Silas — Tyndale Open Bible Dictionary

Respected leader in the Jerusalem church, also called Silvanus (2 Cor 1:19; 1 Thes 1:1; 2 Thes 1:1; 1 Pt 5:12). “Silas” is most likely the Aramaic form of the Hebrew name “Saul,” which when given a Latin form became Silouanos (Silvanus). Silas thus carried two names—a Latin and a shorter, Semitic name. The name was known in the Hellenistic era and appears in various inscriptions. Luke used the name Silas when he narrated the history of the Jerusalem church in Acts. Paul and Peter used the Roman name in their epistles.

Show passage in OET: CO2 1:19

OET-RV CO2 1:19

19 His son Yeshua Messiah who I’ve preached about to you all, as well as hearing it from Silas and Timotheos, didn’t become ‘yes’ and ‘no’, but in him it’s become ‘yes’.

OET-LV CO2 1:19

19 The the For/Because of_god son, Yaʸsous chosen _one /messiah, who among you _all by us having _been _proclaimed, by me, and Silouanos, and Timotheos, not became Yes and No, but Yes in him has _become.

Show passage in OET: TH1 1:1

OET-RV TH1 1:1

1 This letter is from Paulos, Silas, and Timotheos.
¶ It’s written to the assembly of believers in God the father and the master Yeshua (Jesus; Grk. Yesus) Messiah there in Thessalonikai.
¶ May God give his grace and peace to all of you.

OET-LV TH1 1:1

1 Paulos, and Silouanos, and Timotheos, to _the assembly of_the_ones_from _Thessalonikaʸ in god the_father and the_master Yaʸsous/(Yəhōshūˊa) chosen _one /messiah:
grace to _you _all and peace.

Show passage in OET: TH2 1:1

OET-RV TH2 1:1

1 This letter is from Paulos, Silas, and Timotheos.
¶ It’s written to the assembly of believers in God our father and the master Yeshua (Jesus; Grk. Yesus) Messiah there in Thessalonikai.

OET-LV TH2 1:1

1 Paulos, and Silouanos, and Timotheos, to _the assembly of_the_ones_from _Thessalonikaʸ, in god the_father of _us and the_master Yaʸsous/(Yəhōshūˊa) chosen _one /messiah:

Show passage in OET: PE1 5:12

OET-RV PE1 5:12

12 I’ve written this brief letter with the help of the faithful brother, Siluanos, to encourage you chosen people and to testify that God’s grace that you accepted is true.

OET-LV PE1 5:12

12 By Silouanos, I _wrote to _you _all of _the faithful brother (as I _am _counting), through few messages, exhorting and testifying this to _be the_true grace of_ the _god, in which you _all _stood.

Jump to OET CO2 1:19 section.

Jump to OET TH1 1:1 section.

Jump to OET TH2 1:1 section.

Jump to OET PE1 5:12 section.

Silas is introduced in Acts 15:22 as a distinguished delegate who conveyed to Antioch the decree of the Jerusalem Council. Several manuscripts (of lesser quality than the best-attested ones) include 15:34; this added verse indicates that Silas remained in Antioch because shortly thereafter he joined Paul on his second missionary tour (Acts 15:40). His service as a prophet may be evident in Acts 16:6, when the Spirit redirected the company through Asia. Silas’s name appears eight times within the second tour (Acts 16:19, 25, 29 OET ACT 16:19 · OET ACT 16:25 · OET ACT 16:29; 17:4, 10, 14-15 OET ACT 17:4 · OET ACT 17:10 · OET ACT 17:14–15; 18:5), as he accompanied Paul through the hardships suffered at Philippi, Thessalonica, and Berea. When Paul was safely ushered out of Macedonia by the Berean Christians (17:14), Silas remained behind with Timothy to oversee the work already begun in the region. Later in Corinth (18:5), Silas and Timothy rejoined Paul. Their report prompted Paul to correspond with the church at Thessalonica. This explains Silas’s name in the prescript of both 1 and 2 Thessalonians.

Show passage in OET: ACT 15:22

OET-RV ACT 15:22

22 So the missionaries and elders with all the assembly decided to choose some men to accompany Paulos and Barnabas to Antiokeia, so they chose Yehudah (Judas; Grk. Yudas) (nicknamed Bar-Saba) and Silas who were leaders among the believers,

OET-LV ACT 15:22

22 Then it _supposed to _the ambassadors and the elders with all the assembly, having _chosen men from them, to _send them to Antioⱪeia with the Paulos and Barnabas, Youdas/(Yəhūdāh) which being _called Barsabbas and Silas, leading men among the brothers,

Show passage in OET: ACT 15:34

OET-RV ACT 15:34

34 ◘

OET-LV ACT 15:34

Show passage in OET: ACT 15:40

OET-RV ACT 15:40

40 while Paulos chose Silas and they left after being entrusted to the master’s grace by the believers.

OET-LV ACT 15:40

40 But Paulos having _chosen Silas, came _out having _been _given _over to _the grace of _the master by the brothers.

Show passage in OET: ACT 16:6

OET-RV ACT 16:6

6 From there, they travelled through Frugia and the Galatia region, after the holy spirit prevented them from proclaiming the message in Asia Minor.

