Acts 17
Amplified Bible
Paul at Thessalonica
17 Now after Paul and Silas had traveled through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. 2 And Paul entered the synagogue, as was his [a]custom, and for three Sabbaths he engaged in discussion and friendly debate with them from the Scriptures, 3 explaining and pointing out [scriptural evidence] that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and rise from the dead, and saying, “This Jesus, whom I am proclaiming to you, is the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed).” 4 And some of them were persuaded to believe and joined Paul and Silas, along with a large number of the God-fearing Greeks and many of the leading women. 5 But the [unbelieving] Jews became jealous, and taking along some thugs from [the lowlifes in] the market place, they formed a mob and set the city in an uproar; and then attacking Jason’s house tried to bring Paul and Silas out to the people. 6 But when they failed to find them, they dragged Jason and some brothers before the city authorities, shouting, “These men who have turned the world upside down have come here too; 7 and Jason has welcomed them [into his house and protected them]! And they all are saying things contrary to the decrees of Caesar, [actually] claiming that there is another king, Jesus.” 8 They stirred up the crowd and the city authorities who heard these things. 9 And when they had taken security (bail) from Jason and the others, they let them go.
Paul at Berea
10 The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea; and when they arrived, they entered the Jewish synagogue. 11 Now these people were more noble and open-minded than those in Thessalonica, so they received the message [of salvation through faith in the Christ] with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so. 12 As a result many of them became believers, together with a number of prominent Greek women and men. 13 But when the Jews of Thessalonica learned that the word of God [concerning eternal salvation through faith in Christ] had also been preached by Paul at Berea, they came there too, agitating and disturbing the crowds. 14 So at that time the brothers immediately sent Paul away to go as far as the sea; but Silas and Timothy remained there [at Berea]. 15 Those who escorted Paul brought him to Athens; and [after] receiving instructions [from Paul] for Silas and Timothy to join him as soon as possible, they left.
Paul at Athens
16 Now while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was greatly angered when he saw that the city was full of idols. 17 So he had discussions in the synagogue with the Jews and the God-fearing Gentiles, and in the market place day after day with any who happened to be there. 18 And some of the [b]Epicurean and Stoic philosophers began to engage in conversation with him. And some said, “What could this idle babbler [with his eclectic, scrap-heap learning] have in mind to say?” Others said, “He seems to be a proclaimer of strange deities”—because he was preaching the good news about Jesus and the resurrection. 19 They took him and brought him to the [c]Areopagus (Hill of Ares, the Greek god of war), saying, “May we know what this [strange] new teaching is which you are proclaiming? 20 For you are bringing some startling and strange things to our ears; so we want to know what they mean.” 21 (Now all the Athenians and the foreigners visiting there used to spend their [leisure] time in nothing other than telling or hearing something new.)
Sermon on Mars Hill
22 So Paul, standing in the center of the Areopagus, said: “Men of Athens, I observe [with every turn I make throughout the city] that you are very religious and devout in all respects. 23 Now as I was going along and carefully looking at your objects of worship, I came to an altar with this inscription: ‘TO AN [d]UNKNOWN GOD.’ Therefore what you already worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you. 24 The God who created the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands; 25 nor is He [e]served by human hands, as though He needed anything, because it is He who gives to all [people] life and breath and all things.(A) 26 And He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their lands and territories. 27 This was so that they would seek God, if perhaps they might grasp for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us. 28 For in Him we live and move and exist [that is, in Him we actually have our being], as even some of [f]your own poets have said, ‘For we also are His children.’ 29 So then, being God’s children, we should not think that the Divine Nature (deity) is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination or skill of man. 30 Therefore God overlooked and disregarded the former ages of ignorance; but now He commands all people everywhere to repent [that is, to change their old way of thinking, to regret their past sins, and to seek God’s purpose for their lives], 31 because He has set a day when He will judge the inhabited world in righteousness by a Man whom He has appointed and destined for that task, and He has provided credible proof to everyone by raising Him from the dead.”(B)
32 Now when they heard [the term] resurrection from the dead, [g]some mocked and sneered; but others said, “We will hear from you again about this matter.” 33 So Paul left them. 34 But some men joined him and believed; among them were Dionysius, [a judge] of the Council of Areopagus, and a woman named Damaris, and others with them.
