Acts 17:1 - Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue.

Generated Verse: Acts 17:1

What does "Acts 17:1" mean?


This verse from Acts 17:1 is a simple statement of location and sets the scene for the events that follow. Let's break it down:

"Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia...": This tells us that Paul and his companions (likely Silas and Timothy) were traveling on a missionary journey. Amphipolis and Apollonia were cities along their route, but the verse implies they didn't stop to preach or establish a church there (or if they did, it wasn't significant enough to be mentioned). They were on their way to somewhere else.

"...they came to Thessalonica...": This indicates their destination for this leg of the journey was Thessalonica, a major port city in Macedonia (modern-day Greece).

"...where there was a Jewish synagogue.": This is the key piece of information. The presence of a Jewish synagogue in Thessalonica was significant because Paul's common practice was to preach first to the Jews in their synagogues before turning to the Gentiles. The synagogue served as a starting point and a place where he could find an audience already familiar with the Old Testament scriptures.

In summary, this verse tells us that Paul and his companions were traveling and arrived at Thessalonica, a city with a Jewish synagogue, setting the stage for Paul to begin his missionary work there. The synagogue was a crucial point of contact for Paul in spreading the Gospel.