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First named in Scripture at Acts 15:22 — read the chapter.

What Silas Did

A chief man among the brethren at Jerusalem, a prophet, chosen to carry the council’s letter to Antioch: he became Paul’s companion on the second missionary journey — beaten and imprisoned with him at Philippi, where at midnight the prisoners heard them singing; he laboured at Thessalonica and Corinth, and later served Peter as the bearer of his first epistle.

Accomplished for Good

"And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them" (Acts 16:25) — with their feet in the stocks; when the earthquake opened the prison, they stayed, and the jailer’s house believed.

Mistakes and Failures

Scripture records no sin of Silas’; he is called "faithful" by Peter (1 Pet 5:12) and a prophet by Luke (Acts 15:32).

From Easton’s Bible Dictionary (1897)

wood, a prominent member of the church at Jerusalem; also called Silvanus. He and Judas, surnamed Barsabas, were chosen by the church there to accompany Paul and Barnabas on their return to Antioch from the council of the apostles and elders (Acts 15:22), as bearers of the decree adopted by the council. He assisted Paul there in his evangelistic labours, and was also chosen by him to be his companion on his second missionary tour (Acts 16:19-24). He is referred to in the epistles under the name of Silvanus (2 Corinthians 1:19; 1 Thessalonians 1:1; 2 Thessalonians 1:1; 1 Peter 5:12). There is no record of the time or place of his death.

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