Acts 17
1 Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue.
Then, passing through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they went to Thessalonica. Here there was a synagogue of the Jews.
2 Paul, as was his custom, went in to them, and for three Sabbath days reasoned with them from the Scriptures,
Paul--following his usual custom--betook himself to it, and for three successive Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures,
3 explaining and demonstrating that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead, and saying, "This Jesus, whom I proclaim to you, is the Christ."
which he clearly explained, pointing out that it had been necessary for the Christ to suffer and rise again from the dead, and insisting, "The Jesus whom I am announcing to you is the Christ."
4 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.
Some of the people were won over, and attached themselves to Paul and Silas, including many God-fearing Greeks and not a few gentlewomen of high rank.
5 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.
But the jealousy of the Jews was aroused, and, calling to their aid some ill-conditioned and idle fellows, they got together a riotous mob and filled the city with uproar. They then attacked the house of Jason and searched for Paul and Silas, to bring them out before the assembly of people.
6 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,
But, failing to find them, they dragged Jason and some of the other brethren before the magistrates of the city, loudly accusing them. "These men," they said, "who have raised a tumult throughout the Empire, have come here also.
7 whom Jason has received. These all act contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus."
Jason has received them into his house; and they all set Caesar's authority at defiance, declaring that there is another Emperor-- one called Jesus."
8 The crowd and the rulers of the city were troubled when they heard these things.
Great was the excitement among the crowd, and among the magistrates of the city, when they heard these charges.
9 When they had taken security from Jason and the rest, they let them go.
They required Jason and the rest to find substantial bail, and after that they let them go.
10 The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Beroea. When they arrived, they went into the Jewish synagogue.
The brethren at once sent Paul and Silas away by night to Beroea, and they, on their arrival, went to the synagogue of the Jews.
11 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.
The Jews at Beroea were of a nobler disposition than those in Thessalonica, for they very readily received the Message, and day after day searched the Scriptures to see whether it was as Paul stated.
12 Many of them therefore believed; also of the prominent Greek women, and not a few men.
As the result many of them became believers, and so did not a few of the Greeks--gentlewomen of good position, and men.
13 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.
As soon, however, as the Jews of Thessalonica learnt that God's Message had been proclaimed by Paul at Beroea, they came there also, and incited the mob to a riot.
14 Then the brothers immediately sent out Paul to go as far as to the sea, and Silas and Timothy still stayed there.
Then the brethren promptly sent Paul down to the sea-coast, but Silas and Timothy remained behind.
15 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.
Those who were caring for Paul's safety went with him as far as Athens, and then left him, taking a message from him to Silas and Timothy, asking them to join him as speedily as possible.
16 Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him as he saw the city full of idols.
While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, his spirit was stirred within him when he noticed that the city was full of idols.
17 So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the devout persons, and in the marketplace every day with those who met him.
So he had discussions in the synagogue with the Jews and the other worshippers, and in the market place, day after day, with those whom he happened to meet.
18 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.
A few of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers also encountered him. Some of them asked, "What has this beggarly babbler to say?" "His business," said others, "seems to be to cry up some foreign gods." This was because he had been telling the Good News of Jesus and the Resurrection.
19 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?
Then they took him and brought him up to the Areopagus, asking him, "May we be told what this new teaching of yours is?
20 For you bring certain strange things to our ears. We want to know therefore what these things mean."
For the things you are saying sound strange to us. We should therefore like to be told exactly what they mean."
21 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.
(For all the Athenians and their foreign visitors used to devote their whole leisure to telling or hearing about something new.)
22 Paul stood in the middle of the Areopagus, and said, "You men of Athens, I perceive that you are very religious in all things.
So Paul, taking his stand in the centre of the Areopagus, spoke as follows: "Men of Athens, I perceive that you are in every respect remarkably religious.
23 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.
For as I passed along and observed the things you worship, I found also an altar bearing the inscription, 'TO AN UNKNOWN GOD.' "The Being, therefore, whom you, without knowing Him, revere, Him I now proclaim to you.
24 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,
GOD who made the universe and everything in it--He, being Lord of Heaven and earth, does not dwell in sanctuaries built by men.
25 neither is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, seeing he himself gives to all life and breath, and all things.
Nor is He ministered to by human hands, as though He needed anything--but He Himself gives to all men life and breath and all things.
26 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,
He caused to spring from one forefather people of every race, for them to live on the whole surface of the earth, and marked out for them an appointed span of life and the boundaries of their homes;
27 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.
that they might seek God, if perhaps they could grope for Him and find Him. Yes, though He is not far from any one of us.
28 '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.'
For it is in closest union with Him that we live and move and have our being; as in fact some of the poets in repute among yourselves have said, 'For we are also His offspring.'
29 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.
Since then we are God's offspring, we ought not to imagine that His nature resembles gold or silver or marble, or anything sculptured by the art and inventive faculty of man.
30 The times of ignorance therefore God overlooked. But now he commands that all people everywhere should repent,
Those times of ignorance God viewed with indulgence. But now He commands all men everywhere to repent,
31 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."
seeing that He has appointed a day on which, before long, He will judge the world in righteousness, through the instrumentality of a man whom He has pre-destined to this work, and has made the fact certain to every one by raising Him from the dead."
32 Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked; but others said, "We want to hear you again concerning this."
When they heard Paul speak of a resurrection of dead men, some began to scoff. But others said, "We will hear you again on that subject."
33 Thus Paul went out from among them.
So Paul went away from them.
34 But some people joined with him, and believed, among whom also was Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris, and others with them.
A few, however, attached themselves to him and believed, among them being Dionysius a member of the Council, a gentlewoman named Damaris, and some others.
