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Derbe

Biblical
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

A Lycaonian city visited by Paul and Barnabas during missionary journeys in Acts.

Detailed Definition
Derbe was a site of preaching, persecution, and discipleship (Acts 14). In poetry, it symbolizes the spread of the Gospel into Gentile lands, the resilience of new believers, and the quiet growth of faith in obscure places far from Jerusalem.
Example
Example in poetry:
Derbe—city on Paul’s missionary journey—inspires perseverance poetry: “In Derbe, they stoned Paul, but he rose and preached again”; A modern poem: “My Derbe is the place where I’m knocked down, yet choose to speak grace”; In a sonnet on resilience: “Derbe’s stones became stepping stones for the gospel”; Historical verse: “Blessed Derbe, where suffering birthed disciples.”
Additional Notes
Derbe (Acts 14:6–20) was a Lycaonian city where Paul and Barnabas were first hailed as gods (Zeus and Hermes) and later stoned. Its mixed reception reflects the volatility of early mission. In poetry, Derbe symbolizes the paradox of divine presence mistaken for myth, and the thin line between adoration and violence in encounters with the sacred.
Also Known As
Lycaonian town Pauline mission Cilician border
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