Footnotes
- Acts 17:2 Paul had earlier announced that he was turning to the Gentiles (13:46), but he nevertheless kept to his practice of speaking to Jews first while focusing primarily on Gentiles.
- Acts 17:18 These were among the leading philosophies of the day. Neither believed in a personal God; indeed, the Epicureans were confirmed atheists. Their goal was to get as much out of life as possible. The Stoics had a strong, fatalistic sense of duty, seeking to improve the inner man.
- Acts 17:19 Also known as Mars Hill, named for Mars, the Roman god of war. It was the place where the ancient Greek Areopagus Council convened and had varying powers in the course of its history. In Roman times it was where the supreme government of Athens met.
- Acts 17:23 While the philosophers had little or no regard for the old mythological gods of the Greeks, the temples to various deities remained and worship practices continued, at least as a formal tradition. The altar to the Unknown seems to have been constructed for the purpose of acknowledging any god who had been overlooked. Paul seized upon it as an opportunity to introduce the Greeks to Christ.
- Acts 17:25 Here Paul uses an unusual word which normally refers to healing. He was educated in classical Greek literature to some extent (see note v 28 and 22:3), and what he says here recalls earlier arguments by Plato (in his dialogues the Euthyphro and the Symposium) which should have struck a responsive chord in the listeners. In the dialogues, Plato represents Socrates as analyzing the nature of service to a god, and points out that the god can only receive actual benefit from service if he is in need or lacking something. Paul masterfully adapts himself to the thinking of the Athenians, demonstrating to them that the gods whom they serve with sacrifices and worship cannot really be gods at all, unless it is possible for a god to have faults or needs that have to be satisfied. This is also a good point for the Christian to bear in mind; believers are to serve God, but this is not a service that in any way actually benefits Him, because He is perfect and in no need of anything which man can supply. The same is true for the sacrificial system of the OT. While God is represented there as demanding sacrifices and sometimes enjoying their pleasant aromas, the sacrifices did not actually benefit Him. In reality they pointed ahead to the supreme sacrifice of Christ, which was the ultimate payment for mankind’s sins.
- Acts 17:28 Paul was probably exposed to Greek literature when he studied with Gamaliel, and quoting or paraphrasing a line from one of their poets would have surprised and kept the attention of the audience. See note 22:3.
- Acts 17:32 See note v 18.
Acts 17
Mounce Reverse Interlinear New Testament
17 Having passed diodeuō through · de · ho Amphipolis Amphipolis and kai · ho Apollonia Apollōnia, Paul and Silas came erchomai to eis Thessalonica Thessalonikē, where hopou there was eimi a synagogue synagōgē of the ho Jews Ioudaios. 2 And de according kata to · ho Paul’ s Paulos custom eiōtha, · ho he went eiserchomai to pros them autos and kai for epi three treis Sabbath sabbaton days he reasoned dialegomai with them autos from apo the ho Scriptures graphē, 3 explaining dianoigō and kai demonstrating paratithēmi that hoti it was necessary for dei the ho Messiah Christos to suffer paschō and kai to rise anistēmi from ek the dead nekros, and kai that hoti, “ This houtos one is eimi the ho Messiah Christos, this ho Jesus Iēsous whom hos I egō am proclaiming katangellō to you hymeis.” 4 And kai some tis of ek them autos were persuaded peithō and kai cast prosklēroō their lot with · ho Paul Paulos and kai · ho Silas Silas, · ho both te a great polys number plēthos of devout sebō Greeks Hellēn and te not ou a few oligos of the ho leading prōtos women gynē. 5 But de the ho Jews Ioudaios, moved by envy zēloō, · kai recruited proslambanō certain tis wicked ponēros men anēr of the ho marketplace agoraios and kai, forming a mob ochlopoieō, they set the ho city polis in an uproar thorybeō. · kai They attacked ephistēmi the ho house oikia of Jason Iasōn, trying zēteō to bring proagō them autos out proagō to eis the ho people dēmos. 