How many times is Ephesus mentioned in the Bible?
The word Ephesus appears 17 times in the King James Version, in 17 verses. It is found in 6 of the 66 books. The World English Bible uses Ephesus 17 times.
Ephesus in the King James Version and the World English Bible
Each form of Ephesus counted in each translation.
| Form | KJV | WEB |
|---|---|---|
| Ephesus | 17 | 17 |
| Total | 17 | 17 |
What the name Ephesus means
Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary glosses Ephesus as "desirable".
This is the 1869 traditional meaning; modern scholars often read names differently.
See every name and place with its meaning and count on Bible names and their meanings.
Source: Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary (1869), checked 2026-10-22.
Which books mention Ephesus most
Ephesus appears in 6 books of the 66 in the King James Version. Acts has the most (9), then 1 Corinthians (2) and 2 Timothy (2).
First and last mention of Ephesus
And he came to Ephesus, and left them there: but he himself entered into the synagogue, and reasoned with the Jews.
Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks;
Verses with Ephesus on our topic pages
1 verse that uses Ephesus in the World English Bible is in our topic collections.
While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul, having passed through the upper country, came to Ephesus, and found certain disciples.
On: What Does the Bible Say About Speaking in Tongues? 22 Verses
Common questions
How many times is Ephesus in the Old Testament and the New Testament?
In the King James Version, counting every form, 0 of the 17 uses are in the Old Testament and 17 in the New Testament. Ephesus appears in 6 books of the 66 in the King James Version. Acts has the most (9), then 1 Corinthians (2) and 2 Timothy (2).
Where is Ephesus first mentioned in the Bible?
The first use in the King James Version is Acts 18:19: "And he came to Ephesus, and left them there: but he himself entered into the synagogue, and reasoned with the Jews." The last is Revelation 2:1.
What does the name Ephesus mean in the Bible?
Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary glosses Ephesus as "desirable".
More word counts: Corinth, Philippi, Antioch, Rome, Athens, Crete, Cyprus, Capernaum, or all 484 words.
Counted by Bible Says About from the full public-domain text of the King James Version (1769 edition) and the World English Bible. Verse text only: headings and psalm titles are left out. A word is a run of letters: a hyphenated name like Beer-sheba counts as two, and an apostrophe stays inside its word (LORD'S is one). Matching ignores capital letters. Data compiled 2026-10-22.