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17 And when they had passed by Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of Jews.

And by custom Paul entered to them [Soothly after custom, Paul entered into them], and by three sabbaths he declared to them of the scriptures,

and opened, and showed that it behooved Christ to suffer, and rise again from death[a], and that this is Jesus Christ, whom I tell to you.

And some of them believed, and were joined to Paul and to Silas; and a great multitude of heathen men worshipped God, and noble women not a few. [And some of them believed, and were joined to Paul and Silas; and of heathen men worshipping a great multitude, and noble women not few.]

But the Jews had envy, and took of the common people some evil men, and when they had made a company [and a company made], they moved the city. And they came to Jason's house, and sought to bring them forth among the people [to the people].

And when they found them not, they drew Jason and some brethren to the princes of the city, and cried [crying], That these it be, that moved the world, and hither they came,

whom Jason received. And these all do against the commandments of the emperor, and say [And these all do against the commandments of Caesar, saying], that Jesus is another king.

And they moved the people, and the princes of the city, hearing these things.

And when satisfaction was taken of Jason, and of others, they let Paul and Silas go [they left them].

10 And at once by night brethren let [Paul and] Silas go into Berea. And when they came thither, they entered into the synagogue of the Jews. [Forsooth anon by night brethren sent Paul and Silas into Berea. The which when they came, entered into the synagogue of Jews.]

11 But these were the worthier of them [Soothly these were the nobler of them] that be at Thessalonica, which received the word with all desire, each day seeking [the] scriptures, if these things had them so.

12 And many of them believed and of heathen women honest [and of honest heathen women] and men not a few.

13 But when the Jews in Thessalonica had known, that also at Berea the word of God was preached of Paul, they came thither, moving and disturbing the multitude [they came also thither, moving and distroubling the multitude].

14 And then at once brethren delivered Paul [And anon brethren dismissed Paul then], that he should go to the sea; but Silas and Timothy dwelt there.

15 And they that led forth Paul, led him to Athens [led him unto Athens]. And when they had taken a commandment of him to Silas and Timothy, that full hieingly they should come to him, they went forth.

16 And while Paul abode them at Athens, his spirit was moved in him, for he saw the city given to idolatry.

17 Therefore he disputed in the synagogue with the Jews, and with men that worshipped God, and in the doom place [Therefore he disputed in the synagogue with Jews, and men worshipping, in the market, or doom place], by all days to them that heard.

18 And some Epicureans, and Stoics, and philosophers disputed with him [disputed, or treated, with him]. And some said, What will this sower of words say? And others said, He seemeth to be a teller of new fiends; for he told to them Jesus, and the again-rising.

19 And they took, and led him to Areopagus, and said, May we know [And they took and led him to Areopagus, that is, a common school, saying, Be we able to know], what is this new doctrine, that is said of thee?

20 For thou bringest in some new things to our ears; therefore we will know, what these things will be.

21 For all men of Athens and comelings harboured gave attention to none other thing, but either to say, either to hear [or to hear], some new thing.

22 And Paul stood in the middle of Areopagus, and said, Men of Athens, by all things I see you as vain worshippers.

23 For I passed, and saw your maumets [and saw your simulacra], and found an altar, in which was written, To the unknown God. Therefore which thing ye unknowing worship, this thing I show to you.

24 God that made the world and all things that be in it, this, for he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hand [made by hand],

25 neither is worshipped by man's hands, neither hath need of any thing [having need of any thing], for he giveth life to all men, and breathing, and all things;

26 and made of one all the kind of men [for] to inhabit on all the face of the earth, determining times ordained, and terms of the dwelling of them [and terms of habitation, or dwelling, of them],

27 to seek God, if peradventure they feel him, either find, though he be not far from each of you.

28 For in him we live, and move, and be. As also some of your poets said, And we be also the kind of him [Soothly we be also the kin of him].

29 Therefore since we be the kind of God, we shall not deem, that godly thing is like gold, and silver, either stone, either to graving of craft and thought of man.[b]

30 For God despiseth the times of this unknowing, and now showeth to men, that all every where do penance;

31 for that he hath ordained a day, in which he shall deem the world in equity, in a man in which he ordained, and gave faith to all men, and raised him from death [raising him from dead].

32 And when they had heard the again-rising of dead men[c], some scorned, and some said, We shall hear thee again of this thing.

