使徒行传 17
Chinese New Version (Simplified)
帖撒罗尼迦的骚动
17 保罗和西拉经过暗非波里、亚波罗尼亚，来到帖撒罗尼迦，在那里有犹太人的会堂。 2 保罗照他的习惯进去，一连三个安息日，根据圣经与他们辩论， 3 讲解证明基督必须受害，从死人中复活，说：“我所传给你们的这位耶稣，就是基督。” 4 他们中间有人给说服了，就附从了保罗和西拉；还有一大群虔诚的希腊人，和不少显要的妇女。 5 但犹太人嫉妒起来，招聚了一些市井流氓，纠合成群，骚动全城，冲进了耶孙的家，搜索保罗和西拉，要把他们交给民众。 6 搜索不到他们，就把耶孙和几个弟兄，拉到地方长官那里，喊叫着说：“这些扰乱天下的人，也到这里来了， 7 耶孙却收留他们。这些人都违背凯撒的法令，说另外还有一个王耶稣。” 8 群众和地方长官听见这话，就惊慌起来， 9 取得耶孙和其余的人签保后，才放了他们。
来到比里亚
10 弟兄们当夜立刻送保罗和西拉往比里亚去。二人到了，就进入犹太人的会堂。 11 这里的人，比帖撒罗尼迦人开明，热切接受主的道，天天考查圣经，要知道所听的是否与圣经相符。 12 结果他们中间有很多人信了，也有高贵的希腊妇女，男的也不少。 13 但帖撒罗尼迦的犹太人，知道保罗又在比里亚宣讲 神的道，就到那里去，煽动挑拨群众。 14 弟兄们立刻把保罗送到海边去；西拉和提摩太仍然留在比里亚。 15 护送保罗的人带他到了雅典；保罗吩咐他们叫西拉和提摩太赶快去见他，于是他们就回去了。
在雅典
16 保罗在雅典等候他们的时候，看见满城都是偶像，心灵十分忿激。 17 于是在会堂里，同犹太人和虔诚的人辩论；并且天天在市中心和所遇见的人辩论。 18 还有一些伊壁鸠鲁派和斯多亚派的哲学家也同他争论，有的说：“这个拾人牙慧的人要说甚么呢？”有的说：“他似乎是一个宣传外地鬼神的人。”这是因为保罗传扬耶稣和复活的道理。 19 他们拉着保罗，把他带到亚略．巴古那里，说：“你所讲的这个新道理，我们可以知道吗？ 20 因为你把一切新奇的事，传到我们耳中，我们愿意知道这些事是甚么意思。” 21 原来所有雅典人和外侨，专好谈论和打听新奇的事，来打发时间。
22 保罗站在亚略．巴古当中，说：“各位雅典人，我看你们在各方面都非常敬畏鬼神。 23 我走路的时候，仔细看你们所敬拜的，发现有一座坛，上面写着‘献给不认识的神’。我现在把你们不认识而敬拜的这位神，传给你们。 24 创造宇宙和其中万有的 神，既然是天地的主，就不住在人手所造的殿宇， 25 也不受人手的服事，好象他缺少甚么；他自己反而把生命、气息和一切，赐给万人。 26 他从一个本源造出了万族来，使他们住在整个大地上，并且定了他们的期限和居住的疆界， 27 要他们寻求 神，或者可以摸索而找到他。其实他离我们各人不远， 28 因着他我们可以生存、活动、存在，就如你们有些诗人说：‘原来我们也是他的子孙。’ 29 我们既然是 神的子孙，就不应该以为他的神性是好象人用手艺、心思所雕刻的金银石头一样。 30 过去那无知的时代， 神不加以追究；现在，他却吩咐各处的人都要悔改， 31 因为他已经定好了日子，要借着他所立的人，按公义审判天下，并且使他从死人中复活，给万人作一个可信的凭据。”
32 众人一听到死人复活的事，就讥笑他，但有的说：“我们要再听听你讲这件事！” 33 这样，保罗就离开他们。 34 但有几个人接近他，并且信了主，其中有亚略．巴古的议员丢尼修，一个名叫戴马里的女子，还有其他在一起的人。
使徒行傳 17
Chinese Contemporary Bible (Traditional)
保羅在帖撒羅尼迦傳道
17 保羅和西拉經過暗非坡里和亞波羅尼亞，到了帖撒羅尼迦。那裡有猶太人的會堂。 2 保羅照以往的習慣進入會堂，一連三個安息日引用聖經與當地人討論， 3 解釋、證明基督必須受害，然後從死裡復活，又說：「我向你們宣講的這位耶穌就是基督。」 4 不少人被說服，成為保羅和西拉的同道，其中有許多是敬畏上帝的希臘人和有地位的婦女。
5 那些不信主的猶太人卻妒火中燒，他們召集了一群市井無賴，在城裡引發騷亂，闖進耶孫的家企圖把保羅和西拉揪出來示眾。 6 他們找不到保羅和西拉，就把耶孫和幾個弟兄拉到當地官員面前，高喊：「那些攪亂天下的人到我們這裡來了， 7 耶孫接待了他們。他們違抗凱撒的命令，說另有一個王叫耶穌。」 8 百姓和當地官長聽後，深感不安。 9 於是，官長命耶孫等人繳納保釋金，然後釋放了他們。
庇哩亞人接受福音
10 弟兄姊妹在夜間把保羅和西拉送往庇哩亞。他們二人一到，就進了猶太會堂。 11 當地的人比帖撒羅尼迦人通情達理，非常樂意接受真道，還天天查考聖經，研究這道是否正確。 12 結果有很多人信了，包括不少有名望的希臘婦女和男子。 13 可是，帖撒羅尼迦的猶太人聽到保羅在庇哩亞宣揚上帝的道，就趕來慫恿、煽動眾人。 14 庇哩亞的弟兄姊妹立刻送保羅到海邊，西拉和提摩太仍然留在庇哩亞。 15 護送保羅的人一直把他送到雅典，然後帶著保羅的口信回庇哩亞，交代西拉和提摩太儘快趕去雅典與保羅會合。
保羅在雅典傳道
