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Cilicia and pirates and sackcloth in ancient times
by RS  admin@creationpie.com : 1024 x 640


1. Cilicia and pirates and sackcloth in ancient times
Sackcloth is mentioned many times in the Bible.

Verse routeMatthew 11:21 Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. [kjv]
Verse routeουαι σοι χοραζιν ουαι σοι βηθσαιδα οτι ει εν τυρω και σιδωνι εγενοντο αι δυναμεις αι γενομεναι εν υμιν παλαι αν εν σακκω και σποδω μετενοησαν [gnt]

Verse routeActs 21:39 But Paul said, I am a man which am a Jew of Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, a citizen of no mean city: and, I beseech thee, suffer me to speak unto the people. [kjv]
Verse routeειπεν δε ο παυλος εγω ανθρωπος μεν ειμι ιουδαιος ταρσευς της κιλικιας ουκ ασημου πολεως πολιτης δεομαι δε σου επιτρεψον μοι λαλησαι προς τον λαον [gnt]

Verse route27:5 And when we had sailed over the sea of Cilicia and Pamphylia, we came to Myra, a city of Lycia. [kjv]
Verse routeτο τε πελαγος το κατα την κιλικιαν και παμφυλιαν διαπλευσαντες κατηλθαμεν κατηλθομεν εις της λυκιας [gnt]

Here we are interested in the Latin word for "sackcloth" and the relation to Cicilia and pirates.

2. Matthew 11:21
 All 
KJV: Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.
Greek: ουαι σοι χοραζιν ουαι σοι βηθσαιδαν βηθσαιδα οτι ει εν τυρω και σιδωνι εγενοντο αι δυναμεις αι γενομεναι εν υμιν παλαι αν εν σακκω και σποδω μετενοησαν
Latin: vae tibi Corazain vae tibi Bethsaida quia si in Tyro et Sidone factae essent virtutes quae factae sunt in vobis olim in cilicio et cinere paenitentiam egissent
Wessex: Wa þe corozaim. wa þe bethsaida. for þam gyf on tyro & sydon waeren ge-done þa manige þe syndde don on eow. ge-fern hyo deden deadbote on haeren & on aescan.
Wycliffe: Wo to thee! Corosaym, woo to thee! Bethsaida; for if the vertues that ben doon in you hadden be doon in Tyre and Sidon, sumtyme thei hadden don penaunce in heyre and aische.
Luther: Wehe dir, Chorazin! Wehe dir, Bethsaida! Wären solche Taten zu Tyrus und Sidon geschehen, wie bei euch geschehen sind, sie hätten vorzeiten im Sack und in der Asche Buße getan.

3. English
Verse routeMatthew 11:21 Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. [kjv]

The Wessex Gospels use "haeren" and Wycliffe uses "heyre", as "hair", for "sackcloth".

Verse routeουαι σοι χοραζιν ουαι σοι βηθσαιδα οτι ει εν τυρω και σιδωνι εγενοντο αι δυναμεις αι γενομεναι εν υμιν παλαι αν εν σακκω και σποδω μετενοησαν [gnt]
Verse route… deadbote on haeren & on aescan. [wes]
Verse route… penaunce in heyre and aische. [wy]


4. Latin
The Latin word "cilicio""sackcloth, cloth, shirt".

Note that the Latin word "cinere""ashes" from which we get the English word "cinder" and "incinerate".

In Roman times, a "cilice" (the Latin word) was originally made from coarse animal hair.

5. Province and city
The Latin name "cilicio" comes from the Roman province (and city) of Cilicia in southeast Asia Minor. This area is mentioned 8 times in the GNT (Greek New Testament).

The capital of Cilicia was Tarsus, from which Paul came.
Verse routeActs 21:39 But Paul said, I am a man which am a Jew of Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, a citizen of no mean city: and, I beseech thee, suffer me to speak unto the people. [kjv]
Verse routeειπεν δε ο παυλος εγω ανθρωπος μεν ειμι ιουδαιος ταρσευς της κιλικιας ουκ ασημου πολεως πολιτης δεομαι δε σου επιτρεψον μοι λαλησαι προς τον λαον [gnt]


6. Acts 21:39
   Acts 21:39 
 All 
KJV: But Paul said, I am a man which am a Jew of Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, a citizen of no mean city: and, I beseech thee, suffer me to speak unto the people.
Greek: ειπεν δε ο παυλος εγω ανθρωπος μεν ειμι ιουδαιος ταρσευς της κιλικιας ουκ ασημου πολεως πολιτης δεομαι δε σου επιτρεψον μοι λαλησαι προς τον λαον
Latin: et dixit ad eum Paulus ego homo sum quidem iudaeus a Tarso Ciliciae non ignotae civitatis municeps rogo autem te permitte mihi loqui ad populum
Tyndale: But Paul sayde: I am a ma which am a Iewe of Tharsus a cite in Cicill a Citesyn of no vyle cite I beseche ye soffre me to speake vnto ye people.

