Qasr al-Yahud
The baptism site on the Jordan
Page coming soon
c. AD 27 – 30
- New Testament
The Ministry of Jesus in Galilee
From the baptism in the Jordan to the villages of the Sea of Galilee: the three years in which Jesus taught and healed in Galilee.
Credit: Zachi Evenor & MathKnight · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Around AD 27, Jesus was baptised by John in the Jordan, then settled in Capernaum, on the north shore of the lake the Gospels call the "Sea of Galilee". For two to three years he travelled through the villages of the region, taught in the synagogues and gathered his disciples, several of them fishermen from the lake.
Jesus grew up in Nazareth, an hour's drive from the lake (see the birth and childhood of Jesus). Today this is the region of Israel where the most Gospel stories can be linked to precise places, within a few kilometres of each other.
- SourcesThe four Gospels, Flavius Josephus
- RulerHerod Antipas, tetrarch of Galilee
- Key placesJordan River, Capernaum, Magdala, Tabgha, Mount of Beatitudes
- FindsMagdala synagogue (2009), Galilee Boat (1986)
"And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people."
Matthew 4:23
Sites from this period
8 places covered on this page. Tap a point on the map to open its guide.
Visit these places: build my tour (8 stops) →
Yardenit (Jordan River)
Baptisms in the Jordan
Page coming soon
Capernaum
Jesus's town by the lake
Page coming soon
Magdala
A first-century synagogue
Page coming soon
Tabgha
The multiplication of the loaves
Page coming soon
Mount of Beatitudes
The Sermon on the Mount
Page coming soon
Mount Tabor
Deborah and the Transfiguration
Page coming soon
Banias (Caesarea Philippi)
“You are Peter”
Page coming soon
The baptism in the Jordan
The Gospels place the baptism of Jesus "beyond Jordan", where John was baptising. Tradition locates it near Jericho, at the site of Qasr al-Yahud, reopened to visitors in 2011. Further north, Yardenit, where the Jordan leaves the Sea of Galilee, is a purpose-built site where pilgrims can be baptised.
Capernaum and the lakeside villages
At Capernaum, Franciscan excavations uncovered a white limestone synagogue from the 4th-5th centuries, built on older basalt foundations, and nearby a 1st-century house venerated very early as that of Peter. A modern church shaped like a ship now stands above it.
At Magdala, the home town of Mary Magdalene, a 1st-century synagogue was discovered in 2009, with a stone carved with a menorah. In 1986, a drought revealed in the mud of the lake a fishing boat from the same period, now displayed at the Ginosar museum.
Tabgha and the Mount of Beatitudes
At Tabgha, the Church of the Multiplication preserves a famous Byzantine mosaic of a basket of loaves between two fish. On the hill nearby, the Mount of Beatitudes commemorates the Sermon on the Mount.
Visiting the Galilee of Jesus
All these places are less than 20 minutes' drive from one another, north of the lake. One day is enough for Capernaum, Tabgha, the Mount of Beatitudes and Magdala; add half a day for Mount Tabor or Banias (Caesarea Philippi).
The story then continues in Jerusalem: see the Passion in Jerusalem.
Frequently asked questions
Where did Jesus live during his ministry?
The Gospels present Capernaum, on the north shore of the Sea of Galilee, as "his own city". He taught in its synagogue and stayed at Peter's house.
Where was Jesus baptised?
The Gospels place the baptism in the Jordan, where John was baptising. Tradition locates it at Qasr al-Yahud, near Jericho. Yardenit, just south of the Sea of Galilee, is a modern site chosen for its easy access.
What can you see at Capernaum?
The white limestone synagogue from the 4th-5th centuries, built on older foundations, the houses of the ancient village and the house venerated as Peter's, under a modern church.
What was discovered at Magdala?
A 1st-century synagogue, uncovered in 2009, with a carved stone bearing one of the oldest known depictions of the Temple menorah, as well as a quarter of the ancient town.
How much time should you plan for Galilee?
A full day for the lakeside sites, two days if you add Nazareth, Mount Tabor and Banias.