Berea
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Topical Encyclopedia
Geographical and Historical Context:

Berea, known in modern times as Veria or Veroia, is a city located in the region of Macedonia in northern Greece. It is situated at the foot of the Vermio Mountains and near the Haliacmon River. In ancient times, Berea was a significant city in the Roman province of Macedonia, known for its strategic location and vibrant community.

Biblical Significance:

Berea holds a notable place in the New Testament, particularly in the Acts of the Apostles. The city is most famously associated with the Apostle Paul's missionary journeys. After facing opposition in Thessalonica, Paul and Silas traveled to Berea, as recorded in Acts 17:10-15.

Acts 17:10-12 : "As soon as night had fallen, the brothers sent Paul and Silas away to Berea. On arriving there, they went into the Jewish synagogue. Now the Bereans were more noble-minded than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if these teachings were true. As a result, many of them believed, along with quite a few prominent Greek women and men."

The Bereans are commended for their noble character and diligence in examining the Scriptures. Unlike the Thessalonians, who reacted with hostility, the Bereans approached Paul's message with openness and a commitment to verifying its truth through the Scriptures. This attitude of the Bereans has been lauded throughout Christian history as a model for how believers should engage with teachings and doctrines.

Cultural and Religious Context:

Berea was a city with a significant Jewish population, as evidenced by the presence of a synagogue where Paul and Silas began their ministry. The city's openness to the Gospel message is highlighted by the conversion of both Jews and Greeks, including prominent women, which underscores the inclusive nature of the early Christian message.

Legacy and Influence:

The Berean approach to Scripture has left a lasting legacy in Christian thought and practice. The term "Berean" is often used to describe individuals or groups who prioritize the study and verification of biblical teachings. This legacy is reflected in various Christian ministries and organizations that emphasize the importance of Scripture study and discernment.

Modern Berea:

Today, Berea (Veria) is a city that retains its historical and cultural significance. It is a place of pilgrimage for many Christians who wish to connect with the early history of the Church and the missionary journeys of Paul. The city's ancient roots and biblical heritage continue to attract scholars, theologians, and believers interested in the rich tapestry of early Christian history.
Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary
Berea

heavy; weighty

ATS Bible Dictionary
Berea

A city of Macedonia, not far from Pella towards the southwest, and near Mount Bermius. It was afterwards called Irenopolis, and is now called by the Turks, Boor; by others, Cara Veria. Paul preached the gospel here with success; the ingenuous Bereans examined his doctrine by the Old Testament scriptures, and many believed, Acts 17:10,14; 20:4.

Easton's Bible Dictionary
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.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
BEREA

be-re'-a.

See BEROEA.

Greek
960. Beroia -- Berea, a city of Macedonia
... Berea, a city of Macedonia. Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine Transliteration: Beroia
Phonetic Spelling: (ber'-oy-ah) Short Definition: Berea Definition: Berea, a ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/960.htm - 6k

961. Beroiaios -- Berean, a native of Berea
... Berean, a native of Berea. Part of Speech: Adjective Transliteration: Beroiaios
Phonetic Spelling: (ber-oy-ah'-yos) Short Definition: belonging to Berea, Berean ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/961.htm - 5k

961a. Beroiaios -- Berean, a native of Berea
... 961, 961a. Beroiaios. 961b . Berean, a native of Berea. Transliteration:
Beroiaios Short Definition: Berea. Word Origin from Beroia ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/961a.htm - 5k

4986. Sopatros -- "of a safe father," Sopater, a Christian from ...
... 4985, 4986. Sopatros. 4987 . "of a safe father," Sopater, a Christian from
Berea. Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine Transliteration: Sopatros Phonetic Spelling ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4986.htm - 6k

Library

Thessalonica and Berea
... THE ACTS CHAP. XIII TO END THESSALONICA AND BEREA. 'Now, when they had passed
through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture the acts/thessalonica and berea.htm

Berea and Athens
... Lesson 23 Berea and Athens. [This chapter is based on Acts 17:11-34.] At Berea Paul
found Jews who were willing to investigate the truths he taught. ...
/.../white/the acts of the apostles/lesson 23 berea and athens.htm

The Ministry of Paul in Thessalonica, Berea, Athens, and Corinth.
... THE APOSTOLIC CHURCH. CHAPTER VII. THE MINISTRY OF PAUL IN THESSALONICA,
BEREA, ATHENS, AND CORINTH. AD52 TO AD54. After leaving ...
/.../killen/the ancient church/chapter vii the ministry of.htm

Paul and Silas in Thessalonica and Berea.
... LECTURES LECTURE XIX. PAUL AND SILAS IN THESSALONICA AND BEREA. Chap.
xvii.1-12. THE treatment which Paul and Silas had met with ...
/.../dick/lectures on the acts of the apostles/lecture xix paul and silas.htm

Acts XVII
... He also speaks of the these two brethren as if they constituted the whole company,
until they are about to leave Berea, when Timothy is again mentioned. ...
/.../mcgarvey/a commentary on acts of the apostles/acts xvii.htm

Acts XVIII
... Jews that Jesus is the Christ." It will be recollected by the reader, that Silas
and Timothy, whose arrival is here mentioned, had tarried in Berea, and that ...
/.../mcgarvey/a commentary on acts of the apostles/acts xviii.htm

The Acts of the Apostles
... gates to Derbe, Lystra, Iconium and Troas, whence he was directed by a vision to
pass into Europe, where he visited Philippi, Thessalonica, Berea, Athens and ...
/.../drummond/introduction to the new testament/the acts of the apostles.htm

