Citywide Uproar

Paul and Silas left Philippi, passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, and came to Thessalonica, an autonomous region in the Roman Empire bustling with trade and travel. Many Jews lived there.

Then Paul, went into the Jewish synagogue and for three Sabbaths reasoned with the Jews from the Scriptures that Jesus is the Christ. Some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a large number of the devout Greeks, and not a few of the leading women. But the Jews who were not persuaded, becoming envious, took some of the evil men from the marketplace, formed a mob, and started a riot in the city. They rushed to Jason�䏭 house in search of Paul and Silas in order to bring them out to the crowd. But when they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some other brothers before the city officials, accusing them of defying Caesar�䏭 decrees, saying that there is another king�渄esus. When they had taken security from Jason and the rest, they let them go.