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

17 Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews:

And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures,

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.

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.

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.

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;

Whom Jason hath received: and these all do contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, one Jesus.

And they troubled the people and the rulers of the city, when they heard these things.

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.

17 Pagkatahak nga nila sa Amfipolis at sa Apolonia, ay nagsirating sila sa (A)Tesalonica, na kinaroroonan ng isang sinagoga ng mga Judio.

At si Pablo, ayon sa ugali niya (B)ay pumasok sa kanila, at sa tatlong sabbath ay nangatuwiran sa kanila (C)sa mga kasulatan,

Na binubuksan at pinatunayan (D)na kinakailangang si Cristo ay maghirap, at muling mabuhay sa mga patay; at itong si Jesus, aniya, na aking ipinangangaral sa inyo, ay siyang Cristo.

At nangahikayat ang ilan sa kanila, at nakikampi kay Pablo at kay Silas; at gayon din ang lubhang maraming mga (E)Griegong masisipag sa kabanalan, at hindi kakaunting mga babaing mararangal.

Datapuwa't ang mga Judio, palibhasa'y nangaudyokan ng inggit, ay nangagsama ng ilang masasamang tao sa pamilihan, at pagkatipon ng isang karamihan, ay ginulo ang bayan; at pagkalusob sa bahay ni Jason, ay pinagsikapan nilang sila'y iharap sa mga tao.

At nang hindi sila mangasumpungan, ay kanilang kinaladkad si Jason at ang ilang (F)kapatid sa harap ng mga punong bayan, na ipinagsisigawan, (G)Itong mga nagsisipagtiwarik ng sanglibutan, ay nagsiparito rin naman;

Na tinanggap sila ni Jason: at ang lahat ng mga ito ay nagsisigawa ng laban sa mga utos ni Cesar, na nagsasabing may ibang hari, si Jesus.

At kanilang ginulo ang karamihan at ang mga punong bayan, nang kanilang marinig ang mga bagay na ito.

At nang matanggap na nila ang pinakaako kay Jason at sa mga iba, ay kanilang pinawalan sila.

10 At pagdaka'y (H)pinayaon sa gabi ng mga kapatid si Pablo at si Silas sa Berea: na nang dumating sila doon ay nagsipasok sa sinagoga ng mga Judio.

11 Ngayon lalong naging mararangal ang mga ito kay sa mga taga Tesalonica, sapagka't tinanggap nila ang salita ng buong pagsisikap, at sinisiyasat sa araw-araw ang mga kasulatan, kung tunay nga ang mga bagay na ito.

12 Kaya nga marami sa kanila ang mga nagsisampalataya; gayon din sa mga babaing Griega (I)na may mga kalagayang mahal, at sa mga lalake, ay hindi kakaunti.

13 Datapuwa't nang maunawa ng mga Judiong taga Tesalonica na sa Berea ay ipinangangaral din ni Pablo ang salita ng Dios, ay nagsiparoon din naman, na ginulo at binagabag ang mga karamihan.

14 At nang magkagayo'y pagdaka'y pinayaon (J)ng mga kapatid si Pablo na pumaroon hanggang sa dagat: at nangatira pa roon si Silas at si (K)Timoteo.

15 Datapuwa't silang mga nagsipaghatid kay Pablo ay (L)dinala siya hanggang sa Atenas: at nang matanggap na nila ang pautos kay Silas at kay Timoteo na madalingmadali silang magsiparoon sa kaniya, ay nagsialis sila.

16 Samantala ngang sila'y hinihintay ni Pablo sa Atenas, ay namuhi ang kaniyang espiritu sa loob niya sa pagkamasid niya sa bayan na puno ng diosdiosan.

17 Kaya't (M)sa sinagoga'y nakipagmatuwiran siya sa (N)mga Judio at sa mga taong (O)masisipag sa kabanalan, at sa araw-araw sa pamilihan sa mga nakikipagkita sa kaniya.

