The Apostolic Age · AD 4–70
Trophimus of Ephesus
d. c. 65 (trad., under Nero) · Delegate of Asia · Occasion of Paul’s arrest · Ephesus
The Apostolic Age
Who Trophimus of Ephesus was
A Gentile of Ephesus and delegate of the collection whose mere presence in Jerusalem changed history: the Asian Jews, “supposing that Paul had brought him into the temple,” raised the riot that ended in the apostle’s arrest and, ultimately, his voyage to Rome. He appears once more in the last letters — “Trophimus have I left at Miletum sick,” a verse whose unforced ordinariness has always weighed with defenders of the Pastorals. Tradition beheads him with Paul under Nero.
Common questions
When did Trophimus die?
Trophimus of Ephesus is dated d. c. 65 (trad., under Nero) in the archive, which places Trophimus in the Apostolic Age (AD 4–70). 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 Trophimus?
Trophimus of Ephesus is named in 2 primary-source passages catalogued here, drawn from Paul of Tarsus and Luke. Every passage is quoted from a named public-domain translation, earliest first.
Where was Trophimus from?
The archive associates Trophimus of Ephesus with Ephesus.
Who were Trophimus’ contemporaries?
The archive links Trophimus of Ephesus to 2 other figures, including Tychicus and Paul of Tarsus. Each connection is drawn from a source that places them together, not from inference.
Scripture record
Primary-source mentions (2)
Every passage below is quoted from a named public-domain translation, earliest first.
2 Timothy 4:20
c. AD 67Erastus abode at Corinth: but Trophimus have I left at Miletum sick.Paul of Tarsus · read ↗
Acts 21:29
c. AD 85(For they had seen before with him in the city Trophimus an Ephesian, whom they supposed that Paul had brought into the temple.)Luke · read ↗
Connected in the archive
People
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
Place
Places served
The one place the sources put Trophimus.