The Meaning of Acts 17:10 Explained

Acts 17:10

KJV: And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews.

YLT: And the brethren immediately, through the night, sent forth both Paul and Silas to Berea, who having come, went to the synagogue of the Jews;

Darby: But the brethren immediately sent away, in the night, Paul and Silas to Berea; who, being arrived, went away into the synagogue of the Jews.

ASV: And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Beroea: who when they were come thither went into the synagogue of the Jews.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And  the brethren  immediately  sent away  Paul  and  Silas  by  night  unto  Berea:  who  coming  [thither] went  into  the synagogue  of the Jews. 

What does Acts 17:10 Mean?

Verse Meaning

For a second time Paul fled a city under cover of night (cf. Acts 9:25; Matthew 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) about45 miles west-southwest of Thessalonica. Berea was a very old Mecedonian city situated on the Astraeus River. In spite of continued Jewish antagonism Paul and Silas again launched their ministry in this town by visiting the synagogue.

Context Summary

Acts 17:1-12 - Persecution Spreads The Truth
Thessalonica. Slowly Paul made his way among the great cities of Greece. He was sowing seeds of which others would reap the harvest. His one theme was the risen Lord, whether amid the less or the more cultivated, Acts 17:3; Acts 17:31. This is surely the true method of world evangelization-not to argue but to proclaim the glorious personality of our risen Lord. Notice the distinction in Acts 17:3 between the human name, Jesus, and the royal name, Christ. As Jesus, our Lord lived, ministered, and died; as Christ, He was raised from the dead, and as such He is the crowned King of men, Acts 17:7. However loyal we may be to the civil government, our first allegiance is to another king, Acts 17:7.
Berea. True nobility consists in being open to any new truth that God may reveal to us from His Word. The one test of truth is Scripture as interpreted to the pure heart by the Holy Spirit; but we should examine the Scriptures daily as the Bereans did. It is not to be wondered at that many believed. If only our people would love the Bible, saturating their minds with it and teaching it to their children, what different results would follow the preaching of the gospel! [source]

Chapter Summary: Acts 17

1  Paul preaches at Thessalonica, where some believe,
5  and others persecute him
10  He is sent to Berea, and preaches there
13  Being persecuted by Jews from Thessalonica,
16  he comes to Athens, and disputes and preaches the living God, to them unknown;
32  whereby, though some mock, many are converted unto Christ

Greek Commentary for Acts 17:10

Immediately by night [ευτεως δια νυκτος]
Paul‘s work had not been in vain in Thessalonica (1 Thessalonians 1:7.; 1 Thessalonians 2:13, 1 Thessalonians 2:20). Paul loved the church here. Two of them, Aristarchus and Secundus, will accompany him to Jerusalem (Acts 20:4) and Aristarchus will go on with him to Rome (Acts 27:2). Plainly Paul and Silas had been in hiding in Thessalonica and in real danger. After his departure severe persecution came to the Christians in Thessalonica (1 Thessalonians 2:14; 1 Thessalonians 3:1-5; 2 Thessalonians 1:6). It is possible that there was an escort of Gentile converts with Paul and Silas on this night journey to Beroea which was about fifty miles southwest from Thessalonica near Pella in another district of Macedonia (Emathia). There is a modern town there of some 6,000 people. [source]
Went [απηιεσαν]
Imperfect third plural active of απειμι — apeimi old verb to go away, here alone in the N.T. A literary, almost Atticistic, form instead of απηλτον — apēlthon Into the synagogue of the Jews (εις την συναγωγην των Ιουδαιων — eis tēn sunagōgēn tōn Ioudaiōn). Paul‘s usual custom and he lost no time about it. Enough Jews here to have a synagogue. [source]
Into the synagogue of the Jews [εις την συναγωγην των Ιουδαιων]
Paul‘s usual custom and he lost no time about it. Enough Jews here to have a synagogue. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Acts 17:10

