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Selected Verse: Acts 18:5 - Strong Concordance

Verse	Translation	Text
Ac 18:5	Strong Concordance	And [1161] when [5613] [5037] Silas [4609] and [2532] Timotheus [5095] were come [2718] from [575] Macedonia [3109], Paul [3972] was pressed [4912] in the spirit [4151], and testified [1263] to the Jews [2453] that Jesus [2424] was Christ [5547].
	King James	And when Silas and Timotheus were come from Macedonia, Paul was pressed in the spirit, and testified to the Jews that Jesus was Christ.

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A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]
And when Silas and Timotheus were come from Macedonia--that is, from Thessalonica, whither Silas had probably accompanied Timothy when sent back from Athens (see on Act 17:15). Paul was pressed in the spirit--rather (according to what is certainly the true reading) "was pressed with the word"; expressing not only his zeal and assiduity in preaching it, but some inward pressure which at this time he experienced in the work (to convey which more clearly was probably the origin of the common reading). What that pressure was we happen to know, with singular minuteness and vividness of description, from the apostle himself, in his first Epistles to the Corinthians and Thessalonians (Co1 2:1-5; Th1 3:1-10). He had come away from Athens, as he remained there, in a depressed and anxious state of mind, having there met, for the first time, with unwilling Gentile ears. He continued, apparently for some time, laboring alone in the synagogue of Corinth, full of deep and anxious solicitude for his Thessalonian converts. His early ministry at Corinth was colored by these feelings. Himself deeply humbled, his power as a preacher was more than ever felt to lie in demonstration of the Spirit. At length Silas and Timotheus arrived with exhilarating tidings of the faith and love of his Thessalonian children, and of their earnest longing again to see their father in Christ; bringing with them also, in token of their love and duty, a pecuniary contribution for the supply of his wants. This seems to have so lifted him as to put new life and vigor into his ministry. He now wrote his FIRST EPISTLE TO THE THESSALONIANS, in which the "pressure" which resulted from all this strikingly appears. (See Introduction to First Thessalonians). Such emotions are known only to the ministers of Christ, and, even of them, only to such as "travail in birth until Christ be formed in" their hearers.

A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]

And when Silas and Timotheus were come from Macedonia--that is, from Thessalonica, whither Silas had probably accompanied Timothy when sent back from Athens (see on Act 17:15).

Paul was pressed in the spirit--rather (according to what is certainly the true reading) "was pressed with the word"; expressing not only his zeal and assiduity in preaching it, but some inward pressure which at this time he experienced in the work (to convey which more clearly was probably the origin of the common reading). What that pressure was we happen to know, with singular minuteness and vividness of description, from the apostle himself, in his first Epistles to the Corinthians and Thessalonians (Co1 2:1-5; Th1 3:1-10). He had come away from Athens, as he remained there, in a depressed and anxious state of mind, having there met, for the first time, with unwilling Gentile ears. He continued, apparently for some time, laboring alone in the synagogue of Corinth, full of deep and anxious solicitude for his Thessalonian converts. His early ministry at Corinth was colored by these feelings. Himself deeply humbled, his power as a preacher was more than ever felt to lie in demonstration of the Spirit. At length Silas and Timotheus arrived with exhilarating tidings of the faith and love of his Thessalonian children, and of their earnest longing again to see their father in Christ; bringing with them also, in token of their love and duty, a pecuniary contribution for the supply of his wants. This seems to have so lifted him as to put new life and vigor into his ministry. He now wrote his FIRST EPISTLE TO THE THESSALONIANS, in which the "pressure" which resulted from all this strikingly appears. (See Introduction to First Thessalonians). Such emotions are known only to the ministers of Christ, and, even of them, only to such as "travail in birth until Christ be formed in" their hearers.

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]
And when Silas and Timotheus ... - They came to Paul according to the request which he had sent by the brethren who accompanied him from Thessalonica, Act 17:15. Paul was pressed - Was urged; was borne away by an unusual impulse. It was deeply impressed on him as his duty. In spirit - In his mind; in his feelings. His love to Christ was so great, and his conviction of the truth so strong, that he labored to make known to them the truth that Jesus Was the Messiah. That Jesus was Christ - That Jesus of Nazareth was the Messiah. Compare Act 17:16. The presence of Silas and Timothy animated him; and the certainty of aid in his work urged him to zeal in making known the Saviour.

The Scofield Bible Commentary, by Cyrus Ingerson Scofield, [1917]
pressed Or, constrained by the Word. Compare (Co2 5:14).

