Berea

Berea and Bereans

Acts 17:10-14 Berea

ACTS 17:10 10 Then the brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea. When they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews.

Where is "Berea" (Acts 17:10)?
Berea was located about 70 kilometers (43 miles) southwest of Thessalonica. Berea still exists as a small city of about 50,000 people, and is called Veroia today. The journey from Thessalonica to Berea would have taken two days on foot.

ACTS 17:11-12 11 These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so. 12 Therefore many of them believed, and also not a few of the Greeks, prominent women as well as men.

When did many of the Bereans (people of Berea) believe what "Paul and Silas" (Acts 17:10) preached to them?
After they "searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so" (Acts 17:11).

How should this be different today?
It shouldn't be. Every Christian must sieve the preaching they hear through the Bible, not sieve the Bible through preachers, so that the preached elements that are Biblical can be ingested spiritually, and the preached element that are not Biblical can be rejected. This of course requires every Christian to read and study the Bible for themselves. And you must, for the everlasting destiny of your soul must be entrusted to the word of God, not to fallible human beings.

ACTS 17:13-14 13 But when the Jews from Thessalonica learned that the word of God was preached by Paul at Berea, they came there also and stirred up the crowds. 14 Then immediately the brethren sent Paul away, to go to the sea; but both Silas and Timothy remained there.

How long did Paul stay in Berea?
Long enough for some of the Bereans to have become "brethren" (Acts 17:14), including those who accompanied Paul on the ship (see below).

How far is Berea from "the sea" (Acts 17:14)?
The coast is 35 kilometers (22 miles) southeast of Berea.

What may the Jews from Thessalonica (Acts 17:13) have concluded when Paul left Berea?
"We won."

Did they?
Paul had completed his God-ordained role in evangelizing Berea, so God used the Jews from Thessalonica to move Paul along to his next destination, and kept Silas and Timothy a little longer in Berea to perform their ordained roles.

Who performed the important role in evangelizing Berea?
"So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase" (1 Corinthians 3:7).

What is your God-ordained role in evangelizing your community?