Acts 17:22–18:17
22 So Paul stood there in the middle of the Areopagus and* said, “Men of Athens, I see you are very religious ⌊in every respect⌋.h 23 For as I* was passing through and observing carefully your objects of worship, I even found an altar on which was inscribed, ‘To an unknown God.’ Therefore what you worship without knowing it,* this I proclaim to you—24 the God who made the world and all the things in it. This one, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by human hands, 25 nor is he served by human hands as if he* needed anything, because* he himself gives to everyone life and breath and everything. 26 And he made from one man every nation of humanity to live on all the face of the earth, determining their fixed times and the fixed boundaries of their habitation, 27 to search for God, if perhaps indeed they might feel around for him and find him.* And indeed he is not far away from each one of us, 28 for in him we live and move and exist,i as even some of ⌊your own⌋j poets have said: ‘For we also are ⌊his⌋k offspring.’l 29 Therefore, because we* are offspring of God, we ought not to think the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by human skill and thought. 30 Therefore although* God has overlooked the times of ignorance, he now 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 the man who he has appointed, having provided proof to everyone by* raising him from the dead.” 32 Now when they* heard about the resurrection of the dead, some scoffed, but others said, “We will hear you about this again also.” 33 So Paul went out from the midst of them. 34 But some people* joined him and* believed, among whom also were Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman ⌊named⌋m Damaris and others with them.
Paul, Silas, and Timothy in Corinth
18 After these things he departed from Athens and* went to Corinth. 2 And he found a certain Jew ⌊named⌋a Aquila, ⌊a native⌋b of Pontus who had arrived recently from Italy ⌊along with⌋c Priscilla his wife, because Claudius had ordered all the Jews to depart from Rome, and* he went to them. 3 And because he was practicing the same trade, he stayed with them and worked, for they were tentmakers by trade. 4 And he argued in the synagogue every Sabbath, attempting to persuade* both Jews and Greeks.
5 Now when both Silas and Timothy came down from Macedonia, Paul began to be occupied with* the message, solemnly testifying to the Jews that the Christd was Jesus. 6 And when* they resisted and reviled him,* he shook out his* clothes and* said to them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am guiltless! From now on I will go to the Gentiles!” 7 And leaving there, he entered into the house of someone ⌊named⌋e Titius Justus, a worshiperf of God whose house was next door to the synagogue. 8 And Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed in the Lord together with his whole household. And many of the Corinthians, when they* heard about it,* believed and were baptized. 9 And the Lord said to Paul by a vision in the night, “Do not be afraid, but speak and do not keep silent, 10 because I am with you and no one will attack you to harm you, because many people are mine in this city.” 11 So he stayed a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.
Paul Accused Before the Proconsul Gallio
12 Now when* Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews rose up with one purpose against Paul and brought him before the judgment seat, 13 saying, “This man is persuading people to worship God contrary to the law!” 14 But when* Paul was about to open his* mouth, Gallio said to the Jews, “If it was some crime or wicked villainy, O Jews, ⌊I would have been justified in accepting⌋g your complaint. 15 But if it is questions concerning a word and names and ⌊your own law⌋,h see to it* yourselves! I do not wish to be a judge of these things.” 16 And he drove them away from the judgment seat. 17 So they all seized Sosthenes, the ruler of the synagogue, and* began beating* him* in front of the judgment seat. And none of these things was a concern to Gallio.