16 保羅在雅典等候他們的時候，看見滿城都是偶像，心裡非常著急。 17 於是，他在會堂跟猶太人和虔誠的外族人辯論，每天在廣場上跟遇見的人辯論。 18 還有一些伊壁鳩魯和斯多亞學派的哲學家和保羅爭論，有人嘲笑他說：「這人在胡說八道些什麼呀？」還有人說：「他好像在宣揚外國的神明。」他們這樣說是因為保羅在傳講耶穌和祂復活的福音。 19 他們帶保羅到一個稱為亞略·巴古的論壇，問他：「我們可以知道你所教導的這個新道理嗎？ 20 你的言論確實稀奇，我們很想知道個究竟。」
21 這些雅典人和僑居在那裡的人沒有別的嗜好，只喜歡談論和打聽一些新奇的事。
22 保羅在亞略·巴古論壇中站起來說：「各位雅典人，我看得出你們在各方面都非常虔誠。 23 我在街上走的時候，觀察了你們所敬拜的對象，發現一座祭壇上面寫著『獻給未知之神』。這位你們不認識卻在敬拜的神明，我現在介紹給你們。
24 「這位創造宇宙萬物的上帝是天地的主宰，並不住在人手建造的廟宇裡， 25 也不需要人的侍奉，因為祂一無所缺。祂將生命、氣息和萬物賜給世人。 26 祂從一人造出萬族，讓他們散居世界各地，又預先定下他們的期限和居住的疆界， 27 以便他們在其間尋求祂，或許他們可以摸索著找到祂。祂原本就離我們各人不遠， 28 我們的生活、行動和存在都靠祂，你們的詩人也說過，『我們是祂的子孫。』 29 我們既然是上帝的子孫，就不該認為上帝是人憑手藝和想象用金、銀、石頭所雕刻的樣子。
30 「上帝以往不鑒察世人的無知，現在則命令世上所有的人都要悔改。 31 因為祂已經定了日子，要藉祂所設立的人按公義審判這個世界。祂叫那人從死裡復活，給了全人類可信的憑據。」
32 聽見保羅提到死人復活的事，有些人就嘲笑他，還有些人說：「我們改天再聽你講這個。」 33 於是保羅離開了他們。 34 不過，也有人跟隨保羅，信了耶穌，其中有亞略·巴古的會員丟尼修和一位名叫戴瑪麗的婦人及其他人。
Acts 17
New Catholic Bible
Chapter 17
Paul in Thessalonica.[a] 1 After they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they reached Thessalonica[b] where there was a Jewish synagogue. 2 Following his usual practice, Paul went in, and for three Sabbaths he argued with them from the Scriptures, 3 explaining and proving that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and rise from the dead. “And the Christ,” he said, “is this Jesus whom I am proclaiming to you.” 4 Some of them were convinced and joined Paul and Silas, as did a great many God-fearing Greeks as well as not a few prominent women.
5 However, the Jews became jealous, and they recruited some ruffians from the marketplace, formed a mob, and soon had the city in an uproar. They stormed Jason’s house, intending to bring them out before the crowd. 6 And when they could not find them there, they dragged Jason and some of the brethren before the city magistrates, shouting, “These people who have been causing trouble all over the world have come here also, 7 and Jason has given them shelter. They are all acting in opposition to the decrees of Caesar, claiming that there is another king named Jesus.” 8 Upon hearing this, the mob and the magistrates were greatly agitated. 9 They then took a bond from Jason and the others before releasing them.
