About…
Crete in the Bible

also known as: Κρήτη

This is one of the largest islands in the Mediterranean, about 140 miles long and 35 broad. Today it belongs to the nation of Greece.

In ancient times it was a very prosperous and populous island, having a “hundred cities.” Its people were called Cretans.

The character of the people is described in Paul’s quotation from one of their own Epimenides of Knossos, Crete (a seer and philosopher-poet) in his epistle to Titus:

“One of themselves, a prophet of their own, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.” —Titus 1:12

Jews from Crete were in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:11).

The island was visited by Paul on his voyage to Rome (Acts 27).

Here Paul subsequently left Titus to “appoint elders in every city” (Titus 1:5).

Caphtor and Caphtorim

It is supposed that Crete was the original home of the Caphtorim or Philistines.

Minoa

Minoa is an ancient name for several Bronze Age port cities (e.g., on Crete, associated with the Minoan civilization centered on Crete ~3000–1100 BCE).

The name Minoa comes from the mythical King Minos.

No independent “country of Minoa” existed. The name is tied to ancient Crete.

More information

• Who is Paul? and what is his significance?
• What is Paul’s Epistle to Titus?
• What is Caphtor and what are Caphtorim?
• Who are the Philistines?
• Answers about islands of the Bible
• Answers about ships in the Bible, and their ports
• Places in the Bible