Chapter 17

Paul at Thessalonica

1 Now when they had traveled through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to aThessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews.

2 And aaccording to Paul’s custom, he went to them, and for three bSabbaths reasoned with them from cthe Scriptures,

3 1explaining and 2giving evidence that the 3Christ ahad to suffer and brise again from the dead, and saying, “cThis Jesus whom I am proclaiming to you is the 3Christ.”

4 aAnd some of them were persuaded and joined bPaul and Silas, 1along with a large number of the cGod-fearing dGreeks and 2a number of the eleading women.

5 But athe Jews, becoming jealous and taking along some wicked men from the market place, formed a mob and set the city in an uproar; and attacking the house of bJason, they were seeking to bring them out to the people.

6 When they did not find them, they began adragging Jason and some brethren before the city authorities, shouting, “These men who have upset 1bthe world have come here also;

7 1and Jason ahas welcomed them, and they all act bcontrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus.”

8 They stirred up the crowd and the city authorities who heard these things.

9 And when they had received a 1pledge from aJason and the others, they released them.

Paul at Berea

10 aThe brethren immediately sent bPaul and Silas away by night to cBerea, 1and when they arrived, they went into dthe synagogue of the Jews.

11 Now these were more noble-minded than those in aThessalonica, 1for they received the word with 2great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so.

12 Therefore amany of them believed, 1along with a number of bprominent Greek cwomen and men.

13 But when the Jews of aThessalonica found out that the word of God had been proclaimed by Paul in bBerea also, they came there as well, agitating and stirring up the crowds.

14 Then immediately athe brethren sent Paul out to go as far as the sea; and bSilas and cTimothy remained there.

15 Now athose who escorted Paul brought him as far as bAthens; and receiving a command for cSilas and Timothy to dcome to him as soon as possible, they left.

Paul at Athens

16 Now while Paul was waiting for them at aAthens, his spirit was being provoked within him as he was observing the city full of idols.

17 So he was reasoning ain the synagogue with the Jews and bthe God-fearing Gentiles, and in the market place every day with those who happened to be present.

18 And also some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers were 1conversing with him. Some were saying, “What would athis 2idle babbler wish to say?” Others, “He seems to be a proclaimer of strange deities,”—because he was preaching bJesus and the resurrection.

19 And they atook him and brought him 1to the 2bAreopagus, saying, “May we know what cthis new teaching is 3which you are proclaiming?

20 “For you are bringing some strange things to our ears; so we want to know what these things mean.”

21 (Now all the Athenians and the strangers avisiting there used to spend their time in nothing other than telling or hearing something new.)

Sermon on Mars Hill

22 So Paul stood in the midst of the 1Areopagus and said, “Men of aAthens, I observe that you are very breligious in all respects.

23 “For while I was passing through and examining the aobjects of your worship, I also found an altar with this inscription, ‘TO AN UNKNOWN GOD.’ Therefore what byou worship in ignorance, this I proclaim to you.

24 “aThe God who made the world and all things in it, since He is bLord of heaven and earth, does not cdwell in temples made with hands;

25 nor is He served by human hands, aas though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all people life and breath and all things;

26 and aHe made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having bdetermined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation,

27 that they would seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, athough He is not far from each one of us;

28 for ain Him we live and move and 1exist, as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we also are His children.’

29 “Being then the children of God, we aought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and thought of man.

30 “Therefore having aoverlooked bthe times of ignorance, God is cnow declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent,

31 because He has fixed aa day in which bHe will judge 1cthe world in righteousness 2through a Man whom He has dappointed, having furnished proof to all men 3by eraising Him from the dead.”

32 Now when they heard of athe resurrection of the dead, some began to sneer, but others said, “We shall hear you 1again concerning this.”

33 So Paul went out of their midst.

34 But some men joined him and believed, among whom also were Dionysius the aAreopagite and a woman named Damaris and others with them.