Vincent's Word Studies, by Marvin R. Vincent [1886]
Was pressed in the spirit (συνείχετο τῷ πνεύματι) Instead of spirit the best texts read λόγῳ, by the word. On pressed or constrained, see note on taken, Luk 4:38. The meaning is, Paul was engrossed by the word. He was relieved of anxiety by the arrival of his friends, and stimulated to greater activity in the work of preaching the word.

Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65]
And when Silas and Timotheus were come from Macedonia - Silas seems to have stayed a considerable time at Berea: but Timotheus had come to the apostle while he was at Athens, and been sent by him to comfort and confirm the Church at Thessalonica, Th1 3:1-5. But now at length both Silas and Timotheus came to the apostle at Corinth. Paul was pressed in spirit - The more probably from what Silas and Timotheus related. Every Christian ought diligently to observe any such pressure in his own spirit, and if it agree with Scripture, to follow it: if he does not he will feel great heaviness.

Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826
When Silas and Timotheus were come - We have seen, Act 17:13, that when Paul was obliged to leave Berea, because of the persecution raised up against him in that place, he left Silas and Timotheus behind; to whom he afterwards sent word to rejoin him at Athens with all speed. It appears, from Th1 3:10, that, on Timothy's coming to Athens, Paul immediately sent him, and probably Silas with him, to comfort and establish the Church at Thessalonica. How long they labored here is uncertain, but they did not rejoin him till some time after he came to Corinth. It appears that he was greatly rejoiced at the account which Timothy brought of the Church at Thessalonica; and it must have been immediately after this that he wrote his first epistle to that Church, which is probably the first, in order of time, of all his epistles. Paul was pressed in spirit - Συνειχετο τῳ πνευματι, or he was constrained by the Spirit of God, in an extraordinary manner, to testify to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ. Instead of τῳ πνευματι, in the spirit, τῳ λογῳ, in the word or doctrine, is the reading of ABDE, three others; both the Syriac, Coptic, Vulgate, Basil, Chrysostom, and others. Griesbach has received this reading into the text, and Bp. Pearce thus paraphrases the verse: "And when Silas and Timotheus were come from Macedonia, Paul set himself, together with them, wholly to the word; i.e. he was fully employed, now that he had their assistance, it preaching the Gospel, called the word in Act 4:4; Act 16:6, Act 16:32; Act 17:11. St. Luke seems to have intended to express here something relating to St. Paul which was the consequence of the coming of Silas and Timotheus; and that was rather labouring with them more abundantly in preaching the word than his being "pressed in spirit." This appears to be the true sense of the word, and that τῳ λογῳ is the genuine reading there can be no doubt. Συνειχετο, which we translate pressed, and which the Vulgate translates instabat, Bp. Pearce thinks should be translated una cum illis instabat, he earnestly strove together with them, τῳ λογῳ, in preaching the word. The true sense is given by Calmet, Paul s'employoit a precher encore avec plus d'ardeur, Paul was employed with more ardour in preaching, and testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ. From this time we hear no more of Silas; probably he died in Macedonia.

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¹ Wherefore [1352] when we could [4722] no longer [3371] forbear [4722], we thought it good [2106] to be left [2641] at [1722] Athens [116] alone [3441];
² And [2532] sent [3992] Timotheus [5095], our [2257] brother [80], and [2532] minister [1249] of God [2316], and [2532] our [2257] fellowlabourer [4904] in [1722] the gospel [2098] of Christ [5547], to [1519] establish [4741] you [5209], and [2532] to comfort [3870] you [5209] concerning [4012] your [5216] faith [4102]:
³ That no man [3367] should be moved [4525] by [1722] these [5025] afflictions [2347]: for [1063] yourselves [846] know [1492] that [3754] we are appointed [2749] thereunto [1519] [5124].
⁴ For [1063] verily [2532], when [3753] we were [2258] with [4314] you [5209], we told [4302] you [5213] before [4302] that [3754] we should [3195] suffer tribulation [2346]; even [2532] as [2531] it came to pass [1096], and [2532] ye know [1492].
⁵ For this [5124] cause [1223], when I [2504] could [4722] no longer [3371] forbear [4722], I sent [3992] to [1519] know [1097] your [5216] faith [4102], lest by some means [3381] [4458] the tempter [3985] have tempted [3985] you [5209], and [2532] our [2257] labour [2873] be [1096] in [1519] vain [2756].
⁶ But [1161] now [737] when Timotheus [5095] came [2064] from [575] you [5216] unto [4314] us [2248], and [2532] brought [2097] us [2254] good tidings [2097] of your [5216] faith [4102] and [2532] charity [26], and [2532] that [3754] ye have [2192] good [18] remembrance [3417] of us [2257] always [3842], desiring greatly [1971] to see [1492] us [2248], as [2509] we [2249] also [2532] to see you [5209]:
⁷ Therefore [1223] [5124], brethren [80], we were comforted [3870] over [1909] you [5213] in [1909] all [3956] our [2257] affliction [2347] and [2532] distress [318] by [1223] your [5216] faith [4102]:
⁸ For [3754] now [3568] we live [2198], if [1437] ye [5210] stand fast [4739] in [1722] the Lord [2962].
⁹ For [1063] what [5101] thanks [2169] can we [1410] render [467] to God [2316] again [467] for [4012] you [5216], for [1909] all [3956] the joy [5479] wherewith [3739] we joy [5463] for [1223] your sakes [5209] before [1715] our [2257] God [2316];
¹⁰ Night [3571] and [2532] day [2250] praying [1189] exceedingly [1537] [4053] [5228] that [1519] we might see [1492] your [5216] face [4383], and [2532] might perfect [2675] that which is lacking [5303] in your [5216] faith [4102]?

