some joined him and believed: Some people joined Paul and became believers. His sermon did not only bring rejection; it also led to faith.
Two important people who believed are named: Dionysius and Damaris. Luke often places a man and a woman side by side in his writing to show that the message of the good news is for all people. By pairing men and women, he shows that both are equally important in God’s work (for example, 5:1–11; 17:4, 12; Luke 14:1–6; 15:3–10).
Dionysius was a member of the council of the Areopagus, the highest governing body of Athens.