berea Summary and Overview

a city of Macedonia to which Paul with Silas and Timotheus went when persecuted at Thessalonica (Acts 17:10, 13), and from which also he was compelled to withdraw, when he fled to the sea-coast and thence sailed to Athens (14, 15). Sopater, one of Paul's companions belonged to this city, and his conversion probably took place at this time (Acts 20:4). It is now called Verria.

(well watered). 1. A city of Macedonia, mentioned in #Ac 17:10,13| It is now called Verria or Kara-Verria, and is situated on the eastern slope of the Olympian mountain range, and has 15,000 or 20,000 inhabitants. 2. The modern Aleppo, mentioned in 2 Macc. 13:4. 3. A place in Judea, apparently not very far from Jerusalem. 1 Macc. 9:4.

BERE'A , a city of Macedonia, Acts 17:10-13, on the eastern side of the Olympian Mountains; now Verriu, with a population of about 6000, though some incorrectly give 20,000.

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.