Attacked by a Mob in Thessalonica

17 Now after they[a] traveled through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. And as was his custom,[b] Paul went in to them and on three Sabbath days he discussed with them from the scriptures, explaining and demonstrating that it was necessary for the Christ[c] to suffer and to rise from the dead, and saying, “This Jesus whom I am proclaiming to you is the Christ.”[d] And some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, and also a large number of God-fearing Greeks and not a few of the prominent women.

But the Jews were filled with jealousy and, taking along some worthless men from the rabble in the marketplace and forming a mob, threw the city into an uproar. And attacking Jason’s house, they were looking for them to bring them[e] out to the popular assembly. And when they[f] did not find them, they dragged Jason and some brothers before the city officials, shouting, “These people who have stirred up trouble throughout the world[g] have come here also, whom Jason has entertained as guests! And these people are all acting contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying there is another king, Jesus!” And they threw the crowd into confusion, and the city officials who heard these things. And after[h] taking money as security from Jason and the rest, they released them.

Paul and Silas in Berea

10 Now the brothers sent away both Paul and Silas at once, during the night, to Berea. They[i] went into the synagogue of the Jews when they[j] arrived. 11 Now these were more open-minded than those in Thessalonica. They[k] accepted the message with all eagerness, examining the scriptures every day to see if these things were so. 12 Therefore many of them believed, and not a few of the prominent Greek women and men. 13 But when the Jews from Thessalonica found out that the message of God had been proclaimed by Paul in Berea also, they came there too, inciting and stirring up the crowds. 14 So then the brothers sent Paul away at once to go to the sea, and both Silas and Timothy remained there. 15 And those who conducted Paul brought him[l] as far as Athens, and after[m] receiving an order for Silas and Timothy that they should come to him as soon as possible, they went away.

Paul in Athens

16 Now while Paul was waiting for them in Athens, his spirit was provoked within him when he[n] observed the city was full of idols. 17 So he was discussing in the synagogue with the Jews and the God-fearing Gentiles,[o] and in the marketplace every day with those who happened to be there. 18 And even some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers were conversing with him, and some were saying, “What does this babbler want to say?” But others said,[p] “He appears to be a proclaimer of foreign deities,” because he was proclaiming the good news about Jesus and the resurrection. 19 And they took hold of him and[q] brought him[r] to the Areopagus, saying, “May we learn what is this new teaching being proclaimed by you? 20 For you are bringing some astonishing things to our ears. Therefore we want to know what these things mean.”[s] 21 (Now all the Athenians and the foreigners who stayed there used to spend their time in nothing else than telling something or listening to something new.)

Paul Speaks to the Areopagus

22 So Paul stood there in the middle of the Areopagus and[t] said, “Men of Athens, I see you are very religious in every respect.[u] 23 For as I[v] 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,[w] 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[x] needed anything, because[y] 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.[z] And indeed he is not far away from each one of us, 28 for in him we live and move and exist,[aa] as even some of your own[ab] poets have said: ‘For we also are his[ac] offspring.’[ad] 29 Therefore, because we[ae] 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[af] 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[ag] raising him from the dead.” 32 Now when they[ah] 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[ai] joined him and[aj] believed, among whom also were Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named[ak] Damaris and others with them.

Footnotes

  1. Acts 17:1 Here “after” is supplied as a component of the participle (“traveled through”) which is understood as temporal
  2. Acts 17:2 Literally “and in accordance with what he was accustomed to”
  3. Acts 17:3 Or “Messiah”
  4. Acts 17:3 Or “Messiah”
  5. Acts 17:5 Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
  6. Acts 17:6 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“find”) which is understood as temporal
  7. Acts 17:6 Or “empire”
  8. Acts 17:9 Here “after” is supplied as a component of the participle (“taking”) which is understood as temporal
  9. Acts 17:10 Literally “who” (referring to Paul and Silas)
  10. Acts 17:10 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“arrived”) which is understood as temporal
  11. Acts 17:11 Literally “who”
  12. Acts 17:15 Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
  13. Acts 17:15 Here “after” is supplied as a component of the participle (“receiving”) which is understood as temporal
  14. Acts 17:16 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“observed”) which is understood as temporal
  15. Acts 17:17 *Here the word “Gentiles” is not in the Greek text but is implied
  16. Acts 17:18 *The words “others said” are not in the Greek text but are implied
  17. Acts 17:19 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“took hold of”) has been translated as a finite verb
  18. Acts 17:19 Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
  19. Acts 17:20 Literally “these things want to be”
  20. Acts 17:22 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“stood there”) has been translated as a finite verb
  21. Acts 17:22 Literally “with respect to all things
  22. Acts 17:23 Here “as” is supplied as a component of the participle (“was passing through”) which is understood as temporal
  23. Acts 17:23 *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
  24. Acts 17:25 Here “as if” is supplied as a component of the conditional adverbial participle (“needed”)
  25. Acts 17:25 Here “because” is supplied as a component of the participle (“gives”) which is understood as causal
  26. Acts 17:27 *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
  27. Acts 17:28 Some interpreters hold that the phrase “in him we live and move and exist” is a quotation from Epimenides of Crete, but more likely it is a traditional Greek formula
  28. Acts 17:28 Literally “with respect to you”
  29. Acts 17:28 Literally “of him
  30. Acts 17:28 A quotation from Aratus, Phaenomena 5
  31. Acts 17:29 Here “because” is supplied as a component of the participle (“are”) which is understood as causal
  32. Acts 17:30 Here “although” is supplied as a component of the participle (“has overlooked”) which is understood as concessive
  33. Acts 17:31 Here “by” is supplied as a component of the participle (“raising”) which is understood as means
  34. Acts 17:32 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“heard about”) which is understood as temporal
  35. Acts 17:34 Here the Greek term “men” is used as a generic for “people”; note the presence of of a woman (Damaris) in the group
  36. Acts 17:34 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“joined”) has been translated as a finite verb
  37. Acts 17:34 Literally “by name”

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