Tarsus
Where is Tarsus today? A district of Mersin, Türkiye: the Cilician city where the apostle Paul was born, with St. Paul's Well and the chapters that mention it.
- Today
- Tarsus, Mersin
- Country
- Türkiye
- Status
- District town: St. Paul's Well and St. Paul Memorial Museum
- Identification
- Certain
Tarsus is the city where the apostle Paul was born. Paul introduces himself as a citizen of Tarsus in Cilicia, born there but brought up in Jerusalem at the feet of Gamaliel (Acts 21:39; 22:3). Acts first names him 'Saul of Tarsus' (Acts 9:11). After his conversion, when his life was in danger in Jerusalem, the believers sent him back to Tarsus, and Barnabas later went there to find him and bring him to Antioch (Acts 9:30; 11:25–26). Today Tarsus is a district of Mersin Province, and the chapters below take you straight to the verses that mention it.
Read the chapters
- Acts 9
The chapter recounting the radical change Saul undergoes on the road — one of the best-known conversion stories, in which the fiercest opponent becomes one of the most devoted witnesses.
- Acts 11
- Acts 21
- Acts 22
Related topics
Related people
- Paul
- Peter
- Barnabas
- Stephen
- Lydia
- Matthew
- Timothy
- John the Apostle
- Philip the Apostle
- Judas Iscariot
- Mark
Related verse collections
- Bible Verses About Salvation
- Bible Verses About Repentance
- Bible Verses About Generosity
- Bible Verses About Witness
Reading plans
- 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
Books
Places in the Bible
Which province is Tarsus in today?
Tarsus is today in Türkiye, a district of Mersin Province; the ancient city lies beneath and around the modern town. The apostle Paul was born here (Acts 22:3). Today you can see St. Paul's Well, which local tradition places on the site of his family home, St. Paul's Church preserved as a memorial museum, Cleopatra's Gate and a stretch of paved Roman road.
Where was Paul born?
Paul was born in Tarsus, a city of Cilicia. He says so himself in his defence speech in Jerusalem, adding that he was educated in Jerusalem under Gamaliel (Acts 22:3). Tarsus is now a district of Mersin Province in Türkiye.
What can you see in Tarsus connected with Paul?
Visitors come to St. Paul's Well, which local tradition places on the site of Paul's family home, and to St. Paul's Church, now preserved as a memorial museum. Cleopatra's Gate and a stretch of paved Roman road also recall the city's ancient past.