17:10 For a second time Paul fled a city under cover of night (cf. 9:25; Matt. 10:23). He and Silas left the Via Egnatia at Thessalonica and took the eastern coastal road toward Athens. They headed for Berea (modern Verria) about 50 miles southwest of Thessalonica. In spite of continued Jewish antagonism Paul and Silas again launched their ministry in this town by visiting the synagogue.
17:11-12 The Jews in Berea did not react out of jealousy (cf. v. 5) but listened carefully to what Paul preached and compared it to the teachings of their Hebrew Scriptures. Their example of daily Bible study has inspired Christians ever since to do the same. Anyone who listens to new religious truth would do well to compare it with Scripture, as these Jews did. Many of these noble skeptics believed because Paul's teaching was consistent with the Old Testament. Here there seem to have been many Jewish converts rather than a few, the usual result of Paul's preaching. Many Gentiles also believed. Among them were more prominent women (cf. v. 4) as well as men. Sopater, who later travelled with Paul, as did Aristarchus and Secundus, evidently was one of the converts (20:4).
17:13 Hearing of Paul's presence in Berea the Thessalonian Jews followed him there. They evidently adopted the same tactics they had used in Thessalonica to force Paul out of Berea (cf. vv. 5, 9).
17:14-15 The text is not clear if Paul took a ship to Athens or travelled there by land. Perhaps his pursuers did not know either. It seems that Paul's escorts took him to the sea to give the impression that they intended to put him on a ship, but then they accompanied him to Athens by land.703In any case he reached Athens safely and sent instructions back with the Berean brethren who had accompanied him that Silas and Timothy should join him soon. They apparently had stayed behind to confirm the new converts. They appear to have rejoined Paul in Athens as he requested (cf. 1 Thess. 3:1).
"Then Timothy was sent back to Thessalonica (1 Thess 3:2). Silas, however, seems to have gone back to Macedonia (cf. 18:5)--probably to Philippi, where he received from the young congregation there a gift of money for the support of the missioners (Phil 4:15). In the meantime, Paul had moved from Athens to Corinth (18:1) and was joined there by Silas and Timothy on their return from Macedonia (18:5; 1 Thess 3:6)."704
Thus Luke's account of Paul's evangelizing in Macedonia concludes. From there the gospel went south to the neighboring province of Achaia.
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