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帖撒羅尼迦的騷動

17 保羅和西拉經過暗非波里、亞波羅尼亞,來到帖撒羅尼迦,在那裡有猶太人的會堂。 保羅照他的習慣進去,一連三個安息日,根據聖經與他們辯論, 講解證明基督必須受害,從死人中復活,說:“我所傳給你們的這位耶穌,就是基督。” 他們中間有人給說服了,就附從了保羅和西拉;還有一大群虔誠的希臘人,和不少顯要的婦女。 但猶太人嫉妒起來,招聚了一些市井流氓,糾合成群,騷動全城,衝進了耶孫的家,搜索保羅和西拉,要把他們交給民眾。 搜索不到他們,就把耶孫和幾個弟兄,拉到地方長官那裡,喊叫著說:“這些擾亂天下的人,也到這裡來了, 耶孫卻收留他們。這些人都違背凱撒的法令,說另外還有一個王耶穌。” 群眾和地方長官聽見這話,就驚慌起來, 取得耶孫和其餘的人簽保後,才放了他們。

來到比里亞

10 弟兄們當夜立刻送保羅和西拉往比里亞去。二人到了,就進入猶太人的會堂。 11 這裡的人,比帖撒羅尼迦人開明,熱切接受主的道,天天考查聖經,要知道所聽的是否與聖經相符。 12 結果他們中間有很多人信了,也有高貴的希臘婦女,男的也不少。 13 但帖撒羅尼迦的猶太人,知道保羅又在比里亞宣講 神的道,就到那裡去,煽動挑撥群眾。 14 弟兄們立刻把保羅送到海邊去;西拉和提摩太仍然留在比里亞。 15 護送保羅的人帶他到了雅典;保羅吩咐他們叫西拉和提摩太趕快去見他,於是他們就回去了。

在雅典

16 保羅在雅典等候他們的時候,看見滿城都是偶像,心靈十分忿激。 17 於是在會堂裡,同猶太人和虔誠的人辯論;並且天天在市中心和所遇見的人辯論。 18 還有一些伊壁鳩魯派和斯多亞派的哲學家也同他爭論,有的說:“這個拾人牙慧的人要說甚麼呢?”有的說:“他似乎是一個宣傳外地鬼神的人。”這是因為保羅傳揚耶穌和復活的道理。 19 他們拉著保羅,把他帶到亞略.巴古那裡,說:“你所講的這個新道理,我們可以知道嗎? 20 因為你把一切新奇的事,傳到我們耳中,我們願意知道這些事是甚麼意思。” 21 原來所有雅典人和外僑,專好談論和打聽新奇的事,來打發時間。

22 保羅站在亞略.巴古當中,說:“各位雅典人,我看你們在各方面都非常敬畏鬼神。 23 我走路的時候,仔細看你們所敬拜的,發現有一座壇,上面寫著‘獻給不認識的神’。我現在把你們不認識而敬拜的這位神,傳給你們。 24 創造宇宙和其中萬有的 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,好像他缺少甚麼;他自己反而把生命、氣息和一切,賜給萬人。 26 他從一個本源造出了萬族來,使他們住在整個大地上,並且定了他們的期限和居住的疆界, 27 要他們尋求 神,或者可以摸索而找到他。其實他離我們各人不遠, 28 因著他我們可以生存、活動、存在,就如你們有些詩人說:‘原來我們也是他的子孫。’ 29 我們既然是 神的子孫,就不應該以為他的神性是好像人用手藝、心思所雕刻的金銀石頭一樣。 30 過去那無知的時代, 神不加以追究;現在,他卻吩咐各處的人都要悔改, 31 因為他已經定好了日子,要藉著他所立的人,按公義審判天下,並且使他從死人中復活,給萬人作一個可信的憑據。”

32 眾人一聽到死人復活的事,就譏笑他,但有的說:“我們要再聽聽你講這件事!” 33 這樣,保羅就離開他們。 34 但有幾個人接近他,並且信了主,其中有亞略.巴古的議員丟尼修,一個名叫戴馬里的女子,還有其他在一起的人。

保罗在帖撒罗尼迦传道

17 保罗和西拉经过暗非坡里和亚波罗尼亚,到了帖撒罗尼迦。那里有犹太人的会堂。 保罗照以往的习惯进入会堂,一连三个安息日引用圣经与当地人讨论, 解释、证明基督必须受害,然后从死里复活,又说:“我向你们宣讲的这位耶稣就是基督。” 不少人被说服,成为保罗和西拉的同道,其中有许多是敬畏上帝的希腊人和有地位的妇女。

