Study Desk

In Thessalonica

When Paul and his companions had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica,^(a) where there was a Jewish synagogue.

As was his custom, Paul went into the synagogue,^(b) and on three Sabbath^(c) days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures,^(d)

explaining and proving that the Messiah had to suffer^(e) and rise from the dead.^(f) "This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Messiah,"^(g) he said.

Some of the Jews were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas,^(h) as did a large number of God-fearing Greeks and quite a few prominent women.

But other Jews were jealous; so they rounded up some bad characters from the marketplace, formed a mob and started a riot in the city.⁽ⁱ⁾ They rushed to Jason's^(j) house in search of Paul and Silas in order to bring them out to the crowd.^[a]

But when they did not find them, they dragged^(k) Jason and some other believers^(l) before the city officials, shouting: "These men who have caused trouble all over the world^(m) have now come here,⁽ⁿ⁾

and Jason has welcomed them into his house. They are all defying Caesar's decrees, saying that there is another king, one called Jesus."^(o)

When they heard this, the crowd and the city officials were thrown into turmoil.

Then they made Jason^(p) and the others post bond and let them go.

As soon as it was night, the believers sent Paul and Silas^(q) away to Berea.^(r) On arriving there, they went to the Jewish synagogue.^(s)

Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica,^(t) for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures^(u) every day to see if what Paul said was true.^(v)

As a result, many of them believed, as did also a number of prominent Greek women and many Greek men.^(w)

But when the Jews in Thessalonica learned that Paul was preaching the word of God at Berea,^(x) some of them went there too, agitating the crowds and stirring them up.

The believers^(y) immediately sent Paul to the coast, but Silas^(z) and Timothy^(aa) stayed at Berea.

Those who escorted Paul brought him to Athens^(ab) and then left with instructions for Silas and Timothy to join him as soon as possible.^(ac)