Acts 17
1 When Paul and his companions had traveled 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 synagogue of the Jews.
2 As was his custom, Paul went in to them, and for three Sabbaths he reasoned with them from the Scriptures,
So Paul, as was his custom, went in to them and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures,
3 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.”
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.”
4 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.
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.
5 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.
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.
6 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,
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,
7 and Jason has welcomed them. They all act contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus.”
to whom Jason has given lodging. These all act contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying there is another king—Jesus.”
8 And they stirred up the crowd and the city officials who heard these things.
Well they agitated the crowd and the city officials when they heard these things.
9 But when the city officials had received a security bond from Jason and the others, they released them.
Then they took a security bond from Jason and the rest and let them go.
10 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.
Immediately, during the night, the brothers sent both Paul and Silas away to Berea; on arriving they went into the synagogue of the Jews.
11 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.
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.
12 As a result, many of them believed, as did quite a few of the Greek women of high standing and the men.
Therefore many of them believed, and also not a few of the Greeks, prominent women as well as men.
13 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.
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.
14 Then the brothers immediately sent Paul away, as though he were going by sea, but Silas and Timothy remained in Berea.
So then, without delay, the brothers sent Paul away, as if to go by sea, while both Silas and Timothy remained there.
15 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.
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.
16 While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, his spirit was provoked within him when he saw that the city was full of idols.
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.
17 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.
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.
18 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.)
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.
19 So they took him and brought him to the Areopagus, saying, “May we know what this new teaching is that yoʋ are presenting?
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?
20 For yoʋ are bringing some strange things to our ears, and we would like to know what they mean.”
Because you are bringing some strange things to our ears, and we would like to know what they might mean.”
21 (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.)
(Now all Athenians and resident foreigners spent their time in nothing else but to tell, or else to hear, some novelty.)
22 Paul then stood before the Areopagus and said, “Men of Athens, I see just how religious you are in every way.
So standing in the middle of the Areopagus Paul said: “Men of Athens, I perceive that in all things you are very religious;
23 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.
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:
24 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,
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,
25 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.
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.
26 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,
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,
27 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.
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;
28 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.’
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.’
29 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.
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.
30 Therefore, having overlooked the times of ignorance, God now commands all people everywhere to repent,
Such times of ignorance God did indeed overlook, but now He commands all people everywhere to repent,
31 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.”
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.”
32 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.”
Well when they heard about the resurrection of the dead, some started scoffing, while others said, “We will hear you again about this.”
33 So Paul departed from them,
And with that Paul went out from among them.
34 but some of the people joined him and believed, among whom were Dionysius the Areopagite, a woman named Damaris, and others with them.
However some men believed and joined him, among them Dionysius the Areopagite, also a woman named Damaris, and others with them.