6 But de when they could not mē find heuriskō them autos, they dragged syrō Jason Iasōn and kai some tis fellow believers adelphos before epi the ho city politarchēs authorities , shouting boaō, “ These men houtos who ho have turned the ho world oikoumenē upside anastatoō down have come pareimi here enthade too kai, 7 and Jason Iasōn has received hypodechomai them hos as guests hypodechomai; and kai all pas these houtos men are acting prassō contrary apenanti to the ho decrees dogma of Caesar Kaisar, saying legō that there is eimi another heteros king basileus, Jesus Iēsous.” 8 And de they stirred tarassō up the ho people ochlos and kai the ho city politarchēs authorities who heard akouō these houtos things . 9 And kai when they had taken lambanō · ho bail hikanos from para · ho Jason Iasōn and kai the ho others loipos, they let apolyō them autos go .
10 And de the ho brothers adelphos immediately eutheōs sent ekpempō Paul Paulos and kai Silas Silas off ekpempō by dia night nyx · ho · ho to eis Berea Beroia. When they hostis got paraginomai there , they went apeimi to eis the ho synagogue synagōgē of the ho Jews Ioudaios. 11 These houtos Jews · de were eimi more open-minded eugenēs than those ho in en Thessalonica Thessalonikē, for they hostis received dechomai the ho message logos with meta all pas eagerness prothumia, examining anakrinō the ho scriptures graphē every kata day hēmera to see if ei these houtos things were echō so houtōs. 12 So oun many polys of ek them autos believed pisteuō, with kai not ou a few oligos · ho prominent euschēmōn Greek Hellēnis women gynē · ho and kai men anēr. 13 But de when hōs the ho Jews Ioudaios from apo · ho Thessalonica Thessalonikē learned ginōskō that hoti also kai in en · ho Berea Beroia the ho word logos of ho God theos was proclaimed katangellō by hypo · ho Paul Paulos, they came erchomai there kakei too , inciting saleuō and kai stirring tarassō up the ho crowds ochlos. 14 Then tote immediately eutheōs · de · ho the ho brothers adelphos sent exapostellō Paul Paulos away , to go poreuō as heōs far as to epi the ho sea thalassa, but te · ho both te Silas Silas and kai · ho Timothy Timotheos remained hypomenō there ekei. 15 Those ho · de who conducted kathistēmi · ho Paul Paulos brought agō him as heōs far as Athens, and kai receiving lambanō an order entolē for pros · ho Silas Silas and kai · ho Timothy Timotheos to hina come erchomai to pros him autos as hōs soon tacheōs as possible , they left.
16 Now de · ho while Paul Paulos was waiting ekdechomai for them autos · ho at en Athens, his autos spirit pneuma was stirred paroxynō up · ho within en him autos on seeing theōreō the ho city polis full kateidōlos of idols . 17 So oun he reasoned dialegomai in en the ho synagogue synagōgē with the ho Jews Ioudaios and kai the ho worshippers sebō, and kai in en the ho marketplace agora every kata pas day hēmera with pros those ho who happened to be paratynchanō there . 18 Also kai some tis · de of the ho Epicurean Epikoureios and kai Stoic Stoikos philosophers philosophos were conversing symballō with him autos, and kai some tis were asking legō, “ What tis does this houtos babbler spermologos want thelō · ho to say legō?” Others ho said, · de “ He seems dokeō to be eimi a proclaimer katangeleus of strange xenos gods daimonion,” for hoti he was announcing the good news euangelizō about · ho Jesus Iēsous and kai the ho resurrection anastasis. 19 And te they took hold epilambanomai of him autos and brought agō him to epi the ho Areopagus pagos, saying legō, “ May dynamai we know ginōskō what tis is · ho this houtos new kainos · ho teaching didachē being presented laleō by hypo you sy? 20 For gar you bring eispherō some tis strange xenizō things to eis · ho our hēmeis ears akoē, so oun we want boulomai to know ginōskō what tis these houtos things mean eimi.” 21 ( Now de all pas the Athenians Athēnaios and kai the ho foreigners xenos living epidēmeō there used to spend their time eukaireō in eis nothing oudeis else heteros than ē to tell legō or ē to hear akouō something tis new kainos.)
