Saint Silas

Life story

Silas first appears in Acts 15 as one of the respected leaders among the brethren in Jerusalem. After the meeting on the Gentile believers, he and Judas Barsabbas were sent with Paul and Barnabas to Antioch carrying the Apostles' letter. Acts calls him a prophet and says he encouraged the brethren with many words. When Paul and Barnabas parted company, Paul chose Silas as his companion for the journey through Syria and Cilicia.

Together they passed through Galatia and Troas and then crossed into Macedonia. Acts 16 relates that at Philippi the two men were flogged and imprisoned, but that night an earthquake opened the prison doors and the jailer and his household were baptised. The next morning Paul invoked Roman citizenship, apparently for both of them. Silas continued with Paul to Thessalonica and Beroea, stayed in Beroea with Timothy when Paul went to Athens, and rejoined Paul at Corinth (Acts 17 and 18).

Paul mentions Silvanus together with Timothy in 1 Thessalonians, 2 Thessalonians and 2 Corinthians; scholars generally identify him with Silas, and 1 Peter 5 also mentions a Silvanus who helped write that letter. This is likely but not stated outright. After Acts, the New Testament tells nothing more of him. According to later tradition he was a bishop in Corinth or Macedonia and died in peace; the Roman Martyrology lists him on 13 July.

Works and witness

• A respected leader in Jerusalem, sent with the Apostles' letter to Antioch (Acts 15)
• Chosen by Paul as his companion on the second missionary journey
• Flogged and jailed at Philippi, where the jailer was baptised (Acts 16)
• Preached with Paul at Thessalonica, Beroea and Corinth
• Named with Paul and Timothy in the letters to the Thessalonians

Saints from the same country

Saint Peter, Saint Andrew the Apostle, Saint James the Greater, Saint John the Apostle

References

• New Testament – Acts of the Apostles
• New Testament – Letters of Paul
• Martyrologium Romanum

Written by Anawim from documented history. Some details about ancient saints rest on tradition and are marked as such.