Just as Acts never mentions the name ‘Titus’, the Acts of Paul never mentions

‘Timothy’. It does, however mention Titus, and in a manor that would be very

appropriate for Timothy.

‘And a certain man named Onesiphorus, when he heard that Paul was come to

Iconium, went out with his children Simmias and Zeno and his wife Lectra to meet

him, that he might receive him into his house: for Titus had told him what manner of

man Paul was in appearance; for he had not seen him in the flesh, but only in the

spirit. And he went by the king's highway that leadeth unto Lystra and stood

expecting him, and looked upon them that came, according to the description of

Titus.’ (APl, II, 2-3)

Here Paul is approaching Iconium, apparently from Lystra, and Titus has been in

Iconium before him. This information accords well with 2 Tim 3:11 where it is written that Timothy has observed Paul’s suffering in Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra. It also fits Luke’s report in Acts 16:1-3, where Paul visits Derbe, Lystra, and (presumably) Iconium in that order, and where Timothy is well spoken of in Iconium and Lystra. It is possible that the author of the Acts of Paul, or his source, knew that Titus was Timothy, and inferred from 2 Tim 3:11 (or Acts 16:1-3) that Titus was in Iconium. However, traditions concerning Paul’s companions are not reliable, as we shall see in the discussion of the Pastoral

Epistles.

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