Acts 18:5 Meaning and Explanation
“And when Silas and Timotheus were come from Macedonia, Paul was pressed in the spirit, and testified to the Jews that Jesus was Christ.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →When Silas and Timothy arrive from Macedonia, Paul gives himself wholly to the word, testifying to the Jews that Jesus is the Christ.
What Does Acts 18:5 Mean?
Paul's companions rejoin him at last, bringing news of the young churches and, as his letters recall, support from Macedonia that supplied his need and freed him from the workbench. Released to give himself fully to preaching, Paul is pressed, gripped and carried along by one testimony.
The message is a single sentence: Jesus is the Christ, the Anointed One promised through the prophets. Every journey, sermon, and scar in Paul's life narrows to this point. Notice too how the generosity of distant believers fueled the work: those who gave in Macedonia were, in effect, preaching in Corinth without leaving home. When God's people sustain His servants, the word runs.
Acts 18:5 in the Original Language
synecho (συνέχω), 'pressed' -- to be gripped or held fast, wholly taken up with one thing.
Frequently Asked Questions About Acts 18:5
What does Acts 18:5 mean?
When Silas and Timothy arrive from Macedonia, Paul gives himself wholly to the word, testifying to the Jews that Jesus is the Christ.