< Acts 17 >

1 Then, passing through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they went to Thessalonica. Here there was a synagogue of the Jews.
And having passed through Amphipolis, and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was the synagogue of the Jews,
2 Paul--following his usual custom--betook himself to it, and for three successive Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures,
and according to the custom of Paul, he went in unto them, and for three sabbaths he was reasoning with them from the Writings,
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."
opening and alleging, 'That the Christ it behoved to suffer, and to rise again out of the dead, and that this is the Christ — Jesus whom I proclaim to you.'
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.
And certain of them did believe, and attached themselves to Paul and to Silas, also of the worshipping Greeks a great multitude, of the principal women also not a few.
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.
And the unbelieving Jews, having been moved with envy, and having taken to them of the loungers certain evil men, and having made a crowd, were setting the city in an uproar; having assailed also the house of Jason, they were seeking them to bring [them] to the populace,
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 not having found them, they drew Jason and certain brethren unto the city rulers, calling aloud — 'These, having put the world in commotion, are also here present,
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."
whom Jason hath received; and these all do contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying another to be king — Jesus.'
8 Great was the excitement among the crowd, and among the magistrates of the city, when they heard these charges.
And they troubled the multitude and the city rulers, hearing these things,
9 They required Jason and the rest to find substantial bail, and after that they let them go.
and having taking 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.
And the brethren immediately, through the night, sent forth both Paul and Silas to Berea, who having come, went to the synagogue of the Jews;
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.
and these were more noble than those in Thessalonica, they received the word with all readiness of mind, every day examining the Writings whether those 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.
many, indeed, therefore, of them did believe, and of the honourable Greek women and men not a few.
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.
And when the Jews from Thessalonica knew that also in Berea was the word of God declared by Paul, they came thither also, agitating the multitudes;
14 Then the brethren promptly sent Paul down to the sea-coast, but Silas and Timothy remained behind.
and then immediately the brethren sent forth Paul, to go on as it were to the sea, but both Silas and Timothy were remaining there.
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.
And those conducting Paul, brought him unto Athens, and having received a command unto Silas and Timotheus that with all speed they may come unto him, they departed;
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.
and Paul waiting for them in Athens, his spirit was stirred in him, beholding the city wholly given to idolatry,
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.
therefore, indeed, he was reasoning in the synagogue with the Jews, and with the worshipping persons, and in the market-place every day with those who met with him.
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.
And certain of the Epicurean and of the Stoic philosophers, were meeting together to see him, and some were saying, 'What would this seed picker wish to say?' and others, 'Of strange demons he doth seem to be an announcer;' because Jesus and the rising again he did proclaim to them as good news,
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?
having also taken him, unto the Areopagus they brought [him], saying, 'Are we able to know what [is] this new teaching that is spoken by thee,
20 For the things you are saying sound strange to us. We should therefore like to be told exactly what they mean."
for certain strange things thou dost bring to our ears? we wish, then, to know what these things would wish to be;'
21 (For all the Athenians and their foreign visitors used to devote their whole leisure to telling or hearing about something new.)
and all Athenians, and the strangers sojourning, for nothing else were at leisure but to say something, and to hear some newer 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.
And Paul, having stood in the midst of the Areopagus, said, 'Men, Athenians, in all things I perceive you as over-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 passing through and contemplating your objects of worship, I found also an erection on which had been inscribed: To God — unknown; whom, therefore — not knowing — ye do worship, this One I announce 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.
'God, who did make the world, and all things in it, this One, of heaven and of earth being Lord, in temples made with hands doth not dwell,
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 by the hands of men is He served — needing anything, He giving 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 made also of one blood every nation of men, to dwell upon all the face of the earth — having ordained times before appointed, and the bounds of their dwellings —
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.
to seek the Lord, if perhaps they did feel after Him and find, — though, indeed, He is not far from each one 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 are; as also certain of your poets have said: For of Him also we are 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.
'Being, therefore, offspring of God, we ought not to think the Godhead to be like to gold, or silver, or stone, graving of 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, indeed, therefore, of the ignorance God having overlooked, doth now command all men everywhere to reform,
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."
because He did set a day in which He is about to judge the world in righteousness, by a man whom He did ordain, having given assurance to all, having raised him out of 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."
And having heard of a rising again of the dead, some, indeed, were mocking, but others said, 'We will hear thee again concerning this;'
33 So Paul went away from them.
and so Paul went forth from the midst of 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.
and certain men having cleaved to him, did believe, among whom [is] also Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman, by name Damaris, and others with them.

< Acts 17 >