Δέρβη
Dérbē
G1191 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Δέρβη denotes the city of Derbe, a locale in the region of Lycaonia, situated in the interior of Asia Minor. Primarily used as a proper noun in the New Testament to designate this specific city, it appears without a broader metaphorical or extended contextual range. In Hellenistic usage, it simply refers to this geographical location spoken of in the context of travels and missionary journeys.
Semantic Range
Derbe (city in Lycaonia, Asia Minor), the locality in south-central Anatolia, proper noun identifying this specific place
Root / Etymology
etymology uncertain. The name Δέρβη is likely derived from a local Anatolian language, not Greek in origin.
Historical & Contextual Notes
Δέρβη is known chiefly from the Acts of the Apostles (e.g., Acts 14:6, 20; 16:1), where it is mentioned as a city visited by Paul and Barnabas. Its precise historical and etymological origins are obscure, but it was located near the boundary of Lycaonia and Isauria, in the Roman province of Galatia. The city had no particular Israelite or Judean identity; rather, it was a Graeco-Roman city with Anatolian roots. In contemporary sources, such as the Acts, Δέρβη is simply the name of the city, and later translation traditions maintain this as an untranslated proper noun. There is no wider semantic or metaphorical use of the term. Early Christian writers refer to it as a locus of missionary activity. English translations universally render it as 'Derbe,' retaining the Greek toponym.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
of foreign origin; Derbe, a place in Asia Minor:--Derbe.
Root Family
Δέρβη (Dérbē) — city, locality, place-name
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G1191-01 |
Δέρβην | derben | N ACC F SG |
Derbe | Derbe | Derbe | 3 |
Occurrences in Scripture
3 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G1191-01 |
Acts 14:6 | Δέρβην | derben | N ACC F SG |
Derbe | Derbe | Derbe |
G1191-01 |
Acts 14:20 | Δέρβην | derben | N ACC F SG |
Derbe | Derbe | Derbe |
G1191-01 |
Acts 16:1 | Δέρβην | derben | N ACC F SG |
Derbe | Derbe | Derbe |