SILAS, SILVANO.
Silas is the gr. form. of Aram. Sh’ila (Saul); It is believed that this brother took, like Paul, a Roman nickname, Silvanus, which phonetically resembled his name of Semitic origin.
A distinguished member of the church in Jerusalem, he was charged with transmitting to the Christians of Antioch the decisions made at the Jerusalem council (Acts 15:22, 27, 32).
During the second missionary journey, Silas accompanied Paul, taking the place of John Mark and Barnabas (Acts 15:40). Paul and Silas were imprisoned in Philippi (Acts 16:19, 25, 29).
The popular uprising in Thessalonica forced Paul and Silas to head toward Berea, where Silas remained with Timothy after Paul’s departure (Acts 17:1-14). The two were soon ordered to meet the apostle in Athens (Acts 17:15), but it seems that they were not able to meet him until they reached Corinth (Acts 18:5).
Paul showed great appreciation for Silas’ work (2 Cor. 1:19). The same one who is called Silas in Acts bears the name of Silvanus in the epistles. He joins Paul and Timothy in greeting the Thessalonica believers in the two letters (1 Thes. 1:1; 2 Thes. 1:1). Peter’s first epistle was entrusted to a man named Silvanus, who is possibly Silas himself (1 Pet. 5:12).