Cenchreae

Cenchreae was the eastern port of Corinth, where Paul had his hair cut in connection with a vow, and was the home of Phoebe, a deaconess of the church.

Cenchreae was a seaport located on the eastern side of the Isthmus of Corinth, about seven miles from the city of Corinth. It served as the port for Corinth's trade with Asia Minor and the East. Cenchreae is mentioned twice in the Bible, both in connection with Paul's ministry.

In Act.18.18, Paul departed from Corinth and sailed from Cenchreae to Syria, after having his hair cut due to a vow he had taken. This vow was likely a Nazirite vow (Numbers 6:1-21), which involved abstaining from cutting one's hair until the vow was completed. Paul's actions at Cenchreae indicate his continued observance of Jewish customs and his commitment to his Jewish heritage.

In Romans 16:1-2, Paul commends Phoebe, a deaconess of the church in Cenchreae, to the believers in Rome. He describes her as a servant of the church and a benefactor to many, including Paul himself. This passage provides insight into the role of women in the early church and their significant contributions to the spread of the gospel.

Millet, the eastern harbour of Corinth, from which it was distant about 9 miles east, and the outlet for its trade with the Asiatic shores of the Mediterranean. When Paul returned from his second missionary journey to Syria, he sailed from this port (Acts 18:18). In Rom. 16:1 he speaks as if there were at the time of his writing that epistle an organized church there. The western harbour of Corinth was Lechaeum, about a mile and a half from the city. It was the channel of its trade with Italy and the west.