Bethsaida

In the Bible

Philip, Andrew and Peter came from Bethsaida. There Jesus led a blind man out of the village and laid His hands on his eyes until he saw clearly.

John 1:44Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the same town as Andrew and Peter.

Mark 8:22–25When they arrived at Bethsaida, some people brought a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him. So He took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village. Then He spit on the man’s eyes and placed His hands on him. “Can you see anything?” He asked. The man looked up and said, “I can see the people, but they look like trees walking around.” Once again Jesus placed His hands on the man’s eyes, and when he opened them his sight was restored, and he could see everything clearly.

Tradition

Where Bethsaida lay is debated: one view, the mound of et-Tell, excavated since 1987; another, el-Araj on the shore, where a Byzantine church has been found.

Here today

A park with excavations on the mound: a city gate of the Iron Age and the houses of fishing and wine-making families.

Before you travel, check your country’s travel advice. Opening hours and the rules of the sites change — see their official pages.

Land outlines: Natural Earth (public domain).