Chapter 17

Paul in Thessalonica. ¹ When they took the road through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they reached Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews.^{(A) 2} Following his usual custom, Paul joined them, and for three sabbaths he entered into discussions with them from the scriptures, ³ expounding and demonstrating that the Messiah had to suffer and rise from the dead, and that “This is the Messiah, Jesus, whom I proclaim to you.”^{(B) 4} Some of them were convinced and joined Paul and Silas; so, too, a great number of Greeks who were worshipers, and not a few of the prominent women. ⁵ But the Jews became jealous and recruited some worthless men loitering in the public square, formed a mob, and set the city in turmoil. They marched on the house of Jason,^(C) intending to bring them before the people’s assembly. ^6 [a]When they could not find them, they dragged Jason and some of the brothers before the city magistrates, shouting, “These people who have been creating a disturbance all over the world have now come here, ⁷ and Jason has welcomed them.^(D) They all act in opposition to the decrees of Caesar and claim instead that there is another king, Jesus.”^{[b] 8} They stirred up the crowd and the city magistrates who, upon hearing these charges, ⁹ took a surety payment from Jason and the others before releasing them.

Paul in Beroea. ¹⁰ The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas to Beroea during the night. Upon arrival they went to the synagogue of the Jews. ¹¹ These Jews were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with all willingness and examined the scriptures daily to determine whether these things were so.^{(E) 12} Many of them became believers, as did not a few of the influential Greek women and men. ¹³ But when the Jews of Thessalonica learned that the word of God had now been proclaimed by Paul in Beroea also, they came there too to cause a commotion and stir up the crowds. ¹⁴ So the brothers at once sent Paul on his way to the seacoast, while Silas and Timothy remained behind.^{(F) 15} After Paul’s escorts had taken him to Athens, they came away with instructions for Silas and Timothy to join him as soon as possible.

Paul in Athens.^[c]