Acts 17:11

more noble Applied first to nobility of birth (which is the primary sense of nobilis), the word in its secondary sense implies, as here, nobility of character.

received the word i.e. the word of God. It was the same teaching which had been given to the Jews in Thessalonica. This we see because the Berœans go to the O. T. Scriptures to examine into the truth of what they hear. Here we have a noteworthy instance of the right of private judgment. Even an Apostle's word is not to be taken for granted. The noble Berœans were ready to listen, and then diligent to examine into the grounds of what was said.

and searched the scriptures The word is not the same as in the well-known passage John 5:39. The present verb has more the sense of examiningand sifting evidence. It was used in Attic law of the steps taken by the lawyers to see whether an action would lie.