations underway so far, which are mostly revealing the foundations and walls of ancient houses. The Karaman and Konya Archaeological Museums display various coins, pottery, and other artifacts from the area.
Google Map Coordinates: 37.349283266783075, 33.36186819695087
Ken Grubb
Ken Grubb is a retired Special Agent of the United States Air Force Office of Special Investigations (OSI) and an adjunct instructor at the University of Maryland. He has lived in Türkiye for over twenty years, researching and writing about Türkiye’s ancient Christian sites. He now helps churches organize group tours to visit these sites.