10 Paul in Beroea. As soon as it got dark, the brethren sent Paul and Silas away to Beroea. Upon their arrival, they immediately went to the Jewish synagogue. 11 The people there were more receptive than those in Thessalonica. They received the word with great eagerness, and they examined the Scriptures every day to check whether these things were so. 12 Many of them became believers, as did a considerable number of influential Greek women and men.
13 However, when the Jews of Thessalonica learned that the word of God was being proclaimed by Paul in Beroea, they followed him there to cause trouble and stir up the crowds. 14 Therefore, the brethren immediately sent Paul on his way to the coast, while Silas and Timothy remained behind. 15 After Paul’s escorts brought him as far as Athens, they returned with instructions for Silas and Timothy to join him as soon as possible.
16 Paul in Athens.[c] While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was outraged to note that the city was full of idols. 17 Therefore, he debated in the synagogue with the Jews and God-fearing Gentiles, and also in the city square with whoever chanced to be there. 18 Even a few Epicurean and Stoic philosophers[d] argued with him. Some asked, “What is this man babbling about?” Others said, “Apparently, he is here to promote foreign deities,” because he was preaching about Jesus and the resurrection.
19 Therefore, they took him and brought him to the Areopagus[e] and asked him, “Can you explain to us what this new doctrine is that you are teaching? 20 You are presenting strange ideas to us, and we would like to find out what they all mean.” 21 The major pastime of the Athenians and the foreigners living there was to spend their time telling or listening to the latest ideas.
22 Paul’s Speech at the Areopagus.[f]Then Paul stood before them in the Areopagus and said: “Men of Athens, I have seen how religious you are. 23 For as I walked around, looking carefully at your shrines, I noticed among them an altar with the inscription, ‘To an Unknown God.’ What, therefore, you worship as unknown, I now proclaim to you.
24 “The God who made the world and everything in it, the Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in shrines made by human hands. 25 Nor is he served by human hands as though he were in need of anything. Rather, it is he who gives to everyone life and breath and all other things. 26 From one ancestor,[g] he created all peoples to occupy the entire earth, and he decreed their appointed times and the boundaries of where they would live.
27 “He did all this so that people might seek God in the hope that by groping for him they might find him, even though indeed he is not far from any one of us. 28 For ‘In him we live and move and have our being.’[h] As even your own poets have said, ‘We are all his offspring.’
29 “Since we are God’s offspring, we ought not to think that the deity is like an image of gold or silver or stone, fashioned by human art and imagination. 30 God has overlooked the times of human ignorance, but now he commands people everywhere to repent, 31 because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world with justice by a man whom he has appointed. He has given public confirmation of this to all by raising him from the dead.”
32 When they heard about the resurrection of the dead, some scoffed, but others said, “We should like to hear you speak further on this subject at another time.” 33 After that, Paul left them. 34 However, some of them joined him and became believers, including Dionysius[i] the Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris, as well as some others.
Footnotes
- Acts 17:1 Jewish groups resent the rise of Christian communities as a rival enterprise and a risk for their peaceful establishment in the cities of the Empire—something that is always precarious. Unless the Jews accept Jesus as the fulfillment of the Scriptures, they can do nothing but be opposed to such communities.
The community of the Thessalonians will later receive the first two Letters written by Paul, which enable us to glimpse the fervor and anxieties of a young Church. The substance of Paul’s preaching at Thessalonica is summed up in verse 3: there we find the general structure of the discourses of Acts. A woman once again appears in a new role (Acts 17:12; 18:2) and is even named for her own sake, with no reference to a man (Acts 17:34). Christian lay people suffer in the name of the apostles. The opposition they encounter is on the juridical level. The confrontation with the Roman world will take place on a political level, where Roman culture and civilization are better expressed. - Acts 17:1 Amphipolis . . . Thessalonica: cities on the so-called Egnatian Way, which ran east and west through Greece and also included Philippi. Thessalonica was the capital of Macedonia with a population of more than 200,000, and it lay about 100 miles from Philippi.
- Acts 17:16 Paul reaches Athens, which some 500 years before had been at the height of its glory in philosophy, literature, and art. In the twilight of its fame, it still housed a highly regarded university and was a force in philosophical thinking, as evidenced by the Epicureans and Stoics who engage Paul in discussion. He is led to the Areopagus—before a body that functioned in matters pertaining to religion, culture, and education. They evaluate him as the promoter of a new religion.
