Philip the Apostle
Who was Philip the Apostle? One of the Twelve, from Bethsaida. Tradition places his tomb in ancient Hierapolis at Pamukkale, Denizli, in Türkiye.
- Burial place
- Hierapolis, Pamukkale (Denizli) (Tradition)
- Manner of death
- Martyred at Hierapolis, by tradition (Tradition: Acts 1:13-14)
- Birthplace
- Bethsaida, Galilee (The Bible: John 1:44, John 12:21)
Philip came from Bethsaida on the Sea of Galilee, like Andrew and Peter. Jesus called him with the words 'Follow me', and Philip found Nathanael and introduced him to Jesus with 'Come and see' (John 1:43–46). In John's Gospel he appears at the feeding of the crowd, with the Greeks who wanted to see Jesus, and in asking, 'Show us the Father'. The Philip who preaches in Samaria and to the Ethiopian official in Acts 8 is a different man: Philip the evangelist, one of the seven servants chosen by the Jerusalem church (Acts 6:5; 21:8). Church tradition says Philip the Apostle died at Hierapolis in Phrygia, today Pamukkale.
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- Matthew 10
- John 1
The poetic opening of John's Gospel introduces Jesus as the eternal 'Word' who brings light into the world and becomes human.
- John 6
- John 12
- John 14
The farewell discourse containing 'I am the way, the truth, and the life' — Jesus comforting his followers with reassurance and hope.
- Acts 1
A chapter recounting how Jesus gives his disciples the task of being witnesses across the world and then departs from them, picturing the waiting that comes just before the birth of the church.
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- Jerusalem
- Bethlehem
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- Galilee
- Jordan River
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- Mount of Olives
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- Samaria
- Bethany
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Related verse collections
- Bible Verses About Love
- Bible Verses About Prayer
- Bible Verses of Comfort
- Bible Verses About Fear and Anxiety
- Bible Verses About Forgiveness
- Bible Verses About Faith
- Bible Verses About Creation
- Bible Verses About Salvation
- Bible Verses About Repentance
- Bible Verses About Money and Contentment
- Bible Verses About Humility
- Bible Verses About Generosity
- Bible Verses About Jesus
- Bible Verses About Witness
- Bible Verses About Loneliness
- Bible Verses About Guidance
- Bible Verses About Joy
- Bible Verses About Healing
- Bible Verses About Peace and Rest
- Bible Verses About Friendship
Reading plans
- Start with John — 7 Days Through the Life of Jesus
- The Bible for Beginners — 10 Days
- Holy Week — The Final Days of Jesus
- Two Weeks in the Parables of Jesus
- Advent — 24 Days to Christmas
- The Early Church Through Acts — 28 Days
- The Bible in a Year — 365 Days from Cover to Cover
- 30 Days with the Gospel — An Introduction to the New Testament
Related guides
- Who Is Jesus Christ?
Who is Jesus Christ, what does the name mean and what does the Bible tell about him? A short, neutral guide to Jesus in the four Gospels.
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People in the Bible
Where is the tomb of St Philip?
According to church tradition, the tomb of Philip the Apostle is in ancient Hierapolis at Pamukkale, Denizli. At the end of the 2nd century Polycrates, bishop of Ephesus, wrote in a letter preserved by Eusebius that Philip lay buried in Hierapolis. An octagonal Martyrium was built in his memory on the slope outside the city, and in 2011 the Italian excavation team announced that it had found the tomb attributed to Philip in a nearby church. The identification rests on tradition rather than conclusive proof.
How did Philip the Apostle die?
Church tradition holds that Philip the Apostle was martyred at Hierapolis in Phrygia, today Pamukkale in Denizli. Later accounts such as the Acts of Philip say he was crucified, some of them upside down, though the details vary from source to source. The Bible does not describe his death; Acts last mentions him praying with the other apostles in Jerusalem (Acts 1:13–14).
Where was Philip the Apostle from?
Philip the Apostle came from Bethsaida, a town on the Sea of Galilee (John 1:44). John's Gospel introduces him again as Philip of Bethsaida in Galilee (John 12:21). Andrew and Peter were from the same town. The Bible names no separate birthplace. The remains of Bethsaida are sought on the lake's northern shore, and its exact site is debated.
Are Philip the Apostle and Philip the evangelist the same person?
No. Philip the Apostle was one of Jesus' twelve disciples (Matthew 10:3). Philip the evangelist was one of the seven chosen to serve in the Jerusalem church (Acts 6:5); he preached in Samaria, baptised the Ethiopian official and later lived in Caesarea (Acts 8; 21:8). Some early writers confused the two.
Can Philip's tomb be visited?
Yes. Hierapolis is the archaeological site just above the Pamukkale travertines in Denizli and is on the UNESCO World Heritage List. On the slope outside the city, the octagonal Martyrium built in Philip's memory and the remains of the church where the tomb was announced in 2011 can be seen within the site.