The Apostolic Fathers · AD 70–130
Philip the Evangelist
d. c. 84 (trad.) · Deacon of the Seven · Evangelist of Samaria and the coast · Jerusalem → Samaria → Caesarea Maritima
The Apostolic Fathers
Who Philip the Evangelist was
First-named of the Seven after Stephen, and the man who made the office apostolic in reach: he evangelized Samaria (where Simon Magus believed and was baptized), was sent by the Spirit to the Gaza road to open Isaiah 53 to the Ethiopian treasurer — the gospel’s first African — and settled at Caesarea, “Philip the evangelist, which was one of the seven,” hosting Paul’s party with “four daughters, virgins, which did prophesy.” Papias knew those daughters at Hierapolis as living archives of the first days; by then tradition had already begun braiding this Philip with the apostle, a knot the sources themselves display.
Whether the Seven held the diaconate proper is disputed. Neocaesarea and Roman practice read Acts 6 as instituting it; Chrysostom and the Quinisext Council of 692 held that their office was not the diaconate. The four members of the Seven whom this archive names “the Deacon” carry the evidence in full.
Common questions
When did Philip die?
Philip the Evangelist is dated d. c. 84 (trad.) in the archive, which places Philip in the Apostolic Fathers (AD 70–130). The dating is traditional and approximate; the archive marks it as uncertain rather than fixing a year the sources do not give.
Which early sources mention Philip?
Philip the Evangelist is named in 3 primary-source passages catalogued here, drawn from Luke, Papias of Hierapolis and Polycrates of Ephesus. Every passage is quoted from a named public-domain translation, earliest first.
Where was Philip from?
The archive associates Philip the Evangelist with Jerusalem, Samaria, Caesarea Maritima. The sources record more than one location, so the places are listed in the order the record moves through them.
Who were Philip’s contemporaries?
The archive links Philip the Evangelist to 8 other figures, including Stephen the Protomartyr, The Four Daughters of Philip, Simon Magus and Philip the Apostle. Each connection is drawn from a source that places them together, not from inference.
Scripture record
Primary-source mentions (3)
Every passage below is quoted from a named public-domain translation, earliest first.
Acts 8:35
c. AD 85Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.Luke · read ↗
Papias, via Ecclesiastical History III.39 (the daughters at Hierapolis)
c. AD 110That Philip the apostle dwelt at Hierapolis with his daughters has been already stated; but it must be noted here that Papias, their contemporary, relates a wonderful tale received from the daughters of Philip.Papias of Hierapolis · Ecclesiastical History III.39 · source text
Polycrates of Ephesus, via Ecclesiastical History III.31 (the tradition merging the two Philips)
c. AD 190Philip, one of the twelve apostles, who fell asleep in Hierapolis; and his two aged virgin daughters, and another daughter, who lived in the Holy Spirit.Polycrates of Ephesus · Ecclesiastical History III.31 · source text
Connected in the archive
People
- Stephen the Protomartyr
- The Four Daughters of Philip
- Simon Magus
- Philip the Apostle
- Luke the Evangelist
- The Ethiopian Eunuch
- Agabus the Prophet
- Timon the Deacon
Events in this lifetime
- AD 30 · Crucifixion, Resurrection and Pentecost, AD 30–33
- AD 44 · Persecution under Herod Agrippa I, AD 44
- AD 49 · The Council of Jerusalem, AD 49
- AD 57 · Paul writes Romans, AD 57
- AD 62 · James the Just stoned, AD 62
- AD 64 · The Great Fire and Nero’s persecution, AD 64
- AD 70 · The fall of Jerusalem, AD 70
Place
Places served
The 3 places the sources put Philip, in the order the record moves through them. This is what the sources attest, not a reconstructed route.
- 1Jerusalem
- 2Samariaprovince only
- 3Caesarea Maritima