Capernaum

Capernaum (meaning village of Nahum or city of comfort) was a fishing town on the northwest shore of the Sea of Galilee that became the center of Jesus's Galilean ministry. Not mentioned in the Old Testament, it first appears in the Gospels, where it is called Jesus's "own city" (Matthew 9:1) after his rejection at Nazareth. Many of Jesus's most significant miracles occurred there: the healing of the centurion's servant (Matthew 8:5–13), the healing of Peter's mother-in-law (Matthew 8:14–15), the healing of a paralytic lowered through the roof (Mark 2:1–12), and the exorcism in the synagogue (Mark 1:21–28). The town was also home to Matthew (Levi) the tax collector (Matthew 9:9). Despite these mighty works, its inhabitants remained impenitent, drawing from Jesus a severe condemnation — it would be brought down to Hades (Matthew 11:23). The probable site is Tell Hum on the northern shore of the lake, where excavations have revealed a synagogue and an octagonal church.