- Acts 17:18 Epicurean and Stoic philosophers: followers of the two prevailing philosophical systems. The Epicureans follow Epicurus (342–271 B.C.) in abandoning the search for pure truth by reason as hopeless and giving themselves over to present pleasures. The Stoics follow Zeno and Chrysippius (3rd century B.C.) and embrace a philosophy of self-repression because of human self-sufficiency. What is this man babbling about?: it seems to be a way of saying that the speaker is an eclectic, gathering ideas from all sources. Jesus and the resurrection: the Athenians misconstrue Paul’s words, thinking that he is speaking about Jesus and the goddess Anastasis, which means resurrection.
- Acts 17:19 Areopagus: this may refer either to a hill of Ares west of the Acropolis or to the Council of Athens that once met on it.
- Acts 17:22 Paul’s speech is a masterpiece of judicious adaptability to the Greek mentality. Yet he and his hearers are on different wave lengths. He preaches a way of life and calls for a faith while the cultured Greeks seek only a truth that satisfies the mind. A crucified and resurrected God can make no impact on them, and they take Paul for a buffoon (v. 14). Others think of him as a fanatic worshiper of new gods: “Jesus” and “Resurrection,” his spouse (v. 18). Paul first sets forth his theodicy: there is one God, who is spiritual, personal, and provident (vv. 22-26). Then he cites their poets, interpreting them in a monotheistic fashion (vv. 27-30). Finally, his Christology is very brief (v. 31), because of the uproar provoked by the subject of the resurrection, which was openly rejected by all the Hellenistic schools of philosophy.
- Acts 17:26 From one ancestor: or “from one blood.” Decreed their appointed times: or “decreed limits to their existence.”
- Acts 17:28 In him we live and move and have our being: a citation from the writings of the Cretan poet Epimenides (6th century B.C.). We are all his offspring: a citation from the Cilician poet Aratus (c. 315–240) as well as from Cleanthes (331–233 B.C.). Paul also quotes Greek poets in 1 Cor 15:33 and Tit 1:12.
- Acts 17:34 Dionysius: the passage suggests that this individual should be known to the readers. A theologian of the 5th or 6th century published mystical writings under this name. Some claim that this Pseudo-Dionysius (Denis) was the first bishop of Paris in the 3rd century.
Acts 17
King James Version
17 Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews:
2 And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures,
3 Opening and alleging, that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead; and that this Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ.
4 And some of them believed, and consorted with Paul and Silas; and of the devout Greeks a great multitude, and of the chief women not a few.
5 But the Jews which believed not, moved with envy, took unto them certain lewd fellows of the baser sort, and gathered a company, and set all the city on an uproar, and assaulted the house of Jason, and sought to bring them out to the people.
6 And when they found them not, they drew Jason and certain brethren unto the rulers of the city, crying, These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also;
7 Whom Jason hath received: and these all do contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, one Jesus.
8 And they troubled the people and the rulers of the city, when they heard these things.
9 And when they had taken security of Jason, and of the other, they let them go.
10 And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews.
11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.
12 Therefore many of them believed; also of honourable women which were Greeks, and of men, not a few.
13 But when the Jews of Thessalonica had knowledge that the word of God was preached of Paul at Berea, they came thither also, and stirred up the people.
14 And then immediately the brethren sent away Paul to go as it were to the sea: but Silas and Timotheus abode there still.
15 And they that conducted Paul brought him unto Athens: and receiving a commandment unto Silas and Timotheus for to come to him with all speed, they departed.
16 Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was stirred in him, when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry.
17 Therefore disputed he in the synagogue with the Jews, and with the devout persons, and in the market daily with them that met with him.
18 Then certain philosophers of the Epicureans, and of the Stoicks, encountered him. And some said, What will this babbler say? other some, He seemeth to be a setter forth of strange gods: because he preached unto them Jesus, and the resurrection.
19 And they took him, and brought him unto Areopagus, saying, May we know what this new doctrine, whereof thou speakest, is?
20 For thou bringest certain strange things to our ears: we would know therefore what these things mean.
21 (For all the Athenians and strangers which were there spent their time in nothing else, but either to tell, or to hear some new thing.)
22 Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars' hill, and said, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious.
23 For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, To The Unknown God. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you.
24 God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands;
25 Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;
26 And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;
27 That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:
28 For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.
29 Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device.
30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:
31 Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.
32 And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked: and others said, We will hear thee again of this matter.
33 So Paul departed from among them.
34 Howbeit certain men clave unto him, and believed: among the which was Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris, and others with them.
Chinese New Version (CNV). Copyright © 1976, 1992, 1999, 2001, 2005 by Worldwide Bible Society.
