And some of them believed, and consorted with Paul and Silas; and of the devout Greeks a great multitude, and of the chief women not a few.
And some of them believed, and consorted - [ prosekleerootheesan (G4345 ) or, 'cast in their lot'] with Paul and Silas; and of the devout Greeks - Gentile proselytes, and as such, stated worshippers with the Jews (see the note at Acts 16:14.
A great multitude, and of the chief women (female proselytes of distinction), not a few. But besides this multitude of Gentile proselytes, male and female, who were won to the Gospel in the Jewish synagogue, it would appear-from the remarkable passage in 1 Thessalonians 1:9-10 - that not a few had been gained to Christ fresh from idolatry. It is possible that the same parties are referred to in both places; or it may be that the missionaries remained somewhat longer than the three sabbaths of their labour in the synagogue. During their stay, however, the apostle tells the Thessalonians that he had laboured for his own support "night and day, that he might not he chargeable to any of them" (1 Thessalonians 2:9), of which he again reminds them in his second Epistle (2 Thessalonians 3:7-9). In both places he speaks of the "toil and trouble" which this involved; but he received considerate supplies once and again from the converts of Philippi, of which he fails not to make honourable acknowledgment in his letter to that church (Philippians 4:15-16).
The unbelieving Jews, enraged at the success of the Gospel, having raised a tumult, in the midst of which they sought the lives of the missionaries, the brethren despatch them by night to Beroea (17:5-10)