那些不信主的犹太人却妒火中烧,他们召集了一群市井无赖,在城里引发骚乱,闯进耶孙的家企图把保罗和西拉揪出来示众。 他们找不到保罗和西拉,就把耶孙和几个弟兄拉到当地官员面前,高喊:“那些搅乱天下的人到我们这里来了, 耶孙接待了他们。他们违抗凯撒的命令,说另有一个王叫耶稣。” 百姓和当地官长听后,深感不安。 于是,官长命耶孙等人缴纳保释金,然后释放了他们。

庇哩亚人接受福音

10 弟兄姊妹在夜间把保罗和西拉送往庇哩亚。他们二人一到,就进了犹太会堂。 11 当地的人比帖撒罗尼迦人通情达理,非常乐意接受真道,还天天查考圣经,研究这道是否正确。 12 结果有很多人信了,包括不少有名望的希腊妇女和男子。 13 可是,帖撒罗尼迦的犹太人听到保罗在庇哩亚宣扬上帝的道,就赶来怂恿、煽动众人。 14 庇哩亚的弟兄姊妹立刻送保罗到海边,西拉和提摩太仍然留在庇哩亚。 15 护送保罗的人一直把他送到雅典,然后带着保罗的口信回庇哩亚,交代西拉和提摩太尽快赶去雅典与保罗会合。

保罗在雅典传道

16 保罗在雅典等候他们的时候,看见满城都是偶像,心里非常着急。 17 于是,他在会堂跟犹太人和虔诚的外族人辩论,每天在广场上跟遇见的人辩论。 18 还有一些伊壁鸠鲁和斯多亚学派的哲学家和保罗争论,有人嘲笑他说:“这人在胡说八道些什么呀?”还有人说:“他好像在宣扬外国的神明。”他们这样说是因为保罗在传讲耶稣和祂复活的福音。 19 他们带保罗到一个称为亚略·巴古的论坛,问他:“我们可以知道你所教导的这个新道理吗? 20 你的言论确实稀奇,我们很想知道个究竟。”

21 这些雅典人和侨居在那里的人没有别的嗜好,只喜欢谈论和打听一些新奇的事。

22 保罗在亚略·巴古论坛中站起来说:“各位雅典人,我看得出你们在各方面都非常虔诚。 23 我在街上走的时候,观察了你们所敬拜的对象,发现一座祭坛上面写着‘献给未知之神’。这位你们不认识却在敬拜的神明,我现在介绍给你们。

24 “这位创造宇宙万物的上帝是天地的主宰,并不住在人手建造的庙宇里, 25 也不需要人的侍奉,因为祂一无所缺。祂将生命、气息和万物赐给世人。 26 祂从一人造出万族,让他们散居世界各地,又预先定下他们的期限和居住的疆界, 27 以便他们在其间寻求祂,或许他们可以摸索着找到祂。祂原本就离我们各人不远, 28 我们的生活、行动和存在都靠祂,你们的诗人也说过,‘我们是祂的子孙。’ 29 我们既然是上帝的子孙,就不该认为上帝是人凭手艺和想象用金、银、石头所雕刻的样子。

30 “上帝以往不鉴察世人的无知,现在则命令世上所有的人都要悔改。 31 因为祂已经定了日子,要借祂所设立的人按公义审判这个世界。祂叫那人从死里复活,给了全人类可信的凭据。”

32 听见保罗提到死人复活的事,有些人就嘲笑他,还有些人说:“我们改天再听你讲这个。” 33 于是保罗离开了他们。 34 不过,也有人跟随保罗,信了耶稣,其中有亚略·巴古的会员丢尼修和一位名叫戴玛丽的妇人及其他人。

Paul and Silas are keeping a low profile in order to advance the cause of Jesus. Paul’s first miracle in the area is to cast out an evil spirit from a girl. This sets off an unexpected chain of events bringing the men into the city court to be beaten before the crowds. This sounds like the start of a very bad day. Silas must wonder, “Paul, what were you doing? Is your aggravation with this wandering girl worth all this trouble?” But they neither fight nor despair; instead, they sing, pray to God, and love their captors. Paul and Silas demonstrate that believers are not easily distracted or depressed as long as serving God is their priority.

17 After leaving Philippi and passing through Amphipolis and Apollonia, Paul and Silas came to Thessalonica. There was a Jewish synagogue there. 2-3 As he had done in other cities, Paul attended the synagogue and presented arguments, based on the Hebrew Scriptures, that the Anointed had to suffer and rise from the dead.

Paul: Who is this suffering and rising Anointed One I am proclaiming to you? He is Jesus.

He came back the next two Sabbaths—repeating the same pattern. Some of the ethnically Jewish people from the synagogue were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas. Even more devout Greeks who had affiliated with Judaism came to believe—along with quite a few of the city’s leading women. 5-6 Seeing this movement growing, the unconvinced Jewish people became protective and angry. They found some ruffians hanging out in the marketplaces and convinced them to help start a riot. Soon a mob formed, and the whole city was seething with tension. The mob was going street by street, looking for Paul and Silas—who were nowhere to be found. Frustrated, when the mob came to the house of a man named Jason, now known as a believer, they grabbed him and some other believers they found there and dragged them to the city officials.