Acts xvii. 1, 2, 3
... "And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea:
who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews. ...
/.../chrysostom/homilies on acts and romans/homily xxxvii acts xvii 1.htm

How Demetrius Eucerus Overcame Alexander and yet in a Little Time ...
... 3. But when Demetrius was departed out of Judea, he went to Berea, and besieged
his brother Philip, having with him ten thousand footmen, and a thousand ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 14 how demetrius eucerus.htm

Second Missionary Journey
... of the converts and their ways of working. 3. Berea (Acts 17:10-14) was
a secluded inland city. It must have been somewhat of a ...
/.../sell/bible studies in the life of paul/study iv second missionary journey.htm

Thesaurus
Berea (4 Occurrences)
... called Verria. Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. BEREA. be-re'-a. See BEROEA.
Multi-Version Concordance Berea (4 Occurrences). Acts 17 ...
/b/berea.htm - 8k

Beroea (4 Occurrences)
... its existence at the end of the 4th century BC, and it is twice mentioned by Polybius
(xxvii0.8; xxviii.8). After the battle of Pydba in 168 BC Berea was the ...
/b/beroea.htm - 11k

Beroe'a (3 Occurrences)
... Acts 17:10 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; (See ...
/b/beroe'a.htm - 7k

Timothy (28 Occurrences)
... office of an evangelist (1 Timothy 4:14), and went with Paul in his journey through
Phrygia, Galatia, and Mysia; also to Troas and Philippi and Berea (Acts 17 ...
/t/timothy.htm - 38k

Thessalonica (8 Occurrences)
... and laid the foundations of a church (Acts 17:1-4; 1 Thessalonians 1:9). The violence
of the Jews drove him from the city, when he fled to Berea (Acts 17:5-10 ...
/t/thessalonica.htm - 25k

Thither (119 Occurrences)
... (KJV WBS). Acts 17:10 And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night
unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews. ...
/t/thither.htm - 38k

Sosipater (1 Occurrence)
... He is a "kinsman" of Paul, by which Paul means a Jew (Romans 9:3; Romans 16:11,
21). It is the same name as SOPATER (which see). "Sopater of Berea" was one of ...
/s/sosipater.htm - 7k

Sopater (1 Occurrence)
... The father who saves, probably the same as Sosipater, a kinsman of Paul (Romans
16:21), a Christian of the city of Berea who accompanied Paul into Asia (Acts 20 ...
/s/sopater.htm - 7k

Macedonia (23 Occurrences)
... The apostle's relations with the churches of Philippi, Thessalonica, and Berea will
be found discussed under those several headings; here we will merely ...
/m/macedonia.htm - 40k

According (7613 Occurrences)
... such care, collected. I myself was allowed the opportunity of copying it
by the Nazarenes in Berea who use this volume. In which ...
/a/according.htm - 62k

Resources
Who were the Bereans in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org

What happened on Paul's second missionary journey? | GotQuestions.org

What happened on Paul's third missionary journey? | GotQuestions.org

Bible ConcordanceBible DictionaryBible EncyclopediaTopical BibleBible Thesuarus
Concordance
Berea (4 Occurrences)

Acts 17:10
And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews.
(KJV DBY WBS YLT NAS NIV)

Acts 17:13
But when the Jews of Thessalonica had knowledge that the word of God was preached of Paul at Berea, they came thither also, and stirred up the people.
(KJV DBY WBS YLT NAS NIV)

Acts 17:14
Then the brothers immediately sent out Paul to go as far as to the sea, and Silas and Timothy still stayed there.
(See NIV)

Acts 20:4
And there accompanied him into Asia Sopater of Berea; and of the Thessalonians, Aristarchus and Secundus; and Gaius of Derbe, and Timotheus; and of Asia, Tychicus and Trophimus.
(KJV DBY WBS YLT NAS NIV)

Subtopics

Berea

Berea: A City in the South of Macedonia

Related Terms

Beroea (4 Occurrences)

Beroe'a (3 Occurrences)

Timothy (28 Occurrences)

Thessalonica (8 Occurrences)

Thither (119 Occurrences)

Sosipater (1 Occurrence)

Sopater (1 Occurrence)

Macedonia (23 Occurrences)

According (7613 Occurrences)

Tych'icus (5 Occurrences)

Timotheus (24 Occurrences)

Troph'imus (3 Occurrences)

Thessalo'nians (3 Occurrences)

Thessaloni'ca (7 Occurrences)

Menelaus

Berak (1 Occurrence)

Berean (1 Occurrence)

Asiatics (1 Occurrence)

Accompanying (5 Occurrences)

Aristar'chus (6 Occurrences)

Announced (47 Occurrences)

Secun'dus (1 Occurrence)

Sop'ater (1 Occurrence)

Stirred (64 Occurrences)

Silas (22 Occurrences)

Trophimus (3 Occurrences)

Preached (75 Occurrences)

Corinth (13 Occurrences)

Declared (261 Occurrences)

Demetrius (3 Occurrences)

Crowds (62 Occurrences)

Philippi (8 Occurrences)

Matthew (5 Occurrences)

Hebrews (24 Occurrences)

Teaching (372 Occurrences)

Teacher (103 Occurrences)

Teach (172 Occurrences)

Aleppo

Dispersion (4 Occurrences)

Brethren (528 Occurrences)

Gospel (108 Occurrences)

Berak
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