Ark of the Covenant - Bible History Online
Bible History

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iconium Summary and Overview

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iconium in Easton's Bible Dictionary

the capital of ancient Lycaonia. It was first visited by Paul and Barnabas from Antioch-in-Pisidia during the apostle's first missionary journey (Acts 13:50, 51). Here they were persecuted by the Jews, and being driven from the city, they fled to Lystra. They afterwards returned to Iconium, and encouraged the church which had been founded there (14:21,22). It was probably again visited by Paul during his third missionary journey along with Silas (18:23). It is the modern Konieh, at the foot of Mount Taurus, about 120 miles inland from the Mediterranean.

iconium in Smith's Bible Dictionary

(little image), the modern Konieh, was the capital of Lycaonia, in Asia Minor. It was a large and rich city, 120 miles north from the Mediterranean Sea, at the foot of the Taurus mountains, and on the great line of communication between Ephesus and the western coast of the peninsula on one side, and Tarsus, Antioch and the Euphrates on the other. Iconium was a well-chosen place for missionary operations. #Ac 14:1,3,21,22; 16:1,2; 18:23| Paul's first visit here was on his first circuit, in company with Barnabas; and on this occasion he approached it from Antioch in Pisidia, which lay to the west. The modern Konieh is between two and three miles in circumference and contains over 30,000 inhabitants. It contains manufactories of carpets and leather.

iconium in Schaff's Bible Dictionary

ICO'NIUM (place of images?), a large and rich city of Asia Minor, in the province of Lycaonia. It was situated on the great Roman highway from Ephesus to Tarsus. Antioch, and the Euphrates, and near the confines of Phrygia and Pisidia, at the foot of Mount Taurus, in a beautiful and fertile country, about 200 miles south-east of Constantinople and about 120 miles inland from the Mediterranean. Mountains covered with snow rise on every side, except toward the east, where there is an extensive plain. Its importance as a centre for the spread of the gospel is therefore obvious. Paul visited it on his first and second missionary journeys. Acts 13:51; Eze 14:1, Acts 14:19, Acts 14:21; Acts 16:2; 2 Tim 3:11. It is now called Konieh, and has a population of about 30,000. In 1832, on the great plain before Konieh, the Turkish army was totally defeated and dispersed by the Egyptians under Ibrahim Pasha, There are important ruins of the Saracenic period around the town.

iconium in Fausset's Bible Dictionary

Now Konieh, N. of mount Taurus, in the central table land of Asia Minor, Lycaonia. On the route between western Asia and Ephesus on one side, and Tarsus, Antioch, and Euphrates on the other. An admirable center for missionary labours, as several great roads intersected one another here. Paul with Barnabas first visited it from Antioch in Pisidia which lay on the W. (Acts 13:50-51; Acts 14:1-21; Acts 14:22). They preached in the synagogue first, as was Paul's wont, and with such power of the Holy Spirit "that a great multitude both of Jews and also of Greeks believed." The Lord attested "the word of His grace," moreover, with "signs and wonders done by their hands," while "they abode long time speaking boldly in the Lord." But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles so as to be "evil affected against the brethren." An assault of Jews and Gentiles with their rulers, to stone them, being threatened, they withdrew to Lystra and Derbe in the eastern and wilder parts of Lycaonia. Paul revisited Iconium to "confirm their souls in the faith," and to remind them as a motive to continuing endurance that "we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God." In undesigned coincidence Paul in incidentally alludes (2 Timothy 3:11) to "persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra, what (how grievous) persecutions I endured ... but out of them all the Lord delivered me." On his second missionary circuit Paul with Silas came from Syrian Antioch through Cilicia, and up through the Taurus passes into Lycaonia, and by Derbe and Lystra proceeded westward to Iconium (Acts 16:1-3). In this neighbourhood he took Timothy as his associate, on the recommendation of the brethren at Lystra and Iconium, and here probably took place Timothy's circumcision and ordination (1 Timothy 1:18; 1 Timothy 4:14; 1 Timothy 6:12; 2 Timothy 1:6).