33 So Paul went out of the middle of them.

34 But some men drew to him [Forsooth some men cleaved to him], and believed. Among which Dionysius Areopagite was, and a woman, by name Damaris, and other men with them [and others with them].

Footnotes

  1. Acts 17:3 opening and showing for it behooved Christ to suffer, and rise again from dead
  2. Acts 17:29 Therefore since we be the kin of God, we shall not deem, or guess, that godly thing is like to gold, or silver, or stone, to graving of craft and thought of man.
  3. Acts 17:32 Soothly when they heard the again-rising of dead

In Thessalonica

17 When Paul and his companions had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica,(A) where there was a Jewish synagogue. As was his custom, Paul went into the synagogue,(B) and on three Sabbath(C) days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures,(D) explaining and proving that the Messiah had to suffer(E) and rise from the dead.(F) “This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Messiah,”(G) he said. Some of the Jews were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas,(H) as did a large number of God-fearing Greeks and quite a few prominent women.

But other Jews were jealous; so they rounded up some bad characters from the marketplace, formed a mob and started a riot in the city.(I) They rushed to Jason’s(J) house in search of Paul and Silas in order to bring them out to the crowd.[a] But when they did not find them, they dragged(K) Jason and some other believers(L) before the city officials, shouting: “These men who have caused trouble all over the world(M) have now come here,(N) and Jason has welcomed them into his house. They are all defying Caesar’s decrees, saying that there is another king, one called Jesus.”(O) When they heard this, the crowd and the city officials were thrown into turmoil. Then they made Jason(P) and the others post bond and let them go.

In Berea

10 As soon as it was night, the believers sent Paul and Silas(Q) away to Berea.(R) On arriving there, they went to the Jewish synagogue.(S) 11 Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica,(T) for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures(U) every day to see if what Paul said was true.(V) 12 As a result, many of them believed, as did also a number of prominent Greek women and many Greek men.(W)

13 But when the Jews in Thessalonica learned that Paul was preaching the word of God at Berea,(X) some of them went there too, agitating the crowds and stirring them up. 14 The believers(Y) immediately sent Paul to the coast, but Silas(Z) and Timothy(AA) stayed at Berea. 15 Those who escorted Paul brought him to Athens(AB) and then left with instructions for Silas and Timothy to join him as soon as possible.(AC)

In Athens

16 While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was greatly distressed to see that the city was full of idols. 17 So he reasoned in the synagogue(AD) with both Jews and God-fearing Greeks, as well as in the marketplace day by day with those who happened to be there. 18 A group of Epicurean and Stoic philosophers began to debate with him. Some of them asked, “What is this babbler trying to say?” Others remarked, “He seems to be advocating foreign gods.” They said this because Paul was preaching the good news(AE) about Jesus and the resurrection.(AF) 19 Then they took him and brought him to a meeting of the Areopagus,(AG) where they said to him, “May we know what this new teaching(AH) is that you are presenting? 20 You are bringing some strange ideas to our ears, and we would like to know what they mean.” 21 (All the Athenians(AI) and the foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing but talking about and listening to the latest ideas.)

22 Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus(AJ) and said: “People of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious.(AK) 23 For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: to an unknown god. So you are ignorant of the very thing you worship(AL)—and this is what I am going to proclaim to you.

24 “The God who made the world and everything in it(AM) is the Lord of heaven and earth(AN) and does not live in temples built by human hands.(AO) 25 And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else.(AP) 26 From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands.(AQ) 27 God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us.(AR) 28 ‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’[b](AS) As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’[c]

29 “Therefore since we are God’s offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone—an image made by human design and skill.(AT) 30 In the past God overlooked(AU) such ignorance,(AV) but now he commands all people everywhere to repent.(AW) 31 For he has set a day when he will judge(AX) the world with justice(AY) by the man he has appointed.(AZ) He has given proof of this to everyone by raising him from the dead.”(BA)

32 When they heard about the resurrection of the dead,(BB) some of them sneered, but others said, “We want to hear you again on this subject.” 33 At that, Paul left the Council. 34 Some of the people became followers of Paul and believed. Among them was Dionysius, a member of the Areopagus,(BC) also a woman named Damaris, and a number of others.

Footnotes

  1. Acts 17:5 Or the assembly of the people
  2. Acts 17:28 From the Cretan philosopher Epimenides
  3. Acts 17:28 From the Cilician Stoic philosopher Aratus