Acts 17
1 Then, passing through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they went to Thessalonica. Here there was a synagogue of the Jews.
Now when they had gone through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica. Here there was a Jewish synagogue,
2 Paul--following his usual custom--betook himself to it, and for three successive Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures,
and Paul, according to his usual custom, went in to them and, for three Sabbath Days, he reasoned with them out of the Scriptures,
3 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."
explaining and quoting passages to prove that the Messiah had to suffer and to rise again from the dead and that "This Jesus whom I am proclaiming unto you is the Messiah."
4 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.
Some were persuaded and attached themselves to Paul and Silas, including a number of devout Greeks, and a large number of the leading women.
5 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.
But the Jews, moved with jealousy, called to their aid certain ill- favored and idle fellows, formed a mob, and began to set the town in an uproar. Assaulting the house of Jason, they sought to bring them out to the people.
6 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.
And when they had failed to find Paul and Silas, they began to drag Jason and some of the brethren before the politarchs, shouting. "These fellows who have upset the habitable earth are come hither also.
7 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."
"Jason has received them, and they all act contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, one Jesus."
8 Great was the excitement among the crowd, and among the magistrates of the city, when they heard these charges.
Both the crowd and the politarchs were disturbed when they heard this,
9 They required Jason and the rest to find substantial bail, and after that they let them go.
but when they had taken security from Jason and the rest, they let them go.
10 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.
Now the brothers sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea. When they got there they betook themselves to the Jewish synagogue.
11 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.
The Jews of Berea were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they very readily received the message with all readiness of mind, and day after day searched the Scriptures to see whether these things were so.
12 As the result many of them became believers, and so did not a few of the Greeks--gentlewomen of good position, and men.
So many of them became believers, and so did not a few Greeks, women of honorable estate, and men.
13 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.
As soon as the Jews in Thessalonica learned that the word of God was preached by Paul in Berea also, they came there, and stirred up and troubled the crowds.
14 Then the brethren promptly sent Paul down to the sea-coast, but Silas and Timothy remained behind.
Then the brothers at once sent Paul down to the sea, but Silas and Timothy remained behind.
15 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.
Those who were caring for Paul brought him as far as Athens, and there left him, with instructions to Silas and Timothy to come to him with all speed.
16 While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, his spirit was stirred within him when he noticed that the city was full of idols.
While Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was stirred within him, when he noticed that the city was full of idols.
17 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.
He argued in the synagogues with the Jews and the devout proselytes, and also daily in the market-place with those that met him there.
18 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.
A few of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers also encountered him again and again. Some were saying, "What has this beggarly fellow to say?" Others said, "He seems to be a setter forth of strange gods," because he preached Jesus and the resurrection.
19 Then they took him and brought him up to the Areopagus, asking him, "May we be told what this new teaching of yours is?
Then they laid hold of him and brought him up to Mars Hill, saying. "May we be told what this new teaching of yours is?
20 For the things you are saying sound strange to us. We should therefore like to be told exactly what they mean."
"For you are bringing certain strange things to our ears. We want to know, therefore, what these things mean."
21 (For all the Athenians and their foreign visitors used to devote their whole leisure to telling or hearing about something new.)
(Now all the Athenians and the strangers sojourning there spent their time in nothing else, but to tell or to hear some new thing.)
22 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.
So Paul stood up in the center of Mars Hill, and said. "Men of Athens, I perceive that in all respects you are remarkably religious.
23 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.
"For as I was passing along and observing your objects of worship, I found also an altar with this inscription, ‘TO AN UNKNOWN GOD.’ What you are worshiping in ignorance, this I am proclaiming to you.
24 GOD who made the universe and everything in it--He, being Lord of Heaven and earth, does not dwell in sanctuaries built by men.
"The God who made the universe and all things in it, he, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands,
25 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.
"neither is he served by men’s hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all life and breath and all things.
26 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;
"He has made of one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed seasons and the bounds of their habitation,
27 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.
"so that they might seek God, if perhaps they might feel after him and find him, though he is not far from every on of us;
28 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.'
"for in him we live and move and have our being; as certain even of your own poets have said, "‘For we also are his offspring.’
29 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.
"Since then we are God’s offspring, we ought not to imagine that the Godhead is like to gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and device of man.
30 Those times of ignorance God viewed with indulgence. But now He commands all men everywhere to repent,
"The times of ignorance God overlooked, but he now commands all men that they should all, everywhere, repent;
31 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."
inasmuch as he has fixed a day in which he will judge the world justly, by the Man whom he has ordained, and he has given proof of all this by raising him from the dead."
32 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."
But on hearing of the resurrection of the dead, some began to mock; but others said, "We will hear you again on that subject."
33 So Paul went away from them.
So Paul withdrew from them.
34 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.
A few, however, attached themselves to him and believed, among whom was Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris, and some others.