OET-LV ACT 16:6

6 And they _passed _through the Frugia and the_Galatikos region, having _been _forbidden by the holy spirit to _speak the message in the Asia,

Show passage in OET: ACT 16:19; ACT 16:25; ACT 16:29

OET-RV ACT 16:19

19 But when her masters realised that their profitable business was about to come to an end, they grabbed Paulos and Silas and dragged them to the authorities at the marketplace.

OET-RV ACT 16:25

25 Around midnight Paulos and Silas were praying and singing praises to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them.

OET-RV ACT 16:29

29 The officer called for torches, then rushed in and knelt down trembling in front of Paulos and Silas.

OET-LV ACT 16:19

19 But the masters of _her having _seen that the hope of _the business of _them, going _out, having _taken _hold _of the Paulos and the Silas, they _dragged them into the marketplace before the rulers,

OET-LV ACT 16:25

25 But to the midnight, Paulos and Silas praying, were _singing _hymns the to_god, and the prisoners were _listening to _them.

OET-LV ACT 16:29

29 And having _requested lights, he _rushed _in, and having _become trembling, he _fell _before to_ the _Paulos and Silas.

Show passage in OET: ACT 17:4; ACT 17:10; ACT 17:14–15

OET-RV ACT 17:4

4 Some of them were persuaded and joined with Paulos and Silas, along with a big group of godly Hellains (Greeks) and quite a few prominent women.

OET-RV ACT 17:10

10 So the believers immediately sent Paulos and Silas off during the night to go to Beroia. In Beroia they also attended at the Jewish meeting hall

OET-RV ACT 17:14

14 So the believers immediately sent Paulos off to the coast, but Silas and Timotheos both stayed.

OET-RV ACT 17:15

15 The ones guiding Paulos took him to Athainai before they headed back with his instructions for Silas and Timotheos to come and join him again as soon as possible.

OET-LV ACT 17:4

4 And some of them were _persuaded and they _were _joined the with _Paulos and the Silas, both a_ great _multitude of _the ones Hellaʸns worshipping, and leading a_few women the not.

OET-LV ACT 17:10

10 And the brothers immediately sent _out the both Paulos and the Silas by night to Beroia, who having _arrived, were _going into the synagogue of _the Youdaiōns.

OET-LV ACT 17:14

14 And then the brothers immediately the Paulos sent _away, to _be _going as _far _as to the sea, and the both Silas and the Timotheos remained there.

OET-LV ACT 17:15

15 And the ones appointing the Paulos, brought him to Athaʸnai, and having _received a_command for the Silas and the Timotheos, that as they _may _come most _quickly to him, they _were _departing.

Show passage in OET: ACT 18:5

OET-RV ACT 18:5

5 However when Silas and Timotheos arrived from Makedonia, Paulos was able to devote his full time to the message—demonstrating to the Yehudim that Yeshua (Jesus; Grk. Yesus) is the promised messiah.

OET-LV ACT 18:5

5 But when the both Silas and the Timotheos, came _down from the Makedonia, the Paulos was _being _occupied with _the message, testifying to _the Youdaiōns, Yaʸsous/(Yəhōshūˊa) to _be the chosen _one /messiah.

Show passage in OET: ACT 17:14

OET-RV ACT 17:14

14 So the believers immediately sent Paulos off to the coast, but Silas and Timotheos both stayed.

OET-LV ACT 17:14

14 And then the brothers immediately the Paulos sent _away, to _be _going as _far _as to the sea, and the both Silas and the Timotheos remained there.

Jump to OET ACT 15:22 section.

Jump to OET ACT 15:34 section.

Jump to OET ACT 15:40 section.

Jump to OET ACT 16:6 section.

Jump to OET ACT 16:19 section. · OET ACT 16:25 section. · OET ACT 16:29 section.

Jump to OET ACT 17:4 section. · OET ACT 17:10 section. · OET ACT 17:14–15 section.

Jump to OET ACT 18:5 section.

Jump to OET ACT 17:14 section.

It seems clear that Silas was well known to the Corinthians. Not only does he stay in the city with Paul for a year and a half (Acts 18:11), but it may be conjectured that he stayed behind in Corinth after the dispute before Gallio. Paul, on his final tour, wrote to Corinth from Ephesus and mentioned Silas again (2 Cor 1:19), reminding the Corinthians of the earlier ministry among them.

Show passage in OET: ACT 18:11

OET-RV ACT 18:11

11 So Paulos stayed on for eighteen months, teaching God’s message to the people there.

OET-LV ACT 18:11

11 and he _sat _down a_year and six months, teaching the message of_ the _god among them.

Jump to OET ACT 18:11 section.

The subsequent history of Silas is obscure. Some believe Silas was a respected Christian scribe. Silas’s involvement in 1 and 2 Thessalonians is often mentioned, pointing to Paul’s sustained use of the first person plural. Some scholars find resemblances among 1 and 2 Thessalonians, the decree of Acts 15, and 1 Peter, where Silas is mentioned as a scribe (1 Pt 5:12). This latter association with Peter is intriguing and has led to the speculation that Silas ultimately joined Peter and ministered in north Asia.