Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Acts 17:12

"Many of them therefore believed; also of the Greek women of honorable estate, and of men, not a few." — Acts 17:12 (ASV)

Luke gives the Jews at Berea undying fame by characterizing them as being “more noble” (GK 2302) than the Thessalonian Jews because they tested the truth of Paul’s message by the touchstone of Scripture rather than judging it by political and cultural considerations. So they examined the Scriptures daily to see whether what Paul proclaimed was really true, and many believed. Among them was probably Sopater son of Pyrrhus (cf. Romans 16:21). Included among the Berean believers were not only “a number of prominent Greek women” but also “many Greek men”—that is, not just converts from among Gentile “God-fearers,” but also converts who had been pagan Gentiles.