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Bible Dictionaries
Silas
Bridgeway Bible Dictionary
or Among the more open-minded Jewish Christians in the Jerusalem church was Silas, sometimes called Silvanus. Besides being Jewish, he had the privileged status of Roman citizenship (Acts 15:22; Acts 16:37). He was present at the conference in Jerusalem that discussed the problems created by Jewish legalists among the Gentile churches. When the Jerusalem leaders decided to send representatives to reassure the Gentile churches, Silas was one of the two they chose (Acts 15:22-27). He was a preacher whose messages strengthened the hearers (Acts 15:32).
Silas must have impressed Paul with his conduct at the conference in Jerusalem. As a result Paul chose him as his fellow worker for a missionary tour to the recently planted Gentile churches and beyond (Acts 15:40). He was with Paul through dangerous experiences in Philippi, Thessalonica, Berea and Corinth (Acts 16:19-40; Acts 17:1-15; Acts 18:5-11), and Paul often spoke warmly of him as his fellow worker (2 Corinthians 1:19; 1 Thessalonians 1:1; 2 Thessalonians 1:1).
After his association with Paul, Silas worked closely with Peter. He visited Rome with Peter, and played a part in the writing of 1 Peter, a letter that Peter sent to the churches of northern Asia Minor (1 Peter 1:1; 1 Peter 5:12-13; see PETER, LETTERS OF).
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Fleming, Don. Entry for 'Silas'. Bridgeway Bible Dictionary. https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/eng/bbd/s/silas.html. 2004.
