Paul at Athens

17:16 While Paul was waiting for them in Athens,59 his spirit was greatly upset60 because he saw61 the city was full of idols. 17:17 So he was addressing62 the Jews and the God-fearing Gentiles63 in the synagogue,64 and in the marketplace every day65 those who happened to be there. 17:18 Also some of the Epicurean66 and Stoic67 philosophers were conversing68 with him, and some were asking,69 “What does this foolish babbler70 want to say?” Others said, “He seems to be a proclaimer of foreign gods.”71 (They said this because he was proclaiming the good news about Jesus and the resurrection.)72 17:19 So they took Paul and73 brought him to the Areopagus,74 saying, “May we know what this new teaching is that you are proclaiming? 17:20 For you are bringing some surprising things75 to our ears, so we want to know what they76 mean.” 17:21 (All the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there used to spend their time77 in nothing else than telling78 or listening to something new.)79

17:22 So Paul stood80 before the Areopagus and said, “Men of Athens, I see that you are very religious81 in all respects.82 17:23 For as I went around and observed closely your objects of worship,83 I even found an altar with this inscription:84 ‘To an unknown god.’ Therefore what you worship without knowing it,85 this I proclaim to you. 17:24 The God who made the world and everything in it,86 who is87 Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by human hands,88 17:25 nor is he served by human hands, as if he needed anything,89 because he himself gives life and breath and everything to everyone.90 17:26 From one man91 he made every nation of the human race92 to inhabit the entire earth,93 determining their set times94 and the fixed limits of the places where they would live,95 17:27 so that they would search for God and perhaps grope around96 for him and find him,97 though he is98 not far from each one of us. 17:28 For in him we live and move about99 and exist, as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we too are his offspring.’100 17:29 So since we are God’s offspring, we should not think the deity101 is like gold or silver or stone, an image102 made by human103 skill104 and imagination.105 17:30 Therefore, although God has overlooked106 such times of ignorance,107 he now commands all people108 everywhere to repent,109 17:31 because he has set110 a day on which he is going to judge the world111 in righteousness, by a man whom he designated,112 having provided proof to everyone by raising113 him from the dead.”

17:32 Now when they heard about114 the resurrection from the dead, some began to scoff,115 but others said, “We will hear you again about this.” 17:33 So Paul left the Areopagus.116 17:34 But some people117 joined him118 and believed. Among them119 were Dionysius, who was a member of the Areopagus,120 a woman121 named Damaris, and others with them.