Cappadocia — Tyndale Open Bible Dictionary

Plateau region of eastern Asia Minor intersected by mountain ranges. The name Cappadocia does not occur in the Hebrew OT. Passages that mention Caphtor or Caphtorim (Dt 2:23; Am 9:7), however, were rendered “Cappadocia” in the Septuagint (ancient Greek translation of the OT). A few scholars suggest that Cappadocia was the original home of the Philistines.

Show passage in OET: DEU 2:23

OET-RV DEU 2:23

23 Also the Avim who lived in villages as far south as Azah (Gaza) were destroyed by the Kaftorim who came from Kraitai (Crete), and then lived in their place.)

OET-LV DEU 2:23

23 And_the_ˊAvvim who_were_dwelling in_villages to ˊAzzāh the_Kaftorī/(Kaftor/(Caphtor)ites) who_came_forth from_Kaftorī/(Kaftor/(Caphtor)) they_destroyed _them and_they _lived in_place _of _them.

Show passage in OET: AMO 9:7

OET-RV AMO 9:7

7 This is Yahweh’s declaration:
⇔ “Aren’t you all like Kush’s (Ethiopia’s) sons to me, you Israelis?
⇔ Didn’t I bring Yisrael (Israel) out of Mitsrayim (Egypt),
⇔ the Pelishtim from Kraitai (Crete),
⇔ and the Arameans from Kir?

OET-LV AMO 9:7

7 Am_not like_the _sons _of the_Kūshiy/(Cushite)s are_you(pl) to_me Oh _people _of Yisrā^ʼēl/(Israel) the _utterance _of YHWH am_not DOM Yisrā^ʼēl/(Israel) did _I _bring _up from_the _land _of Miʦrayim and_the_Pəlishtiy from_Kaftor/(Caphtor) and_ʼArām from_Qīr.

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In the NT, Cappadocia was the homeland of some of the visitors to Jerusalem who were amazed at hearing their own languages spoken on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:5-13). Cappadocia was later one of the places in Asia Minor where Christians settled, people to whom the apostle Peter addressed his first letter (1 Pt 1:1).

Show passage in OET: ACT 2:5–13

OET-RV ACT 2:5

5 At the time, there were godly Yehudim (Jews) staying in Yerushalem (Jerusalem) that had come from other countries all around the world.

OET-RV ACT 2:6

6 When they heard this noise, lots of people came to investigate but they were confused because they heard the believers talking in their own languages from around the world.

OET-RV ACT 2:7

7 They were astounded and marvelled, asking, “Wow, aren’t these people talking all Galilim?

OET-RV ACT 2:8

8 So how come we’re hearing them speak the languages of the countries where we were born?

OET-RV ACT 2:9

9 There’s people here from Parthia, Maday (Media), Eylam, Mesopotamia, Yehudah (Judea), Kappadokia, Pontos, Asia Minor,

OET-RV ACT 2:10

10 Frugia, Pamfulia, Mitsrayim (Egypt), Libya (near Kurainai (Cyrene)), and visitors from Romai,

OET-RV ACT 2:11

11 Kraitai (Crete), and Arav. Some are Yehudim and some are non-Jews who’ve converted to Youdaismos. And we can hear them talking about God in our languages.”

OET-RV ACT 2:12

12 Everyone was amazed and totally puzzled, asking each other, “What’s going on here?”

OET-RV ACT 2:13

13 But others scoffed and said, “Ha, they’ve just had too much to drink.”

OET-LV ACT 2:5

5 And Youdaiōns were dwelling in Hierousalaʸm/(Yərūshālayim), devout men from every nation of _the nations under the heaven.

OET-LV ACT 2:6

6 And of_ the this _sound having _become, the multitude came _together and was _confounded, because each one heard speaking of _them in _his.
own language.

OET-LV ACT 2:7

7 And they _were _amazed and they _were _marvelling saying:
Behold are not, all these who are speaking Galilaios?

OET-LV ACT 2:8

8 And how are_ we _hearing each in _the own language of _us, in which we _were _born?

OET-LV ACT 2:9

9 ones_from _Parthia, and ones_from _Maʸdia, and ones_from _Elam, and the ones dwelling _in the Mesopotamia, Youdaia and and/both Kappadokia, Pontos and the Asia,

OET-LV ACT 2:10

10 Frugia and and/both Pamfulia, Aiguptos/(Miʦrayim), and the parts of_ the _Libuaʸ which along Kuraʸnaʸ, and the ones Ɽōmaios visiting,

OET-LV ACT 2:11

11 both Youdaiōns and converts, ones_from _Kraʸtaʸ and ones_from _Arabia, we _are _hearing them speaking, the great things of_ the _god the in _our tongues.

OET-LV ACT 2:12

12 And all were _marvelling and were _thoroughly _perplexed, another saying to another:
What is _wanting this to _be?

OET-LV ACT 2:13

13 But others mocking were _saying, that They _are having _been _filled of _sweet _wine.

Show passage in OET: PE1 1:1

OET-RV PE1 1:1

1 This letter is from Kefa (Peter; Grk. Petros), an ambassador for Yeshua (Jesus; Grk. Yesus) the messiah.
¶ It’s written to those people who’ve been chosen by God and dispersed by persecution throughout the provinces of Pontos, Galatia, Kappadokia, Asia Minor, and Bithunia.

OET-LV PE1 1:1

1 Petros, an_ambassador of_Yaʸsous/(Yəhōshūˊa) chosen _one /messiah, to_the_chosen aliens of_the_dispersion of _Pontos, Galatia, Kappadokia, Asia, and Bithunia,

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Cappadocia was bordered by Pontus on the north, Syria and Armenia on the east, Cilicia on the south, and Lycaonia on the west. Noted for its wheat, cattle, and horses, it also exported alabaster, mica, silver, and lead. The region was traversed by important trade routes, such as the route through the Cilician Gates northward to Pontus. The area was controlled or dominated in turn by Hittites, Assyrians, Babylonians, Persians, Greeks, Seleucids, and Romans.

Reference to a letter to Ariarathes, Cappadocia’s king (1 Macc 15:22), may indicate that a significant Jewish settlement was there at the beginning of the second century BC. Jews from that community were apparently visiting in Jerusalem at the time of Pentecost. Christianity seems to have spread northward into Cappadocia along the road from Tarsus. Cappadocia became a region of strong Christian church leaders by the fourth century AD.