Fine-tooth-comb

They searched the Scriptures day after day to see if Paul and Silas were teaching the truth. (Acts 17:11)

The same night that Jason was falsely thrown into prison, the believers sent Paul and Silas away to the prosperous city of Berea( Modern day Veria), the chief metropolis in Macedonia at that time (Acts 17:10-15). When Paul preached in a synagogue they were more broad minded and gladly received the gospel message.

Here we see that the people were more scholarly in their approach to the faith. They searched the scriptures with a fine-tooth-comb and found that Paul was preaching the truth. Do you search the scriptures in depth, when you hear something different preached to you? Many Jews , some prominent Greek women and many men were brought to the faith. Here again Luke stresses that the people who were becoming believers were from all strata of society.

When the Jews in Thesalonica who were only 50 miles away from Berea, heard that Paul was preaching there, they came down and started creating trouble again. It is unknown how long Paul stayed at Berea few weeks or few months. Paul was immediately escorted to Athens by some believers. It is unknown whether he walked the distance or traveled by ship to Athens. Timothy and Silas remained to continue to minister to them. Later those who escorted Paul to Athens returned with the message that Timothy and Silas were urgently needed in Athens.