Acts 17
1 And taking their journey through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica; where there was a synagogue of the Jews.
When Paul and his companions had traveled through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews.
2 And according to Paul's custom, he entered in among them, and discoursed to them for three Sabbaths from the scriptures;
As was his custom, Paul went in to them, and for three Sabbaths he reasoned with them from the Scriptures,
3 opening them, and evidently showing that the Messiah ought to suffer, and to rise from the dead; and that this is the Messiah, even Jesus, whom I declare to you.
explaining and presenting evidence that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead, saying, “This Jesus whom I am proclaiming to you is the Christ.”
4 And some of them believed, and adhered to Paul and Silas; besides, a considerable number of the devout Greeks, and not a few of the principal women.
Some of the Jews were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a large number of the devout Greeks and quite a few prominent women.
5 But the unbelieving Jews, filled with zeal, gathered together some mean and profligate fellows, and making a mob, threw the city into a tumult; and assaulting the house of Jason, endeavored to bring them out to the people.
But the Jews who refused to believe rounded up some evil men from the marketplace and formed a mob, setting the city in an uproar. They attacked Jason's house, seeking to bring Paul and Silas out to the public assembly.
6 But not finding them, they dragged Jason, and some of the brethren to the magistrates of the city, crying out, These men, that have turned the world upside down, are come hither, also;
But when they could not find them, they dragged Jason and some other brothers to the city officials, shouting, “These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also,
7 and Jason has privately received them. And all these men act contrary to the decrees of Cesar, saying that there is another king, one Jesus.
and Jason has welcomed them. They all act contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus.”
8 And they alarmed the multitude and the magistrates of the city, when they heard these things.
And they stirred up the crowd and the city officials who heard these things.
9 And having taken security of Jason, and the rest, they dismissed them.
But when the city officials had received a security bond from Jason and the others, they released them.
10 But the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas, by night, to Berea: and when they came thither, they went into the synagogue of the Jews.
As soon as it was night the brothers sent Paul and Silas to Berea. When they arrived, they went to the synagogue of the Jews.
11 Now these were of a more noble disposition that those of Thessalonica: for they received the word with all readiness of mind, daily examining the scriptures, whether those things were so.
Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica, and they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.
12 Many of them, therefore, believed; both of the Grecian women of considerable rank, and of the men not a few.
As a result, many of them believed, as did quite a few of the Greek women of high standing and the men.
13 But as soon as some of the Jews of Thessalonica understood that the word of God was announced by Paul at Berea, they came thither, also, exciting the populace.
But when the Jews of Thessalonica found out that Paul was proclaiming the word of God in Berea also, they went there as well, agitating the crowds.
14 And then immediately the brethren sent away Paul, as if he were to go by sea. But Silas and Timothy continued there.
Then the brothers immediately sent Paul away, as though he were going by sea, but Silas and Timothy remained in Berea.
15 And they that conducted Paul, brought him as far as Athens: and having received an order for Silas and Timothy, that they should come to him as soon as possible, they set out.
Those who escorted Paul brought him as far as Athens, and after they had received an order for Silas and Timothy to come to him as soon as possible, they departed.
16 Now, while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit within him was strongly moved when he beheld the city enslaved to idolatry.
While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, his spirit was provoked within him when he saw that the city was full of idols.
17 He therefore reasoned with the Jews and proselytes in the synagogue; and in the forum, daily, with those who met with him.
So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the devout Greeks, and in the marketplace every day with those who happened to be there.
18 Then some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers opposed him. Others said, What would this babbler say? And others, he seems to be a proclaimer of foreign deities; because he declared to them the good news concerning Jesus and the resurrection.
Some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers also conversed with him. Some said, “What is this babbler trying to say?” But others said, “He seems to be a proclaimer of foreign deities.” (They said this because he was preaching the good news about Jesus and the resurrection.)
19 And they took him and conducted him to the Areopagus, saying, May we know what this new doctrine is, which is spoken by you?
So they took him and brought him to the Areopagus, saying, “May we know what this new teaching is that yoʋ are presenting?
20 for you bring some strange things to our ears; we would, therefore, know what these things mean.
For yoʋ are bringing some strange things to our ears, and we would like to know what they mean.”
21 For all the Athenians, and the strangers that sojourned among them spent their leisure in nothing else but in telling or hearing news.
(Now all the Athenians and the foreigners who dwelt there would spend their time in nothing else but talking about and listening to whatever the newest idea might be.)
22 Paul, therefore, standing up in the middle of Areopagus, said, Athenians, I perceive that you are exceedingly addicted to the worship of demons.
Paul then stood before the Areopagus and said, “Men of Athens, I see just how religious you are in every way.
23 For, as I passed along, and beheld the objects of your worship, I found an altar with this inscription, To the Unknown God: Him, therefore, you ignorantly worship, I announce to you.
For as I was going around and closely observing yoʋr objects of worship, I even found an altar that had been inscribed: ‘To an unknown god.’ I proclaim to you therefore the one whom you worship in ignorance.
24 The God who made the world, and all things that are in it, being the Lord of heaven and earth, dwells not in temples made with hands:
The God who made the world and everything in it, who is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made by hands,
25 Neither is he served by human hands, as if he stood in need of anything; he himself giving to all, life, and breath, and all things.
neither is he served by the hands of men, as though he needed anything. Rather, he himself continually gives life and breath to all mankind.
26 And he has made of one blood, the whole race of men, to inhabit all the face of the earth; having marked out the times previously arranged in order, and the boundaries of their habitations:
From one bloodline he created every nation of mankind to dwell on the entire face of the earth. He determined their appointed times and the boundaries of where they would dwell,
27 that they might seek after the Lord, if possibly they might feel after him, and find him; though he be not far from every one of us:
so that they might seek the Lord and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us.
28 for in him we live, and are moved, and do exist; as some of your own poets have said--"For we his offspring are."
For in him we live and move and have our being, as even some of your own poets have said: ‘For we also are his offspring.’
29 We, therefore, being the offspring of God, ought not to imagine the Deity to be like gold, or silver, or stone, wrought by the art and contrivance of man.
Being then the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the divine being is like gold, silver, or stone, an image formed by the skill and imagination of man.
30 For though God overlooked the times of ignorance, he now makes proclamation to all men, everywhere, to reform;
Therefore, having overlooked the times of ignorance, God now commands all people everywhere to repent,
31 because he has appointed a day, in which he will judge the world righteously, by that Man whom he has ordained: of which he has given assurance to all men, by raising him from the dead.
because he has set a day on which he is going to judge the world in righteousness by a man he has appointed. He has provided assurance of this to everyone by raising this man from the dead.”
32 And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some made a jest of it, and others said, We will hear you again upon this subject.
Now when they heard about the resurrection of the dead, some began to scoff, but others said, “We wish to hear about this from yoʋ again.”
33 And this Paul went out of the midst of them.
So Paul departed from them,
34 Nevertheless, some men adhered to him, and believed: among whom was Dionysius, the Areopagite; also a woman, whose name was Damaris; and others with them.
but some of the people joined him and believed, among whom were Dionysius the Areopagite, a woman named Damaris, and others with them.
