In Philippi, Paul meets the God-fearing purple seller Lydia. The Jewish queen Berenice witnesses a significant speech by the apostle during his imprisonment in Caesarea Maritima. Despite the stark differences in the life stories and social standings of both women, their reactions to the new teaching are contrasting: Lydia is baptized, while Berenice remains unimpressed by the words of the Christian missionary. A look at the Lukan account and non-biblical literary and epigraphic sources sheds light on the different life worlds of both women and highlights their differing attitudes towards the message of the Gospel.