Acts 18:5

5 And when both Silas and Timotheus came down from Macedonia, Paul was pressed in respect of the word, testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ.

Acts 18:5 Meaning and Commentary

Acts 18:5

And when Silas and Timotheus were come from Macedonia
Not from Berea in Macedonia, for from hence they came to the apostle while at Athens, and from whence he sent them, at least Timothy, to Thessalonica, to know the state of the saints there, as appears from ( 1 Thessalonians 3:1 1 Thessalonians 3:2 ) and from hence they now came to the apostle at Corinth: when

Paul was pressed in Spirit;
either by the Holy Spirit, by which he was moved and stirred up to preach the Gospel more frequently, and more powerfully; for he had not always the same measure of the Spirit, or was not always under the same influence; or else in his own spirit, and so the Arabic version renders it, "grief beset the spirit of Paul"; his soul was filled with trouble and sorrow, when he observed the nonrepenitence and unbelief, the contradiction and blasphemy of the greater part of the Jews; and being filled with zeal for their welfare, he continued preaching Christ unto them. The Alexandrian copy, and some others, and the Vulgate Latin and Syriac versions, instead of "in spirit", read "in speech", or "in word"; and the sense is, not that he was straitened in his speech, and knew not what to say to the Jews, or had not freedom of speech with them; but he was instant in preaching to them, and preached the word more frequently and fervently, upon the coming of Silas and Timothy to his assistance:

and testified to the Jews that Jesus was Christ;
he continued to produce more testimonies out of the writings of Moses, and the prophets, to prove that Jesus of Nazareth was the Christ, or Messiah, prophesied of in those writings, and promised to the Jews, and whom they expected.

Acts 18:5 In-Context

3 and because they were of the same trade abode with them, and wrought. For they were tent-makers by trade.

4 And he reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath, and persuaded Jews and Greeks.

5 And when both Silas and Timotheus came down from Macedonia, Paul was pressed in respect of the word, testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ.

6 But as they opposed and spoke injuriously, he shook his clothes, and said to them, Your blood be upon your own head: *I* [am] pure; from henceforth I will go to the nations.

7 And departing thence he came to the house of a certain [man], by name Justus, who worshipped God, whose house adjoined the synagogue.

Footnotes

• [a]. Or 'earnestly occupied with.' The Greek word is the same as 'constrains,' 2Cor. 5.14.
• [b]. Lit. 'the Christ Jesus;' i.e. the Christ was really come, and that Jesus was he.'