Thessalonica
A place in the Bible
A city of Macedonia, in northern Greece, with a Jewish synagogue.
What happened here
- St. Paul: for three sabbaths in a row he explained the Scriptures in the synagogue: that the Messiah had to suffer and rise from the dead, and that the Messiah was Jesus.
- Those who believed: some believed and joined Paul and Silas, along with many Greeks and a number of prominent women.
- The uproar: others stirred up the city, and the brothers sent Paul and Silas away by night to Beroea.
- The letters: Paul wrote to the Church of the Thessalonians and sent them Timothy to strengthen them in their faith.
Today
Today it is called Thessaloniki, and it is one of the largest cities in Greece.
Where it appears in the Bible
Acts 17:1; Acts 17:2-3; Acts 17:4; Acts 17:5; Acts 17:10; 1 Thessalonians 1:1; 1 Thessalonians 3:2
What the Bible says
Acts 17:1
And when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews.
Acts 17:2-3
2And Paul, according to his custom, went in unto them; and for three sabbath days he reasoned with them out of the scriptures: 3Declaring and insinuating that the Christ was to suffer, and to rise again from the dead; and that this is Jesus Christ, whom I preach to you.
Acts 17:4
And some of them believed, and were associated to Paul and Silas; and of those that served God, and of the Gentiles a great multitude, and of noble women not a few.
Douay-Rheims Bible (Challoner revision), public domain.
Source: Catholic Encyclopedia (1913), “Thessalonica”; Easton’s Bible Dictionary (1897), “Thessalonica”