Acts 11:19

"They therefore that were scattered abroad upon the tribulation that arose about Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, and Cyprus, and Antioch, speaking the word to none save only to Jews"Scattered" Acts 8:4. It has been 5-6 years since the persecution that arose upon Stephen's death. "Phoenicia" While Philip had been preaching in Samaria and along the coast from Azotus to Caesarea; Peter in Joppa, Lydda and Caesarea, Saul in Cilicia and the Syrian region, other brethren were preaching in Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch. "Phoenicia was the country, about 120 miles long and 15 miles wide, which was located north of Palestine between the shores of the Mediterranean Sea and the slopes of the Lebanon mountains. Its chief cities were Tyre, Sidon, and Tripolis" (Reese p. 413). "Cyprus" Possibly from the Phoenician seaboard, some set sail for Cyprus. This island "lies off the coast of Phoenicia, in sight of it, and was very early colonized by the Phoenicians" (P.P. Comm. p. 357). Cyprus was situated about 60 miles off the coast of Syria and about 41 miles off the coast of Cilicia. Paul and Barnabas will preach on the island of Cyprus on their first journey (Acts 13:4), and. large Jewish population was found here. "Antioch" (AN tih ock). This is the capital of the Roman province of Syria, located on the east bank of the Orontes River, about 16.5 miles from the Mediterranean and 300 miles north of Jerusalem."The city was founded in 300 B.C. by Seleucus Nicator, one of Alexander the Great's generals. He named it Antioch after his father Antiochus. Over the years it became known as 'Antioch the Beautiful' because of its fine buildings, and by Luke's day was famous for its long, paved boulevard, which ran from north to south and was flanked by. double colonnade with trees and fountains. Although it was. Greek city by foundation, its population, estimated as at least 500,000, was extremely cosmopolitan. Thus Greeks, Jews, Orientals and Romans formed the mixed multitude" (Stott p. 203). This was the third largest city of the Roman Empire and like Corinth, it was also. city known for its immorality. "The city was proverbial for its lax sexual morals: this reputation was mainly due to the cult of Artemis and Apollo at Daphne, five miles distant, where the ancient Syrian worship of Astarte, with its ritual prostitution, was carried on" (Bruce p. 238). "She was famous for her chariot-racing and for. kind of deliberate pursuit of pleasure which went on literally night and day. To put it in modern terms, we might describe her as. city of sport run mad, of betting and gambling and night clubs" (Barclay p. 94)."Speaking the word to none save only to Jews" As had been the practice before the conversion of Cornelius and his household.