Acts 17
1 After Paul and Silas had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia they arrived at Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue.
And when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was the synagogue of the Jews.
2 As usual, Paul went into the synagogue and over the course of three Sabbaths he debated with them using the Scriptures.
And Paul, as his custom was, went in among them, and for three sabbaths discoursed to them out of the Scriptures,
3 He explained what the Scriptures meant, proving that the Messiah had to die and rise from the dead. “This Jesus I'm telling you about—he is the Messiah,” he told them.
explaining them, and setting forth that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead, and that “this is the Christ, —Jesus whom I am making known to you.”
4 Some of them were convinced and joined Paul and Silas, along with many Greek-speaking worshipers and some leading women of the town.
And some of them were convinced, and joined themselves to Paul and Silas, and of the devout Greeks a great multitude, and of the women of high rank not a few.
5 But the Jews became jealous and with some rabble-rousers they gathered from the marketplace they formed a mob. They rioted in the town, and attacked Jason's house. They tried to find Paul and Silas so they could bring them before the people.
But the unbelieving Jews, taking with them certain bad men of the idlers in the market-place, and gathering a crowd, set the city in an uproar; and having come to the house of Jason, they endeavored to bring them out to the people;
6 When they couldn't find them they dragged Jason and some of the other believers before the town leaders, shouting, “These people are famous for causing trouble, turning the world upside down. Now they've come here,
but not finding them, they dragged Jason and some of the brethren before the city magistrates, crying out, These men that have turned the world upside down have come hither also;
7 and Jason has made them welcome in his house. They all defy Caesar's decrees, committing treason by saying there is another king called Jesus.”
whom Jason hath entertained; and they are all acting in opposition to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus.
8 The people and the leaders of the town were very disturbed when they heard this.
And they alarmed the multitude and the city magistrates when they heard these things.
9 So they made Jason and the others post bail before they let them go.
And having taken security of Jason and of the others, they let them go.
10 The believers had Paul and Silas leave for Berea that very night. When they arrived in Berea they went to the Jewish synagogue.
And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night to Berea; who, having come there, went into the synagogue of the Jews.
11 The people there had a better attitude than those in Thessalonica in that they were very quick to accept the word, and every day they examined the Scriptures to make sure what they were told was right.
These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily, whether these things were so.
12 As a result many of them became believers, along with some highly-placed Greek women and men.
Many of them therefore believed; and of the Grecian women of rank and men, not a few.
13 But when the Jews in Thessalonica heard that Paul was also spreading the word of God in Berea, they went there and caused the same kind of trouble, stirring up the crowds.
But when the Jews of Thessalonica knew that at Beroea, too, the word of God was preached by Paul, they came hither also, and stirred up the multitudes.
14 Immediately the believers sent Paul to the coast, while Silas and Timothy remained behind.
And then immediately the brethren sent away Paul to go to the sea; but Silas and Timothy remained there.
15 Those escorting Paul took him as far as Athens, and then returned with instructions from Paul to Silas and Timothy that they should join him there as soon as possible.
And they who conducted Paul brought him to Athens; and having received a commandment to Silas and Timothy to come to him as soon as possible, they departed.
16 While Paul was waiting for them in Athens he was very troubled to see all the idolatry in the city.
Now while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was stirred within him, when he saw the city full of idols.
17 He debated in the synagogue with the Jews and those who worshiped God, as well as in the marketplace with those he happened to meet from day to day.
Therefore he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the devout [[Greeks]], and in the market daily with those that met him.
18 Some Epicurean and Stoic philosophers also argued with him. “What is he going on about?” they wondered. Others concluded, “He seems to be teaching about some foreign gods,” because he was speaking about Jesus and the resurrection.
And some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers also conversed with him. And some said, What doth this babbler mean to say? and others, He seemeth to be a setter forth of foreign gods; because he brought the glad tidings of Jesus and the resurrection.
19 So they took him to the Areopagus, and asked him, “Please tell us about this new teaching that you're promoting.
And they took him and brought him to Mars' hill, saying, May we know what this new doctrine is, of which thou speakest?
20 We're hearing from you things that sound odd to us, so we'd like to know what they mean.”
For thou bringest certain strange things to our ears. We would know therefore what these things mean.
21 (All the Athenians, including foreigners who lived there, spent their whole time doing nothing except explaining or listening to something new.)
Now all the Athenians, and the strangers residing among them, spent their leisure for nothing else but to tell or to hear something new.
22 Paul stood up right in the middle of the Areopagus and said, “People of Athens, I notice you are very religious about everything.
Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars' hill, and said, Men of Athens, in all things I perceive that ye are very devout.
23 As I was walking along, looking at your shrines, I found an altar that had the inscription, ‘To an Unknown God.’ This unknown God whom you worship is the one I'm describing to you.
For while passing along and observing your objects of worship, I found also an altar with this inscription, “To an unknown God.” What therefore ye, without knowledge of it, worship, that do I make known to you.
24 The God who created the world and everything in it, the Lord of heaven and earth, doesn't live in temples we make.
The God who made the world and all things therein, he, being Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands;
25 He doesn't need to be served by us as if he needed anything, since he is the source of all life for every living being.
nor doth he receive service at the hands of men, as though he needed anything, since it is he that giveth to all life and breath and all things.
26 From one man he made all the peoples who live on the earth, and decided beforehand when and where they should live.
And he made of one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, having fixed appointed times, and the bounds of their habitation;
27 God's purpose was that they should seek him, hoping they would reach out for him and find him—though he isn't far from any one of us.
that they should seek God, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he is not far from every one of us.
28 In him we live, move, and exist. Just as one of your own poets wrote, ‘We are his family.’
For 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.”
29 Since we are his family we shouldn't think that God is like gold, or silver, or stone, shaped by human artistry and thinking.
Being then the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Deity is like to gold or silver or stone, graven by the art and device of man.
30 God disregarded people's ignorance in the past, but now he commands everyone everywhere to repent.
The times indeed of ignorance God overlooked; but now commandeth all men every where to repent;
31 For he has set a time when he will rightly judge the world by the man he has appointed, and he proved to everyone that he is the one by raising him from the dead.”
inasmuch as he hath fixed a day, in which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he hath appointed; having given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.
32 Some of them laughed when they heard about the resurrection of the dead, while others said, “Please come back so we can hear more about this later.”
And when they heard of a resurrection of the dead, some mocked; but ethers said, We will hear thee again about this matter.
33 So Paul left them.
Thus Paul departed from among them.
34 A few men joined him and trusted in God, including Dionysius, a member of the Areopagus, as well as a woman called Damaris, and some others.
But certain men joined themselves to him, and believed; among whom was Dionysius the Areopagite; and a woman named Damaris, and others with them.