Mob: These people—they’re political agitators turning the world upside down! They’ve come here to our fine city, and this man, Jason, has given them sanctuary and made his house a base for their operations. We want to expose their real intent: they are trying to overturn Caesar’s sensible decrees. They’re saying that Jesus is king, not Caesar!

Of course, this disturbed the crowd at large and the city officials especially, so they demanded bail from Jason and the others before releasing them.

10 The believers waited until dark and then sent Paul and Silas off to Berea. When they arrived, they went to the synagogue.

Though Paul is known as the Emissary to the Gentiles, wherever he goes he proclaims Jesus to the Jews in the synagogue from the Hebrew Scriptures first.

11 The Jewish people here were more receptive than they had been in Thessalonica. They warmly and enthusiastically welcomed the message and then, day by day, would check for themselves to see if what they heard from Paul and Silas was truly in harmony with the Hebrew Scriptures. 12 Many of them were convinced, and the new believers included—as in Thessalonica—quite a few of the city’s leading Greek women and important men also. 13 Reports got back to Thessalonica that Paul and Silas were now spreading God’s message in Berea; the Jewish people who had incited the riot in Thessalonica quickly came to Berea to do the same once again. 14-15 The believers sent Paul away. A small group escorted him, first to the coast, and then all the way to Athens. Silas and Timothy, however, remained in Berea. Later they received instructions from Paul to join him in Athens as soon as possible.

16 So Paul found himself alone for some time in Athens. He would walk through the city, feeling deeply frustrated about the abundance of idols there. 17 As in the previous cities, he went to the synagogue. Once again, he engaged in debate about Jesus with both ethnic Jews and devout Greek-born converts to Judaism. He would even wander around in the marketplace, speaking with anyone he happened to meet. 18 Eventually he got into a debate with some Epicurean and Stoic philosophers. Some were dismissive from the start.

Philosophers: What’s this fast-talker trying to pitch?

Others: He seems to be advocating the gods of distant lands.

They said this because of what Paul had been preaching about Jesus and the resurrection.

The philosophers misunderstand Paul’s message. They think he is talking about two deities: Jesus and Anastasis (the Greek word for “resurrection”).

19-21 This stirred their curiosity, because the favorite pastime of Athenians (including foreigners who had settled there) was conversation about new and unusual ideas. So they brought him to the rock outcropping known as the Areopagus, where Athens’ intellectuals regularly gathered for debate, and they invited him to speak.

Athenians: May we understand this new teaching of yours? It is intriguingly unusual. We would love to know its meaning.

Paul: 22 Athenians, as I have walked your streets, I have observed your strong and diverse religious ethos. You truly are a religious people. 23 I have stopped again and again to examine carefully the religious statues and inscriptions that fill your city. On one such altar, I read this inscription: “TO AN UNKNOWN GOD.” I am not here to tell you about a strange foreign deity, but about this One whom you already worship, though without full knowledge. 24 This is the God who made the universe and all it contains, the God who is the King of all heaven and all earth. It would be illogical to assume that a God of this magnitude could possibly be contained in any man-made structure, no matter how majestic. 25 Nor would it be logical to think that this God would need human beings to provide Him with food and shelter—after all, He Himself would have given to humans everything they need—life, breath, food, shelter, and so on.

This is the only universal God, the One who makes all people whatever their nationality or culture or religion.

26 This God made us in all our diversity from one original person, allowing each culture to have its own time to develop, giving each its own place to live and thrive in its distinct ways. 27 His purpose in all this was that people of every culture and religion would search for this ultimate God, grope for Him in the darkness, as it were, hoping to find Him. Yet, in truth, God is not far from any of us. 28 For you know the saying, “We live in God; we move in God; we exist in God.” And still another said, “We are indeed God’s children.” 29 Since this is true, since we are indeed offspring of God’s creative act, we shouldn’t think of the Deity as our own artifact, something made by our own hands—as if this great, universal, ultimate Creator were simply a combination of elements like gold, silver, and stone. 30 No, God has patiently tolerated this kind of ignorance in the past, but now God says it is time to rethink our lives and reject these unenlightened assumptions. 31 He has fixed a day of accountability, when the whole world will be justly evaluated by a new, higher standard: not by a statue, but by a living man. God selected this man and made Him credible to all by raising Him from the dead.

32 When they heard that last phrase about resurrection from the dead, some shook their heads and scoffed, but others were even more curious.

Others: We would like you to come and speak to us again.

33 Paul left at that point, 34 but some people followed him and came to faith, including one from Areopagus named Dionysius, a prominent woman named Damaris, and others.