Acts 17:16–34

¹⁶Now whilst Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was stirred within him, seeing the city wholly given to idolatry.

¹⁷He disputed, therefore, in the synagogue with the Jews and with them that served God: and in the market place, every day, with them that were there.

¹⁸And certain philosophers of the Epicureans and of the Stoics disputed with him. And some said: What is it that this word sower would say? But others: He seemeth to be a setter forth of new gods. Because he preached to them Jesus and the resurrection.

¹⁹And taking him, they brought him to the Areopagus, saying: May we know what this new doctrine is, which thou speakest of?

²⁰For thou bringest in certain new things to our ears. We would know therefore what these things mean.

²¹(Now all the Athenians and strangers that were there employed themselves in nothing else, but either in telling or in hearing some new thing.)

²²But Paul, standing in the midst of the Areopagus, said: Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things you are too superstitious.

²³For passing by and seeing your idols, I found an altar also, on which was written: To the Unknown God. What therefore you worship without knowing it, that I preach to you:

²⁴God, who made the world and all things therein, he being Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands.

²⁵Neither is he served with men’s hands, as though he needed any thing: seeing it is he who giveth to all life and breath and all things:

²⁶And hath made of one, all mankind, to dwell upon the whole face of the earth, determining appointed times and the limits of their habitation.

²⁷That they should seek God, if haply they may feel after him or find him, although he be not far from every one of us.

²⁸For in him we live and move and are: as some also of your own poets said: For we are also his offspring.

²⁹Being therefore the offspring of God, we must not suppose the divinity to be like unto gold or silver or stone, the graving of art and device of man.

³⁰And God indeed having winked at the times of this ignorance, now declareth unto men that all should every where do penance.

³¹Because he hath appointed a day wherein he will judge the world in equity, by the man whom he hath appointed: giving faith to all, by raising him up from the dead.

³²And when they had heard of the resurrection of the dead, some indeed mocked. But others said: We will hear thee again concerning this matter.

³³So Paul went out from among them.

³⁴But certain men, adhering to him, did believe: among whom was also Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris and others with them.