18 At ilan naman sa mga pilosopong Epicureo at Estoico ay nakipagtalo sa kaniya. At sinabi ng ilan, Anong ibig sabihin ng masalitang ito? binagabag ang mga iba, Parang siya'y tagapagbalita ng mga ibang dios: sapagka't ipinangangaral niya si Jesus at ang (P)pagkabuhay na maguli.

19 At siya'y tinangnan nila, at dinala siya sa Areopago, na sinasabi, Mangyayari bagang maalaman namin kung ano itong bagong aral, na sinasalita mo?

20 Sapagka't naghahatid ka ng mga kakaibang bagay sa aming mga tainga: ibig nga naming maalaman kung ano ang kahulugan ng mga bagay na ito.

21 (Lahat nga ng mga Ateniense at ang mga taga ibang bayang nakikipamayan doon ay walang ibang ginagawa, kundi ang magsipagsaysay o mangakinig ng anomang bagay na bago.)

22 At tumindig si Pablo sa gitna ng Areopago, at sinabi,

Kayong mga lalaking taga Atenas, sa lahat ng mga bagay ay napapansin kong kayo'y lubhang relihioso.

23 Sapagka't sa aking pagdaraan, at sa pagmamasid ng mga bagay na inyong sinasamba, ay nakasumpong din naman ako ng isang dambana na may sulat na ganito, SA ISANG DIOS NA HINDI KILALA. Yaon ngang inyong sinasamba sa hindi pagkakilala, siya ang sa inyo'y ibinabalita ko.

24 (Q)Ang Dios na gumawa ng sanglibutan at ng lahat ng mga bagay na naririto, siya, palibhasa'y Panginoon ng langit at ng lupa, (R)ay hindi tumatahan sa mga templong ginawa ng mga kamay;

25 Ni hindi rin naman pinaglilingkuran siya ng mga kamay ng mga tao, (S)na para bagang siya'y nangangailangan ng anomang bagay, yamang siya rin ang nagbibigay sa lahat ng (T)buhay, at ng hininga, at ng lahat ng mga bagay;

26 At ginawa niya sa isa ang bawa't bansa ng mga tao upang magsipanahan sa balat ng buong lupa, na itinakda ang kanilang talagang ayos ng mga kapanahunan at (U)ang mga hangganan ng kanilang tahanan;

27 Upang kanilang hanapin ang Dios baka sakaling maapuhap nila siya at siya'y masumpungan, bagaman (V)hindi siya malayo sa bawa't isa sa atin:

28 Sapagka't (W)sa kaniya tayo'y nangabubuhay, at nagsisikilos, at mayroon tayong pagkatao: (X)na gaya naman ng sinabi ng ilan sa inyong sariling mga manunula,

Sapagka't tayo nama'y sa kaniyang lahi.

29 Yamang tayo nga'y lahi ng Dios, ay hindi marapat nating isipin na ang pagka Dios ay katulad ng ginto, o ng pilak, o ng bato, na inukit ng kabihasnan at katalinuhan ng tao.

30 Ang mga panahon ng kahangalan ay pinalipas na nga ng (Y)Dios; datapuwa't ngayo'y (Z)ipinag-uutos niya sa mga tao na mangagsisi silang lahat sa lahat ng dako:

31 Sapagka't siya'y nagtakda ng isang araw na kaniyang (AA)ipaghuhukom sa sanglibutan ayon sa katuwiran sa pamamagitan ng lalaking kaniyang itinalaga; na ito'y pinatunayan niya sa lahat ng mga tao, (AB)nang siya'y buhayin niyang maguli sa mga patay.

32 At nang kanilang marinig ang tungkol sa pagkabuhay na maguli, ay nanglibak ang ilan; datapuwa't sinabi ng mga iba, Pakikinggan ka naming muli tungkol dito.

33 Sa gayo'y umalis si Pablo sa gitna nila.

34 Datapuwa't nakisama sa kanya ang ilang mga tao, at nagsisampalataya: na sa mga yao'y isa si Dionisio na (AC)Areopagita, at ang isang babaing nagngangalang Damaris, at mga iba pang kasama nila.