⁵² The disciples were filled with joy and the holy Spirit.

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.