Ἀπολλωνία G0624
Apollonia; a city in Macedonia on the Via Egnatia between Amphipolis and Thessalonica
This is the name of a Macedonian city on the Via Egnatia, the main Roman highway connecting the Adriatic to the Aegean. Acts 17:1 mentions it as a stopping point when Paul and Silas traveled from Philippi to Thessalonica: they passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia before reaching Thessalonica. Luke records no ministry there, suggesting they stopped only for travel necessities—lodging, provisions—before continuing to their destination. Multiple cities bore this name (honoring Apollo), requiring geographic markers to distinguish them.
Senses
1. sense 1 — Paul's passing through 'Apollonia' represents strategic missionary travel along Roman infrastructure. The Via Egnatia enabled rapid movement across Macedonia, and Apollonia provided a natural waystation. Spanish 'Apolonia,' French 'Apollonie,' and English/German 'Apollonia' all adapt the Greek name to their conventions. Luke's silence about ministry there suggests the apostolic team pressed on to Thessalonica, the provincial capital and strategic hub. Not every city received extended mission—Paul targeted key urban centers from which the gospel would spread regionally. 1×
AR["أَبولونِيَةَ"]·ben["আপল্লোনিয়া"]·DE["Ἀπολλωνίαν"]·EN["Apollōnia"]·FR["Apollonie"]·heb["אַפּוֹלוֹנִיָּה"]·HI["अपोल्लोनिया"]·ID["Apolonia"]·IT["Apollonia"]·jav["Apolonia"]·KO["아볼로니아를"]·RU["Аполлонию"]·ES["Apolonia"]·SW["Apolonia"]·TR["Apollonya'yı"]·urd["اپُلونیا"]
Related Senses
H3808 1. simple negation (not) (4839×)G1722 1. locative: in, within (2442×)H1004b 1. house, dwelling, building (2015×)G3756 1. not (negation particle) (1635×)H4480a 1. source or separation (1198×)H5892b 1. city, town (1093×)G1519 1. direction: into, to, toward (1061×)H3427 1. Qal: to dwell, inhabit (937×)G1537 1. from, out of (source/origin) (886×)H8034 1. Name (designation / identifier) (856×)G3361 1. subjective negation (not) (834×)G1909 1. on, upon (spatial surface) (757×)H0369 1. existential negation: there is not (738×)H5869a 1. in the eyes/sight of (evaluative) (734×)H5650 1. Servant, attendant, subject (723×)H0408 1. prohibitive negation do-not (712×)G2443 1. so that, in order that (purpose/result) (665×)G0575 1. from (649×)G1223 1. through, by means of (582×)H3541 1. thus, so, in this manner (569×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
Ἀπολλωνία, -ας, ἡ Apollonia, a city of Macedonia: Act.17:1.† (From Abbott-Smith. LSJ has no entry)