Acts 17:1-9

Expanded Bible

Paul and Silas in Thessalonica

17 ·Paul and Silas [^LThey] traveled through Amphipolis and Apollonia and came to Thessalonica [^Ca city on the Via Egnatia, the major road on the northern Aegean coast] where there was a synagogue. ² Paul went into the synagogue as he ·always [customarily] did [^Cspeaking to the Jews first], and on each Sabbath day for three weeks, he ·talked [discussed; or argued; reasoned] with ·his fellow Jews [^Lthem] about the Scriptures. ³ He explained and proved that the ·Christ [Messiah; ^CChrist in Greek and Messiah in Hebrew mean “anointed one”] must ·die [^Lsuffer] and then rise from the dead [3:18]. He said, “This Jesus I am ·telling you about [proclaiming to you] is the ·Christ [Messiah].” ⁴ Some of them were ·convinced [persuaded] and joined Paul and Silas, along with many of the Greeks who ·worshiped God [were devout; ^Csometimes called “God-fearers,” these were Gentiles who worshiped the one true God of Israel; 10:2; 13:43] and ·many [^Lnot a few] of the important women [13:50].

⁵ But ·some others [^Lthe Jews] became jealous. So they got some evil men ·from the marketplace [or loitering in the streets; from the marketplace rabble], formed a mob, and ·started a riot [put the city in an uproar]. They ran to Jason’s house, looking for ·Paul and Silas [^Lthem], wanting to bring them out to the ·people [assembly; crowd]. ⁶ But when they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some other ·believers [^Lbrothers] to the ·leaders of the city [city authorities; ^Lpolitarchs]. The people were yelling, “These people have ·made trouble [agitated; stirred up rebellion] everywhere in the world, and now they have come here too! ⁷ Jason ·is keeping [has welcomed/received/harbored] them in his house. All of them ·do things against [defy; oppose] the ·laws [decrees] of Caesar, saying there is another king, called Jesus.”

⁸ When the ·people [crowd] and the ·leaders of the city [city authorities; ^Lpolitarchs] heard these things, they ·became very upset [were disturbed]. ⁹ They made Jason and the others ·put up a sum of money [pay bail; post a bond]. Then they let ·the believers [^Lthem] go free.