A city of Macedon, whither Paul withdrew, with Silas and Timothy, at his first visit to Europe, from Jewish persecution at Thessalonica, whence also, when the persecutors followed him from Thessalonica, he retired seawards to proceed to Athens (Acts 17:10-15). The Berean Jews were "more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word (preached) with all readiness of mind (not in a cavilling, critical spirit), and (yet not in a credulous spirit, for they) searched the Scriptures daily whether those things were so." (See Isaiah 8:20; John 5:39; Galatians 1:8-9.) The result was necessarily, "many believed; also of honorable women, which were Greeks, and of men not a few."
Sopater, or Sosipater, one of them, became Paul's missionary companion (Acts 20:4; Romans 16:21) in returning to Asia from his second visit to Europe, where he had been with him at Corinth. Now Verria, or Kara-verria, commanding a wide view of the plain of the Axius and Haliacmon; one of the most pleasant towns of Roumelia, with 20,000 inhabitants. One of the two roads from Thessalonica to Berea passed by Pella. A road led from Berea to Dium, whence probably Paul sailed to Athens, leaving Silas and Timothy behind.
From the co-author of the classic Jamieson, Fausset and Brown Commentary, Fausset's Bible Dictionary stands as one of the best single-volume Bible encyclopedias ever written for general use. The author's writing style is always clear and concise, and he tackles issues important to the average student of the Bible, not just the Biblical scholars. This makes Fausset an excellent tool for both everyday Bible study and in-depth lesson or sermon preparation.Wikipedia
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