Acts 18:5

"But when Silas and Timothy came down from Macedonia, Paul was constrained by the word, testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ"Silas and Timothy came down from Macedonia" The Roman province of Macedonia included such cities as Philippi and Thessalonica and was north of the province of Achaia, of which Corinth was the capital. When Paul was at Athens, Timothy had come to him, but Paul had immediately sent him back to see if the brethren in Thessalonica were remaining faithful, despite the suffering they were enduring (1 Thessalonians 3:1 ff). Apparently Silas had remained for some time with the brethren in Berea. Thus we find that in the churches that Paul established, Paul either stayed with these new Christians for some length of time or tried to leave another evangelist behind. From the city of Corinth, First and Second Thessalonians will be written (1 Thessalonians 1:1; 1 Thessalonians 3:1; 2 Thessalonians 1:1). "Paul was constrained by the word" "Engrossed with the word" (ABUV). "Completely possessed" (Ber). "Absorbed in preaching the message" (Gspd). "That Jesus was the Christ" Compare with Acts 17:3.

The KJV here reads, "pressed in the spirit", but the best texts have "by the word", instead of spirit. Evidently circumstances changed with the arrival of Silas and Timothy. First, their presence would have greatly encouraged Paul. Secondly, it appears that they probably brought some financial support from the congregations in Macedonia with them (2 Corinthians 11:7; 1 Peter 4:15). Therefore, Paul could take. break from the tent-making business and devote his time to the full-time preaching of the gospel.