¹ And I [2504], brethren [80], when I came [2064] to [4314] you [5209], came [2064] not [3756] with [2596] excellency [5247] of speech [3056] or [2228] of wisdom [4678], declaring [2605] unto you [5213] the testimony [3142] of God [2316].
² For [1063] I determined [2919] not [3756] to know [1492] any thing [5100] among [1722] you [5213], save [1508] Jesus [2424] Christ [5547], and [2532] him [5126] crucified [4717].
³ And [2532] I [1473] was [1096] with [4314] you [5209] in [1722] weakness [769], and [2532] in [1722] fear [5401], and [2532] in [1722] much [4183] trembling [5156].
⁴ And [2532] my [3450] speech [3056] and [2532] my [3450] preaching [2782] was not [3756] with [1722] enticing [3981] words [3056] of man's [442] wisdom [4678], but [235] in [1722] demonstration [585] of the Spirit [4151] and [2532] of power [1411]:
⁵ That [2443] your [5216] faith [4102] should [5600] not [3361] stand [5600] in [1722] the wisdom [4678] of men [444], but [235] in [1722] the power [1411] of God [2316].

¹⁵ And [1161] they that conducted [2525] Paul [3972] brought [71] him [846] unto [2193] Athens [116]: and [2532] receiving [2983] a commandment [1785] unto [4314] Silas [4609] and [2532] Timotheus [5095] for to [2443] come [2064] to [4314] him [846] with all speed [5613] [5033], they departed [1826].

¹⁶ Now [1161] while Paul [3972] waited for [1551] them [846] at [1722] Athens [116], his [846] spirit [4151] was stirred [3947] in [1722] him [846], when he saw [2334] the city [4172] wholly given [5607] to idolatry [2712].

¹⁴ For [1063] the love [26] of Christ [5547] constraineth [4912] us [2248]; because we thus [5124] judge [2919], that [3754] if [1487] one [1520] died [599] for [5228] all [3956], then [686] were [599] all [3956] dead [599]:

³⁸ And [1161] he arose [450] out of [1537] the synagogue [4864], and entered [1525] into [1519] Simon's [4613] house [3614]. And [1161] Simon's [4613] wife's mother [3994] was [2258] taken with [4912] a great [3173] fever [4446]; and [2532] they besought [2065] him [846] for [4012] her [846].

¹¹ [1161] These [3778] were [2258] more noble [2104] than those in [1722] Thessalonica [2332], in that they [3748] received [1209] the word [3056] with [3326] all [3956] readiness of mind [4288], and searched [350] the scriptures [1124] daily [2250] [2596], whether [1487] those things [5023] were [2192] so [3779].

³² And [2532] they spake [2980] unto him [846] the word [3056] of the Lord [2962], and [2532] to all [3956] that were in [1722] his [846] house [3614].

⁶ Now [1161] when they had gone throughout [1330] Phrygia [5435] and [2532] the region [5561] of Galatia [1054], and were forbidden [2967] of [5259] the Holy [40] Ghost [4151] to preach [2980] the word [3056] in [1722] Asia [773],

⁴ Howbeit [1161] many [4183] of them which heard [191] the word [3056] believed [4100]; and [2532] the number [706] of the men [435] was [1096] about [5616] five [4002] thousand [5505].

¹⁰ Night [3571] and [2532] day [2250] praying [1189] exceedingly [1537] [4053] [5228] that [1519] we might see [1492] your [5216] face [4383], and [2532] might perfect [2675] that which is lacking [5303] in your [5216] faith [4102]?

¹³ But [1161] when [5613] the Jews [2453] of [575] Thessalonica [2332] had knowledge [1097] that [3754] [2532] the word [3056] of God [2316] was preached [2605] of [5259] Paul [3972] at [1722] Berea [960], they came [2064] thither also [2546], and stirred up [4531] the people [3793].