A city in the Roman province of Galatia (in modern Turkey). In the days of Paul it was a flourishing center, located along the trade route between Syria and Ephesus.
On their first missionary journey, Paul and Barnabas, having been expelled from Antioch (Acts 13:50-51), went to Iconium where they spoke in the synagogue. As elsewhere, the apostles mission in Iconium was only partly successful: numerous Jews and Greeks accepted their teaching but others sought to stone them and the apostles had to flee to Lystra and Derbe (Acts 14:5-6). Hostile elements from Iconium and Antioch followed the apostles to Lystra and again stoned Paul "and dragged him out of the city", supposing he was dead (Acts 14:19). Nevertheless Paul returned to Iconium "strengthening the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith" (Acts 14:22).
The "brethren who were at Lystra and Iconium" spoke favorably of Timothy, which weighed well with Paul (Acts 16:2). As Paul relates in the Second Epistle to Timothy, his visit to Galatia was difficult as it was filled with persecutions and afflictions at Antioch, Iconium and Lystra (II Tim 3:11).
Concordance
Acts 13:51; 14:1, 19, 21; 16:2. II Tim 3:11
