Acts 16:40

‘And they went out of the prison, and entered into the house of Lydia: and when they had seen the brethren, they comforted them, and departed.'

But the agreement to leave was amicable. They were not escorted from the city. Thus they returned to Lydia's house, gathered the believers together to say farewell, exhorted and encouraged them, and then left Philippi with honour intact, probably leaving Luke behind to aid in the nurturing of the young church (the ‘we' section ceases). Luke would not carry stigma in Philippi as ‘a Jew'.

‘The brethren (the brothers and sisters).' We have here the suggestion of a nucleus of believers who now formed a church. The three highlighted conversions, together with households, were not the only conversions in Philippi. The word of God had continued to prevail.

The deep love that these disciples had for Paul comes out in Philippians 4:15. Their love, and practical demonstration of it in sending him constant material support, made them stand out from all the other churches.