P h i l i p p i a n s.(*): was written by Paul during the two years when he was "in bonds" in Rome.(Philippians 1:7-13; 4:22; Acts 28:30), probably early in the year 62 A.D.  or in the end of 61.

The Philippians had sent Epaphroditus, their messenger, with contributions to meet the necessities of the apostle and on his return Paul sent back with him this letter.

The church at Philippi was the first fruits of European Christianity. Their attachment to the apostle was very fervent and so also was his affection for them. They alone of all the churches helped him by their contributions, which he gratefully acknowledges:.Acts 20:33-35; 2Corinthians 11:7-12; 2Thessalonians 3:8.

The pecuniary.(relating to money).liberality of the Philippians comes out very conspicuously:.Philippians 4:15. 

This was a characteristic of the Macedonian missions, as:.2Corinthians chapters 8 and 9. It is remarkable that the Macedonian converts were, as a class, very poor.(2Corinthians 8:2); and the parallel facts, their poverty and their open handed support. 

Phillipi or formerly Crenides, "the fountain", the capital of the province of Macedonia, the first place the gospel in Europe was preached. It stood near the head of the Sea, about 8 miles north-west of Kavalla. It is now a ruined village, called Philibedjik.
   Philip of Macedonia fortified the old Thracian town of Crenides and called it after his own name Philippi, B.C.E. 359-336. In the time of the Emperor Augustus this city became a Roman colony, i.e., a military settlement of Roman soldiers, there planted for the purpose of controlling the district recently conquered. It was a 'miniature Rome', under the municipal law of Rome and governed by military officers, called duumviri, who were appointed directly from Rome. Having been providentially guided thither, here Paul and his companion Silas preached the gospel and formed the first church in Europe.

This success stirred up the enmity of the people, and they were."shamefully entreated":.Acts 16:9-40; 1Thessalonians 2:2. Paul and Silas at length left this city and proceeded to Amphipolis. 

2) When Philip the tetrarch.(a subordinate {lower in rank} ruler), the son of Herod, succeeded to the government of the northern portion of his kingdom, he enlarged the city of Paneas and called it Caesarea in honour of the emperor. But in order to distinguish it from the Caesarea on the sea coast, he added to it subsequently his own name calling it Caesarea-Philippi.

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C o l o s s i a n s.(*): was written by Paul at Rome during his first imprisonment there.(Acts 28:16,30), probably in the spring of A.D. 57, or, as some think, 62, and soon after he had written his Epistle to the Ephesians. Colossians has a specific theme.

Colassae or Colosse, a city of Phrygia, on the Lycus, which is a tributary.(a stream that flows into a larger stream or other body of water).of the Maeander. It was about 12 miles above Laodicea and near the great road from Ephesus to the Euphrates and was consequently of some mercantile.(merchants or trade).importance.

It does not appear that Paul had visited this city when he wrote his letter to the church there:.Colossians 1:2. He expresses in his letter to Philemon.(Colossians 1:22).his hope to visit it on being delivered from his imprisonment. From Colossians 1:7; 4:12 it has been concluded that Epaphras was the founder of the Colossian church. This town afterwards fell into decay and the modern town of Chonas or Chonum occupies a site near its ruins.

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T h e s s a l o n i a n s:.The first epistle to the Thessalonians was the first of all Paul's epistles. It was in all probability written from Corinth, where he abode a."long time".(Acts 18:11,18), early in the period of his residence there, about the end of 52 A.D.

The second epistle to the Thessalonians.(in the region of east-central Greece, called Thessaly, between the Pindus Mountains and the Aegean Sea (maps 1, 2}, which was settled before B.C.E. 1000).was probably also written from Corinth and not many months after the first. 

Thessalonica was a large and populous city on the Thermaic bay.(map). It was the capital of one of the four Roman districts of Macedonia.(map)and was ruled by a praetor.(an annually elected magistrate of the ancient Roman Republic).

It was named after Thessalonica, the wife of Cassander, who built the city. She was so called by her father, Philip, because he first heard of her birth on the day of his gaining a victory over the Thessalians.(or Thessalonians). 

On his second missionary journey, Paul preached in the synagogue here, the chief synagogue of the Jews in that part of Macedonia and laid the foundations of a church:.Acts 17:1-4; 1Thessalonians 1:9. 

The violence of the Jews drove him from the city, when he fled to Berea:.Acts 17:5-10. The "rulers of the city" before whom the Jews "drew Jason", with whom Paul and Silas lodged, are in the original called politarchai, an unusual word, which was found, however, inscribed on an arch in Thessalonica. This discovery confirms the accuracy of the historian. Paul visited the church here on a subsequent occasion:.Acts 20:1-3. This city long retained its importance. It is the most important town of European Turkey, under the name of Saloniki, with a mixed population of about 85,000.