17 June. Acts 17:10-15

17 June. Paul and Silas preach in Berea

"That same night the believers sent Paul and Silas to Berea where they went to the Jewish synagogue. These Jews were more willing to listen than the Jews in Thessalonica."

"The Jews in Berea were eager to hear what Paul and Silas said and studied the [Jewish] Scriptures every day to find out if these things were true. So many of them believed, as well as many important Greek women and men."

"But the Jews in Thessalonica learned that Paul was preaching the word of God in Berea, too. So they came there, upsetting the people and making trouble."

"The believers quickly sent Paul away to the coast, but Silas and Timothy stayed in Berea. The people leading Paul went with him to Athens. Then they carried a message back to Silas and Timothy for them to come to him as soon as they could."

          (Acts 17:10-15)

 

 

Paul and Silas journeyed on to Berea where they preached once again in the Jewish synagogue. Many of the Jews (and many wealthy Greek men and women) believed in Jesus, but Paul’s ministry was cut short when some Jews from Thessalonica arrived to stir up trouble.

Berea was a prosperous Roman city with a large Jewish community. Some 45 miles / 72 km to the west of Thessalonica, Berea was an important staging post for those travelling across the Roman provinces of Macedonia and Illyricum to Dyrrachium (modern-day DurrÑ‘s on the coast of Albania). From here, they would sail across the Adriatic Sea to Bari or Brindisi and continue along the Via Appia to Rome.

While Paul left for Athens in Achaia (southern Greece), Silas and Timothy stayed behind in Berea to teach the new believers. Accompanied by some of the local believers, Paul travelled down the east coast, or possibly travelled along the Via Egnatia to Illyricum before sailing south along the west coast of Greece to Athens.(see Romans 15:19).

Today, visitors to Veroia (Berea) can enter the early Byzantine Church of the Anastasis, celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ, or can view two modern mosaics – one depicting the vision of a man from Macedonia and the other showing Paul preaching to the citizens of Berea (see the photo). The mosaics are located at the top of St Paul’s Steps where it's believed that Paul addressed the crowds in 51AD.

You can see a photo of St Paul's Steps in Veroia (Berea) @ https://www.thebiblejourney.org/…/10-pauls-j…/paul-in-berea/.

Powered by Church Edit