Acts 17
1 When they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue.
And when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews.
2 As was his custom, Paul went into the synagogue, and on three Sabbaths he reasoned with them from the Scriptures,
And Paul, according to his custom, went in unto them; and for three sabbath days he reasoned with them out of the scriptures:
3 explaining and proving that the Christ had to suffer and rise from the dead. “This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Christ,” he declared.
Declaring and insinuating that the Christ was to suffer, and to rise again from the dead; and that this is Jesus Christ, whom I preach to you.
4 Some of the Jews were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, along with a large number of God-fearing Greeks and quite a few leading women.
And some of them believed, and were associated to Paul and Silas; and of those that served God, and of the Gentiles a great multitude, and of noble women not a few.
5 The Jews, however, became jealous. So they brought in some troublemakers from the marketplace, formed a mob, and sent the city into an uproar. They raided Jason’s house in search of Paul and Silas, hoping to bring them out to the people.
But the Jews, moved with envy, and taking unto them some wicked men of the vulgar sort, and making a tumult, set the city in an uproar; and besetting Jason’s house, sought to bring them out unto the people.
6 But when they could not find them, they dragged Jason and some other brothers before the city officials, shouting, “These men who have turned the world upside down have now come here,
And not finding them, they drew Jason and certain brethren to the rulers of the city, crying: They that set the city in an uproar, are come hither also;
7 and Jason has welcomed them into his home. They are all defying Caesar’s decrees, saying that there is another king, named Jesus!”
Whom Jason hath received; and these all do contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus.
8 On hearing this, the crowd and city officials were greatly disturbed.
And they stirred up the people, and the rulers of the city hearing these things,
9 And they collected bond from Jason and the others, and then released them.
And having taken satisfaction of Jason and of the rest, they let them go.
10 As soon as night had fallen, the brothers sent Paul and Silas away to Berea. On arriving there, they went into the Jewish synagogue.
But the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea. Who, when they were come thither, went into the synagogue of the Jews.
11 Now the Bereans were more noble-minded than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if these teachings were true.
Now these were more noble than those in Thessalonica, who received the word with all eagerness, daily searching the scriptures, whether these things were so.
12 As a result, many of them believed, along with quite a few prominent Greek women and men.
And many indeed of them believed, and of honourable women that were Gentiles, and of men not a few.
13 But when the Jews from Thessalonica learned that Paul was also proclaiming the word of God in Berea, they went there themselves to incite and agitate the crowds.
And when the Jews of Thessalonica had knowledge that the word of God was also preached by Paul at Berea, they came thither also, stirring up and troubling the multitude.
14 The brothers immediately sent Paul to the coast, but Silas and Timothy remained in Berea.
And then immediately the brethren sent away Paul, to go unto the sea; but Silas and Timothy remained there.
15 Those who escorted Paul brought him to Athens and then returned with instructions for Silas and Timothy to join him as soon as possible.
And they that conducted Paul, brought him as far as Athens; and receiving a commandment from him to Silas and Timothy, that they should come to him with all speed, they departed.
16 While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was deeply disturbed in his spirit to see that the city was full of idols.
Now whilst Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was stirred within him, seeing the city wholly given to idolatry.
17 So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and God-fearing Gentiles, and in the marketplace with those he met each day.
He disputed, therefore, in the synagogue with the Jews, and with them that served God, and in the marketplace, every day with them that were there.
18 Some Epicurean and Stoic philosophers also began to debate with him. Some of them asked, “What is this babbler trying to say?” Others said, “He seems to be advocating foreign gods.” They said this because Paul was proclaiming the good news of Jesus and the resurrection.
And certain philosophers of the Epicureans and of the Stoics disputed with him; and some said: What is it, that this word sower would say? But others: He seemeth to be a setter forth of new gods; because he preached to them Jesus and the resurrection.
19 So they took Paul and brought him to the Areopagus, where they asked him, “May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting?
And taking him, they brought him to the Areopagus, saying: May we know what this new doctrine is, which thou speakest of?
20 For you are bringing some strange notions to our ears, and we want to know what they mean.”
For thou bringest in certain new things to our ears. We would know therefore what these things mean.
21 Now all the Athenians and foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing more than hearing and articulating new ideas.
(Now all the Athenians, and strangers that were there, employed themselves in nothing else, but either in telling or in hearing some new thing.)
22 Then Paul stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said, “Men of Athens, I see that in every way you are very religious.
But Paul standing in the midst of the Areopagus, said: Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things you are too superstitious.
23 For as I walked around and examined your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. Therefore what you worship as something unknown, I now proclaim to you.
For passing by, and seeing your idols, I found an altar also, on which was written: To the unknown God. What therefore you worship, without knowing it, that I preach to you:
24 The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples made by human hands.
God, who made the world, and all things therein; he, being Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands;
25 Nor is He served by human hands, as if He needed anything, because He Himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else.
Neither is he served with men’s hands, as though he needed any thing; seeing it is he who giveth to all life, and breath, and all things:
26 From one man He made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and He determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their lands.
And hath made of one, all mankind, to dwell upon the whole face of the earth, determining appointed times, and the limits of their habitation.
27 God intended that they would seek Him and perhaps reach out for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us.
That they should seek God, if happily they may feel after him or find him, although he be not far from every one of us:
28 ‘For in Him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are His offspring.’
For in him we live, and move, and are; as some also of your own poets said: For we are also his offspring.
29 Therefore, being offspring of God, we should not think that the Divine Being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by man’s skill and imagination.
Being therefore the offspring of God, we must not suppose the divinity to be like unto gold, or silver, or stone, the graving of art, and device of man.
30 Although God overlooked the ignorance of earlier times, He now commands all people everywhere to repent.
And God indeed having winked at the times of this ignorance, now declareth unto men, that all should every where do penance.
31 For He has set a day when He will judge the world with justice by the Man He has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising Him from the dead.”
Because he hath appointed a day wherein he will judge the world in equity, by the man whom he hath appointed; giving faith to all, by raising him up from the dead.
32 When they heard about the resurrection of the dead, some began to mock him, but others said, “We want to hear you again on this topic.”
And when they had heard of the resurrection of the dead, some indeed mocked, but others said: We will hear thee again concerning this matter.
33 At that, Paul left the Areopagus.
So Paul went out from among them.
34 But some joined him and believed, including Dionysius the Areopagite, a woman named Damaris, and others who were with them.
But certain men adhering to him, did believe; among whom was also Dionysius, the Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris, and others with them.
