Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews:
Arrival at Thessalonica-Success there among the Jews and Gentile Proselytes (17:1-4)
Now when they had passed (or 'traveled') through diodeusantes (G1353).
Amphipolis - 33 miles southwest of Philippi, on the river Strymon, and on the north coast of the AEgean Sea.
And Apollonia - thirty miles southwest of Amphipolis, but the exact site is not known; they came to Thessalonica-37 miles due west of Apollonia, at the head of the Thermaic (or Thessalonian) Gulf, at the northwest extremity of the AEgean Sea-the principal and most populous city in Macedonia. 'We see at once (says Howson, excellently) how appropriate a place it was for one of the starting-points of the Gospel in Europe, and can appreciate the force of what Paul said to the Thessalonians within a few months of his departure from them; "From you, the word of the Lord sounded forth like a trumpet, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but in every place "' (1 Thessalonians 1:8).
Where was a (rather, 'the') synagogue of the Jews - implying that (as at Philippi) there was no synagogue at Amphipolis and Apollonia, and that here were the headquarters of the Jews in northern Macedonia.