Location
Overview
Bethsaida, "house of fishing," stood near the north-eastern shore of the Sea of Galilee, where the Jordan enters the lake. It was the hometown of several apostles and a place of Jesus' mighty works.
Home of the apostles
"Philip was of Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter" (John 1:44; 12:21) — the town that gave the apostolic band three of its leaders.
Miracles nearby
It was in a desert place near Bethsaida that Jesus fed the five thousand (Luke 9:10), and at Bethsaida he healed a blind man in stages, leading him out of the town first (Mark 8:22–26).
A woe pronounced
Yet despite all it saw, Bethsaida did not repent, and Jesus lamented over it with Chorazin: "Woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works... had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented" (Matthew 11:21).
Events Here
Jesus heals a blind man at Bethsaida
Jesus pronounces a woe over unrepentant Bethsaida
Scripture References
7 versesMatthew1 verse
Matthew 11:21
Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.
Mark2 verses
Luke2 verses
Luke 9:10
And the apostles, when they were returned, told him all that they had done. And he took them, and went aside privately into a desert place belonging to the city called Bethsaida.
Luke 10:13
Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon, which have been done in you, they had a great while ago repented, sitting in sackcloth and ashes.
John2 verses
John 1:44
Now Philip was of Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter.
John 12:21
The same came therefore to Philip, which was of Bethsaida of Galilee, and desired him, saying, Sir, we would see Jesus.
Archaeology & History
Bethsaida is generally identified with et-Tell, just north of the Sea of Galilee, where excavations uncovered a substantial town and fishing-related finds; the tetrarch Philip elevated it to a city ("Julias"). A rival candidate, el-Araj, has also been proposed nearer the shore. Its lakeside fishing setting matches its name and apostolic associations.
People who appear here
Frequently asked about Bethsaida
Where is Bethsaida today?
Today, Bethsaida corresponds to Et-Tell, Israel (probable).
What does the name Bethsaida mean?
The name Bethsaida means “House of fishing”.
What happened at Bethsaida in the Bible?
Key biblical events at Bethsaida include jesus heals a blind man at bethsaida; jesus pronounces a woe over unrepentant bethsaida.
Where is Bethsaida first mentioned in the Bible?
Bethsaida is first mentioned in Matthew 11:21.
How often is Bethsaida mentioned in the Bible?
Bethsaida is mentioned in 7 verses across 4 books: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John.
Which apostles came from Bethsaida?
Philip, Andrew, and Peter were all from Bethsaida (John 1:44; 12:21).
Why did Jesus pronounce a woe on Bethsaida?
Because, despite witnessing his miracles, the town did not repent — he said even Tyre and Sidon would have repented had they seen such works.