Acts 17:8

And they troubled the multitude and the rulers of the city, when they heard these things. And when they had taken security from Jason and the rest, they let them go.

The seriousness of the charges against the apostles was such that the politarchs dared not ignore it; but the evidence presented to sustain them was so scanty that the official action was minimal.

Security of Jason and the rest ... They were probably compelled to put up large sums of money, perhaps their homes and businesses, as a guarantee of no further disturbances, which, of necessity, would have meant that Paul could not remain in the city. As Bruce said:

This probably meant that Paul had to leave the city and that his friends guaranteed that he would not come back - at least during the present magistrates' term of office. It is probably to this situation that Paul referred in 1 Thessalonians 2:18 ... that he greatly desired to go back, but "Satan hindered us."[18]

It was indeed one of Satan's victories. Paul could have gone back, of course; but it would have resulted in the spoilation of the Christians through the loss of their property. Paul had not consented to such an arrangement, the details having been arranged by his friends on his behalf in his absence! It was a neat little victory for the devil.

Before leaving this record of Paul's preaching in Thessalonica, it should be observed, as Wesley pointed out, that "Paul maintained himself by his own labor (1 Thessalonians 2:8,9), assisted by friends in Philippi (Philippians 4:15,16).[19]

[18] F. F. Bruce, The Book of Acts (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans, Publishers, 1954), p. 345.

[19] John Wesley, op. cit., in loco.