Acts 17
1 Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews.
Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue.
2 So Paul, as was his custom, went in to them and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures,
Paul, as was his custom, went in to them, and for three Sabbath days reasoned with them from the Scriptures,
3 explaining and demonstrating that the Messiah had to suffer and rise again from the dead, and that “this Jesus whom I proclaim to you is the Messiah.”
explaining and demonstrating that the Messiah had to suffer and rise again from the dead, and saying, "This Jesus, whom I proclaim to you, is the Messiah."
4 Some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a large number of devout Greeks and not a few of the prominent women.
Some of them were persuaded, and joined Paul and Silas, as did a large number of the devout Greeks, and not a few of the prominent women.
5 But the disobedient Jews rounded up some wicked men from the marketplace, and forming a mob they created an uproar in the city; and attacking the house of Jason, they wanted to bring them out to the crowd.
But the Jews, being moved with jealousy, took along some wicked men from the marketplace, and gathering a crowd, set the city in an uproar. Assaulting the house of Jason, they sought to bring them out to the people.
6 But not finding them they dragged Jason and some other brothers before the city officials vociferating: “These who have upset the whole world have come here too,
When they did not find them, they dragged Jason and certain brothers before the rulers of the city, crying, "These who have turned the world upside down have come here also,
7 to whom Jason has given lodging. These all act contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying there is another king—Jesus.”
whom Jason has received. These all act contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus."
8 Well they agitated the crowd and the city officials when they heard these things.
The crowd and the rulers of the city were troubled when they heard these things.
9 Then they took a security bond from Jason and the rest and let them go.
When they had taken security from Jason and the rest, they let them go.
10 Immediately, during the night, the brothers sent both Paul and Silas away to Berea; on arriving they went into the synagogue of the Jews.
The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Beroea. When they arrived, they went into the Jewish synagogue.
11 Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all goodwill, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things might be so.
Now these were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of the mind, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so.
12 Therefore many of them believed, and also not a few of the Greeks, prominent women as well as men.
Many of them therefore believed; also of the prominent Greek women, and not a few men.
13 But when the Jews from Thessalonica learned that the Word of God was also being proclaimed by Paul in Berea, they came too, agitating the crowds.
But when the Jews of Thessalonica had knowledge that the word of God was proclaimed by Paul at Beroea also, they came there likewise, inciting and disturbing the crowds.
14 So then, without delay, the brothers sent Paul away, as if to go by sea, while both Silas and Timothy remained there.
Then the brothers immediately sent out Paul to go as far as to the sea, and Silas and Timothy still stayed there.
15 But those who were conducting Paul actually took him all the way to Athens; and receiving a command to Silas and Timothy that they should come to him as quickly as possible, they started back.
But those who escorted Paul brought him as far as Athens. Receiving a commandment to Silas and Timothy that they should come to him very quickly, they departed.
16 Now while Paul was waiting for them in Athens, his spirit was increasingly aroused within him as he observed that the city was full of idols.
Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him as he saw the city full of idols.
17 So he reasoned both in the synagogue with the Jews and devout persons, and in the marketplace day by day with those who happened to be there.
So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the devout persons, and in the marketplace every day with those who met him.
18 Then certain philosophers, both Epicureans and Stoics, encountered him. Some said, “What might this idea-scavenger want to say?” Others said, “He seems to be a proclaimer of foreign deities”—because he was preaching Jesus and the resurrection.
Some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers also were conversing with him. Some said, "What does this babbler want to say?" Others said, "He seems to be advocating foreign deities," because he preached Jesus and the resurrection.
19 So taking him in tow they led him to the Areopagus and said: “May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting?
They took hold of him, and brought him to the Areopagus, saying, "May we know what this new teaching is, which is spoken by you?
20 Because you are bringing some strange things to our ears, and we would like to know what they might mean.”
For you bring certain strange things to our ears. We want to know therefore what these things mean."
21 (Now all Athenians and resident foreigners spent their time in nothing else but to tell, or else to hear, some novelty.)
Now all the Athenians and the strangers living there spent their time in nothing else, but either to tell or to hear some new thing.
22 So standing in the middle of the Areopagus Paul said: “Men of Athens, I perceive that in all things you are very religious;
Paul stood in the middle of the Areopagus, and said, "You men of Athens, I perceive that you are very religious in all things.
23 because as I went along and scrutinized the objects of your worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO UNKNOWN GOD. Now then, the one you worship as ‘unknown’, this is the One I proclaim to you:
For as I passed along, and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription: 'TO AN UNKNOWN GOD.' What therefore you worship in ignorance, this I announce to you.
24 The God who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples built by hands,
The God who made the world and all things in it, he, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands,
25 neither is He cared for by men's hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself has always given life and breath to all.
neither is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, seeing he himself gives to all life and breath, and all things.
26 And from one blood He made every ethnic nation of men to dwell on all the surface of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings,
He made from one blood every nation of mankind to dwell on all the surface of the earth, having determined appointed seasons, and the boundaries of their dwellings,
27 so that they should seek the Lord, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us;
that they should seek God, if perhaps they might reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us.
28 because in Him we live and move and have our being. As also some of your own poets have said, ‘For we are also his offspring.’
'For in him we live, and move, and have our being.' As some of your own poets have said, 'For we are also his offspring.'
29 Therefore, since we are God's offspring, we ought not to think that the divinity is like gold or silver or stone—something shaped by human skill and imagination.
Being then the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold, or silver, or stone, engraved by human art and design.
30 Such times of ignorance God did indeed overlook, but now He commands all people everywhere to repent,
The times of ignorance therefore God overlooked. But now he commands that all people everywhere should repent,
31 because He has appointed a day in which He will judge the inhabited world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained; He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead.”
because he has appointed a day in which he will judge the world in righteousness by the man whom he has ordained; of which he has given assurance to everyone by raising him from the dead."
32 Well when they heard about the resurrection of the dead, some started scoffing, while others said, “We will hear you again about this.”
Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked; but others said, "We want to hear you again concerning this."
33 And with that Paul went out from among them.
Thus Paul went out from among them.
34 However some men believed and joined him, among them Dionysius the Areopagite, also a woman named Damaris, and others with them.
But some people joined with him, and believed, among whom also was Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris, and others with them.
