Achaia, a Roman province covering much of Greece, with Corinth as its capital.
Achaia was a Roman province that encompassed much of southern Greece, including the cities of Athens and Corinth. It was established in 27 BC and lasted until the reforms of Diocletian in the late 3rd century AD. In the New Testament, Achaia is mentioned primarily in connection with Paul's ministry and the churches he established or visited in the region.
Paul spent considerable time in Corinth, the capital of Achaia, on his second missionary journey (Act.18.1-18). It was there that he was brought before the judgment seat of Gallio, the proconsul of Achaia (Act.18.12). Later, Apollos visited Achaia and ministered in Corinth (Act.18.27-19:1).
Paul wrote several epistles to churches in Achaia, including 1 and 2 Corinthians, addressed to the church in Corinth, and 1 and 2 Thessalonians to the church in Thessalonica, the capital of neighboring Macedonia. In his epistles, Paul commended the generosity of the churches of Achaia in giving to the collection for the believers in Jerusalem (Romans 15:26, 2Co.9.2) and noted their role in spreading the gospel (1Th.1.7-8).
The churches in Achaia faced significant challenges, including divisions, immorality, and false teachings, as addressed in Paul's epistles to them. Nevertheless, Achaia remained an important center of early Christianity, producing influential leaders such as Stephanas (1Co.16.15) and Phoebe (Romans 16:1).
Approximate location: 37.983, 23.733 · view on a map · on the Bible atlas
The name originally of a narrow strip of territory in Greece, on the north-west of the Peloponnesus. Subsequently it was applied by the Romans to the whole Peloponnesus, now called the Morea, and the south of Greece. It was then one of the two provinces (Macedonia being the other) into which they divided the country when it fell under their dominion. It is in this latter enlarged meaning that the name is always used in the New Testament (Acts 18:12, 27; 19:21; Rom. 15: 26; 16:5, etc.). It was at the time when Luke wrote the Acts of the Apostles under the proconsular form of government; hence the appropriate title given to Gallio as the “deputy,” i.e., proconsul, of Achaia (Acts 18:12).
(trouble) signifies in the New Testament a Roman province which included the whole of the Peloponnesus and the greater part of Hellas proper, with the adjacent islands. This province, with that of Macedonia, comprehended the while of Greece; hence Achaia and Macedonia are frequently mentioned together in the New Testament to indicate all Greece. (Acts 18:12; 19:21; Romans 15:26; 16:5; 1 Corinthians 16:15; 2 Corinthians 7:5; 9:2; 11:10; 1 Thessalonians 1:7,8) In the time of the emperor Claudius it was governed by a proconsul, translated in the Authorized Version “deputy,” of Achaia. (Acts 18:12)
ACHA'IA (trouble), a Roman province in the New Testament times nearly co-extensive with the modern kingdom of Greece. Paul visited the churches in that region. Acts 18:12,Acts 18:27 ;Acts 19:21 ; Rom 15:26 ;Rom 16:5 ; 2 Cor 1:1; 2 Cor 9:2;2 Cor 11:10 ; 1 Thess 1:7,1 Kgs 15:8. For its towns see Corinth, Cenchrea.
ACHA'IA (trouble), a Roman province in the New Testament times nearly co-extensive with the modern kingdom of Greece. Paul visited the churches in that region. Acts 18:12,Acts 18:27 ;Acts 19:21 ; Rom 15:26 ;Rom 16:5 ; 2 Cor 1:1; 2 Cor 9:2;2 Cor 11:10 ; 1 Thess 1:7,1 Kgs 15:8. For its towns see Corinth, Cenchrea.
Easton (1897), Smith (1863), Hitchcock (1869), Hastings (1898) and Schaff are in the public domain. Parsed text: neuu-org/bible-dictionary-dataset (CC BY 4.0). Headwords and whitespace normalised for this site.
11 verses in 5 books · English text: BSB (change it from the menu at the top) · Strong’s G0882
While Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews coordinated an attack on Paul and brought him before the judgment seat.
When Apollos resolved to cross over to Achaia, the brothers encouraged him and wrote to the disciples there to welcome him. On his arrival, he was a great help to those who by grace had believed.
After these things had happened, Paul resolved in the Spirit to go to Jerusalem, passing through Macedonia and Achaia. “After I have been there,” he said, “I must see Rome as well.”
For Macedonia and Achaia were pleased to make a contribution for the poor among the saints in Jerusalem.
Greet also the church that meets at their house. Greet my beloved Epenetus, who was the first convert to Christ in the province of Asia.
You know that Stephanas and his household were the first converts in Achaia, and they have devoted themselves to the service of the saints. Now I urge you, brothers,
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, To the church of God in Corinth, together with all the saints throughout Achaia:
For I know your eagerness to help, and I have been boasting to the Macedonians that since last year you in Achaia were prepared to give. And your zeal has stirred most of them to do likewise.
As surely as the truth of Christ is in me, this boasting of mine will not be silenced in the regions of Achaia.
As a result, you have become an example to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia.
For not only did the message of the Lord ring out from you to Macedonia and Achaia, but your faith in God has gone out to every place, so that we have no need to say anything more.
Names, family links and references: STEPBible TIPNR (Tyndale House Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). Short descriptions were drafted with AI assistance by STEPBible. Family links follow STEPBible’s scholarly decisions where genealogies are ambiguous.