The Acts of the Apostles

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- Chapter 17 -

Now when they had passed through the cities of Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to the city of Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews.

Paul, as his custom was, went to them, and for three Sabbath days reasoned with them from the scriptures.

He was opening the scriptures and explaining that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise again from the dead. He said, “This Jesus whom I proclaim to you is the Christ.”

Some of the Jews were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, including the devout Greeks, many of the leading women and a great crowd.

But the unbelieving Jews, being moved with jealousy, took certain wicked men from the marketplace, gathered a crowd together, and set the city in an uproar. Assaulting the house of Jason, they wanted to bring Paul and Silas out to the people.

But when they did not find them, they dragged Jason and certain other brothers before the officials of the city, crying, “These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also.

These men whom Jason has welcomed act against the decrees of Caesar; they say that there is another king-Jesus.”

When the crowd and the officials of the city heard these things, they were troubled.

After they had taken financial security from Jason and the rest, they let them go.

The Character of the Bereans

That night the brothers sent Paul and Silas to Berea. When they arrived there, they went into the synagogue of the Jews.

Now these people were more noble than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with all readiness of mind, examining the scriptures daily to see whether these things were so.

Therefore, many of them believed, including some influential Greek women and many men.

But when the Jews of Thessalonica learned that Paul was also proclaiming the word of God at Berea, they went there and stirred up and troubled the crowds.

Then immediately, the brothers sent Paul to go to the sea, but Silas and Timothy stayed there.

Those who were leading Paul took him as far as the city of Athens. As they left Paul there, they received from him instructions for Silas and Timothy to come to him as quickly as possible.

Paul in Athens

Now while Paul was waiting for them in Athens, his spirit was provoked within him as he saw the city full of idols.

So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and those who worshiped God and also with those he met every day in the marketplace.

But also some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers encountered him. And some said, “What is this babbler trying to say?” Others said, “He seems to be a preacher of strange gods,” because he was preaching about Jesus and the resurrection.

They took Paul and brought him to the Areopagus, saying, “May we know this new teaching which you were speaking?

For you bring some strange things to our ears. Therefore, we want to know what these things mean.”

Now all the Athenians and the strangers living there spent their time in nothing but either telling or listening about something new.

Paul’s Address in the Areopagus

So Paul stood in the middle of the Areopagus and said, "You men of Athens, I see that you are very religious in every way.

For as I passed along and observed the objects of your worship, I found an altar with this inscription, “To an Unknown God.” What therefore you worship in ignorance, this I announce to you.

The God who made the world and everything in it, since he is Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples built with hands.

Neither is he served by men’s hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives people life and breath and everything else.

And from one man he made every nation of people living on the surface of the earth, having determined their appointed seasons and the boundaries of their living areas.

Therefore, they should seek God and perhaps they might reach out to him and find him, and indeed, he is not far from any one of us.

For in him we live and move and have our being, just as one of your own poets has said, ‘For we also are his offspring.’

Therefore, since we are God’s offspring, we ought not to think that the divinity is like gold, or silver, or stones, sculptured with the art and thought of man.

Therefore, God overlooked the times of ignorance, but now he commands all men everywhere to repent.

This is because he has set a day when he will judge the world in righteousness by the man he has chosen. God has given proof of this man to everyone by raising him from the dead.”

Now when the men of Athens heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked Paul; but others said, “We will listen to you again about this matter.”

After that, Paul left them.

But certain men joined him and believed, including Dionysius the Areopagite, a woman named Damaris, and others with them.

Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue.

Paul, as was his custom, went in to them; and for three Sabbath days reasoned with them from the Scriptures,

explaining and demonstrating that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead, and saying, “This Jesus, whom I proclaim to you, is the Christ.”

Some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas: of the devout Greeks a great multitude, and not a few of the chief women.

But the unpersuaded Jews took along

(a)

some wicked men from the marketplace and gathering a crowd, set the city in an uproar. Assaulting the house of Jason, they sought to bring them out to the people.

When they didn’t find them, they dragged Jason and certain brothers(b) before the rulers of the city, crying, “These who have turned the world upside down have come here also,

whom Jason has received. These all act contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus!”

The multitude and the rulers of the city were troubled when they heard these things.

When they had taken security from Jason and the rest, they let them go.

The Character of the Bereans

The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Beroea. When they arrived, they went into the Jewish synagogue.

Now these were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so.

Many of them therefore believed; also of the prominent Greek women, and not a few men.

But when the Jews of Thessalonica had knowledge that the word of God was proclaimed by Paul at Beroea also, they came there likewise, agitating the multitudes.

Then the brothers immediately sent out Paul to go as far as to the sea, and Silas and Timothy still stayed there.

But those who escorted Paul brought him as far as Athens. Receiving a commandment to Silas and Timothy that they should come to him very quickly, they departed.

Paul in Athens

Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him as he saw the city full of idols.

So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the devout persons, and in the marketplace every day with those who met him.

Some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers also

(c)

were conversing with him. Some said, “What does this babbler want to say?” Others said, “He seems to be advocating foreign deities,” because he preached Jesus and the resurrection.

They took hold of him and brought him to the Areopagus, saying, “May we know what this new teaching is, which you are speaking about?

For you bring certain strange things to our ears. We want to know therefore what these things mean.”

Now all the Athenians and the strangers living there spent their time in nothing else, but either to tell or to hear some new thing.

Paul’s Address in the Areopagus

Paul stood in the middle of the Areopagus and said, “You men of Athens, I perceive that you are very religious in all things.

For as I passed along and observed the objects of your worship, I also found an altar with this inscription: ‘TO AN UNKNOWN GOD.’ What therefore you worship in ignorance, I announce to you.

The God who made the world and all things in it, he, being Lord of heaven and earth, doesn’t dwell in temples made with hands.

He isn’t served by men’s hands, as though he needed anything, seeing he himself gives to all life and breath and all things.

He made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the surface of the earth, having determined appointed seasons and the boundaries of their dwellings,

that they should seek the Lord, if perhaps they might reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us.

‘For in him we live, move, and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘For we are also his offspring.’

Being then the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold, or silver, or stone, engraved by art and design of man.

The times of ignorance therefore God overlooked. But now he commands that all people everywhere should repent,

because he has appointed a day in which he will judge the world in righteousness by the man whom he has ordained; of which he has given assurance to all men, in that he has raised him from the dead.”

Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked; but others said, “We want to hear you again concerning this.”

Thus Paul went out from among them.

But certain men joined with him and believed, including Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris, and others with them.

Footnotes

(a)17:5 TR reads “And the Jews who were unpersuaded, becoming envious and taking along” instead of “But the unpersuaded Jews took along”

(b)17:6 The word for “brothers” here and where the context allows may be also correctly translated “brothers and sisters” or “siblings.”