7. Strongs - Cilicia

8. Usage - Cilicia
Word usage per chapter Words: κιλικιαν=3 κιλικιας=5


9. Unsafe regions
Word usage per chapter Words: κιλικιαν=3 κιλικιας=5


The area was mountainous, home to thieves, robbers, pirates, etc. The word "pirate" comes from the Greek.

Information sign More: Matthew 4:1-11 Examining evil temptations

10. Paul
Paul mentions the dangers of his home area of Cicilia, including a long list of perils or dangers, in 2 Corinthians 11:26-27. In this geographic area, one had to be vigilant always.
Verse route2 Corinthians 11:26 In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; [kjv]
Verse routeοδοιποριαις πολλακις κινδυνοις ποταμων κινδυνοις ληστων κινδυνοις εκ γενους κινδυνοις εξ εθνων κινδυνοις εν πολει κινδυνοις εν ερημια κινδυνοις εν θαλασση κινδυνοις εν ψευδαδελφοις [gnt]
Verse route11:27 In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. [kjv]
Verse route κοπω και μοχθω εν αγρυπνιαις πολλακις εν λιμω και διψει εν νηστειαις πολλακις εν ψυχει και γυμνοτητι [gnt]


11. 2 Corinthians 11:26
 All 
KJV: In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren;
Greek: οδοιποριαις πολλακις κινδυνοις ποταμων κινδυνοις ληστων κινδυνοις εκ γενους κινδυνοις εξ εθνων κινδυνοις εν πολει κινδυνοις εν ερημια κινδυνοις εν θαλασση κινδυνοις εν ψευδαδελφοις
Latin: in itineribus saepe periculis fluminum periculis latronum periculis ex genere periculis ex gentibus periculis in civitate periculis in solitudine periculis in mari periculis in falsis fratribus
Wycliffe: in weies ofte, in perelis of floodis, in perelis of theues, in perelis of kyn, in perelis of hethene men, in perelis in citee, in perelis in desert, in perelis in the see, in perelis among false britheren, in trauel and nedynesse,
Gothic: wratodum ufta, bireikeim ahvo, bireikeim waidedjane, bireikeim us kunja, bireikeim us thiudom, bireikeim in baurg, bireikeim in authidai, bireikeim in marein, bireikeim in galiugabrothrum,
Luther: Ich bin oft gereiset; ich bin in Gefahr gewesen zu Wasser, in Gefahr unter den Mördern, in Gefahr unter den Juden, in Gefahr unter den Heiden, in Gefahr in den Städten, in Gefahr in der Wüste, in Gefahr auf dem Meer, in Gefahr unter den falschen Brüdern,

12. 2 Corinthians 11:27
 All 
KJV: In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.
Greek: εν κοπω και μοχθω εν αγρυπνιαις πολλακις εν λιμω και διψει εν νηστειαις πολλακις εν ψυχει και γυμνοτητι
Latin: in labore et aerumna in vigiliis multis in fame et siti in ieiuniis multis in frigore et nuditate
Luther: in Mühe und Arbeit, in viel Wachen, in Hunger und Durst, in viel Fasten, in Frost und Blöße,

13. Caesar
About a 100 years earlier, in 75 BC, a young 25 year old Julius Caesar (100-44 BC) was captured by Cilician pirates while traveling to study oratory at Rhodes.

Plutarch relates the story. Caesar captivated the pirates with stories, etc., and convinced the pirates that the ransom they were asking was too little for his value. He would, at times, banter and joke that he would have them all crucified. When the ransom was paid, Caesar raised a small naval force, returned to the site, captured the same pirates, brought them back, and had them crucified. Caesar was a born leader - for better or for worse.

14. Pompey the Great
The Roman general and statesman Pompey the Great (106 BC - 48 BC) had many interesting accomplishments. Caesar downplayed the previous work of Pompey when he put down a revolt in what is today eastern Turkey with the famous quote, "I came, I saw, I conquered" as if it did not take much effort.

15. Acts 27:5
   Acts 27:5 
 All 
KJV: And when we had sailed over the sea of Cilicia and Pamphylia, we came to Myra, a city of Lycia.
Greek: το τε πελαγος το κατα την κιλικιαν και παμφυλιαν διαπλευσαντες κατηλθαμεν κατηλθομεν εις μυρα μυρρα της λυκιας
Latin: et pelagus Ciliciae et Pamphiliae navigantes venimus Lystram quae est Lyciae
Tyndale: Then sayled we over the see of Cilicia and Pamphylia and came to Myra a cite in Lycia.
Luther: Und schiffeten auf dem Meer vor Zilizien und Pamphylien über und kamen gen Myra in Lyzien.

16. End of page

by RS  admin@creationpie.com : 1024 x 640