Acts 13:4 Sent forth [εκπεμπτεντες]
Old verb from εκπεμπω — ekpempō and first aorist passive participle, but in the N.T. only here and Acts 17:10. Sailed (απεπλευσαν — apepleusan). Effective aorist active indicative of αποπλεω — apopleō old verb to sail away, depart from. In the N.T. only here and Acts 14:26; Acts 20:15; Acts 27:1. Barnabas was from Cyprus where there were many Jews. [source]
Acts 16:40 They departed [εχηλταν]
Paul and Silas, but not Luke and Timothy. Note “they” here, not “we.” Note also the αν — ̇an ending instead of ον — ̇on as above. The movements of Timothy are not perfectly clear till he reappears at Beroea (Acts 17:15). It seems unlikely that he came to Thessalonica with Paul and Silas since only Paul and Silas obtained security there (Acts 17:9) and were sent on to Beroea (Acts 17:10). Probably Timothy was sent to Thessalonica from Philippi with gifts of which Paul spoke later (Philemon 4:15.). Then he followed Paul and Silas to Beroea. [source]
Acts 19:31 Being his friends [οντες αυτωι πιλοι]
Evidently the Asiarchs had a high opinion of Paul and were unwilling for him to expose his life to a wild mob during the festival of Artemis. They were at least tolerant toward Paul and his preaching. “It was an Asiarch who at Smyrna resisted the cry of the populace to throw Polycarp to the lions” (Furneaux). Besought him (παρεκαλουν αυτον — parekaloun auton). Imperfect active, showing that the messengers sent had to insist over Paul‘s protest. “Not to adventure himself” It was a hazard, a rash adventure “to give himself” (second aorist active infinitive of διδωμι — didōmi). Just this sense of “adventure” with the idiom occurs only here in the N.T., though in Polybius V., 14, 9. But the phrase itself Paul uses of Jesus who gave himself for our sins (Galatians 1:4; 1 Timothy 2:6; Titus 2:14). It is not the first time that friends had rescued Paul from peril (Acts 9:25, Acts 9:30; Acts 17:10, Acts 17:14). The theatre was no place for Paul. It meant certain death. [source]
Acts 19:31 Not to adventure himself []
” It was a hazard, a rash adventure “to give himself” (second aorist active infinitive of διδωμι — didōmi). Just this sense of “adventure” with the idiom occurs only here in the N.T., though in Polybius V., 14, 9. But the phrase itself Paul uses of Jesus who gave himself for our sins (Galatians 1:4; 1 Timothy 2:6; Titus 2:14). It is not the first time that friends had rescued Paul from peril (Acts 9:25, Acts 9:30; Acts 17:10, Acts 17:14). The theatre was no place for Paul. It meant certain death. [source]
1 Thessalonians 1:1  []
d The address of the first Epistle is shorter than that of any of the Pauline letters. In the other Epistles Paul either indicates the contents of the letter, or adds details concerning the writer or his correspondents, or amplifies the apostolic greeting. The names of Silvanus and Timothy are added to that of Paul as the senders of the letter. They were with him at Corinth when it was written (Acts 18:5; 2 Corinthians 1:19). They had assisted him in the foundation of the Thessalonian Church (Acts 16:1-3; Acts 17:4, Acts 17:10, Acts 17:14). Paul's official title; “Apostle” is omitted in the addresses of both Epistles, although in 1 Thessalonians 2:6he uses ἀπόστολοι apostlesincluding Silvanus and Timothy under that title. The title appears in all the other Epistles except Philippians and Philemon. The reason for its omission in every case appears to have been the intimate and affectionate character of his relations with the parties addressed, which rendered an appeal to his apostolic authority unnecessary. Paul does not confine the name of apostle to the twelve. [source]

What do the individual words in Acts 17:10 mean?

- And the brothers immediately by night sent away - both Paul and - Silas to Berea who having arrived into the synagogue of the Jews went
Οἱ δὲ ἀδελφοὶ εὐθέως διὰ νυκτὸς ἐξέπεμψαν τόν τε Παῦλον καὶ τὸν Σιλᾶν εἰς Βέροιαν οἵτινες παραγενόμενοι εἰς τὴν συναγωγὴν τῶν Ἰουδαίων ἀπῄεσαν

Οἱ  - 
Parse: Article, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
ἀδελφοὶ  the  brothers 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: ἀδελφός  
Sense: a brother, whether born of the same two parents or only of the same father or mother.
εὐθέως  immediately 
Parse: Adverb
Root: εὐθέως  
Sense: straightway, immediately, forthwith.
νυκτὸς  night 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Feminine Singular
Root: νύξ  
Sense: night.
ἐξέπεμψαν  sent  away 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Plural
Root: ἐκπέμπω  
Sense: to send away, send forth.
τόν  - 
Parse: Article, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
τε  both 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: τέ  
Sense: not only … but also.
Παῦλον  Paul 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: Παῦλος  
Sense: Paul was the most famous of the apostles and wrote a good part of the NT, the 4 Pauline epistles.
τὸν  - 
Parse: Article, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
Σιλᾶν  Silas 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: Σίλας  
Sense: a Roman citizen, the companion of the apostle Paul on several of his missionary journeys.
Βέροιαν  Berea 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root: Βέροια  
Sense: a city in Macedonia, near Pella, at the foot of Mount Bermius.
παραγενόμενοι  having  arrived 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Participle Middle, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: παραγίνομαι  
Sense: to be present, to come near, approach.
εἰς  into 
Parse: Preposition
Root: εἰς  
Sense: into, unto, to, towards, for, among.
συναγωγὴν  synagogue 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root: συναγωγή  
Sense: a bringing together, gathering (as of fruits), a contracting.
τῶν  of  the 
Parse: Article, Genitive Masculine Plural
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
Ἰουδαίων  Jews 
Parse: Adjective, Genitive Masculine Plural
Root: Ἰουδαῖος  
Sense: Jewish, belonging to the Jewish race.
ἀπῄεσαν  went 
Parse: Verb, Imperfect Indicative Active, 3rd Person Plural
Root: ἄπειμι2  
Sense: to go away, depart.