22 So de Paul Paulos, standing histēmi · ho in en the midst mesos of the ho Areopagus pagos, said phēmi: “ Men anēr of Athens Athēnaios, I perceive theōreō that hōs in kata every pas way you hymeis are a very devout deisidaimōn people . 23 For gar as I went dierchomai around and kai observed anatheōreō · ho your hymeis objects sebasma of worship , I found heuriskō also kai an altar bōmos on en which hos was inscribed epigraphō, ‘ To an unknown agnōstos god theos.’ So oun what hos you worship eusebeō without agnoeō knowing , this houtos I egō proclaim katangellō to you hymeis. 24 The ho God theos who ho made poieō the ho world kosmos and kai everything pas · ho in en it autos, being hyparchō Lord kyrios of heaven ouranos and kai earth gē, does katoikeō not ou live katoikeō in en shrines naos made cheiropoiētos by human hands , 25 nor oude is he served therapeuō by hypo human anthrōpinos hands cheir, as though he needed prosdeomai anything tis, since he himself autos gives didōmi to all pas life zōē and kai breath pnoē and kai · ho everything pas. 26 And te he made poieō from ek one heis man every pas race ethnos of men anthrōpos to live katoikeō on epi all pas the face prosōpon of the ho earth gē, having determined horizō allotted prostassō epochs kairos and kai the ho fixed horothesia boundaries of the ho places katoikia where they autos would live , 27 that they should seek zēteō · ho God theos, if ei perhaps ara ge that they might grope psēlaphaō for him autos and kai find heuriskō him, though kai indeed ge he is hyparchō not ou far makran from apo each hekastos one heis of us hēmeis. 28 ‘ For gar in en him autos we live zaō and kai move kineō about and kai exist eimi,’ as hōs even kai some tis of ho your own kata poets poiētēs have said legō, ‘ For gar we eimi too kai are eimi his ho offspring genos.’ 29 So oun since we are hyparchō the offspring genos of ho God theos, we ought opheilō not ou to think nomizō that the ho divine being theios is eimi like homoios an image carved charagma in gold chrysos or ē silver argyros or ē stone lithos by human anthrōpos skill technē and kai imagination enthumēsis. 30 So then oun, God theos overlooked hyperoraō the ho times chronos of ho ignorance agnoia, · ho · ho but now nyn he orders parangellō · ho men anthrōpos to repent metanoeō, all pas of them in all pantachou places , 31 because kathoti he has appointed histēmi a day hēmera on en which hos he will mellō judge krinō the ho world oikoumenē in en righteousness dikaiosynē by en the man anēr whom hos he has appointed horizō, having provided parechō proof pistis to all pas by raising anistēmi him autos from ek the dead nekros.”
32 Now de when they heard akouō of the resurrection anastasis of the dead nekros, some ho mocked chleuazō, but de others ho said legō, “ We will hear akouō you sy again palin about peri this houtos.” · kai 33 So houtōs · ho Paul Paulos departed exerchomai from ek their autos midst mesos. 34 But de some tis men anēr joined kollaō him autos and believed pisteuō; among en whom hos also kai were Dionysius Dionysios the ho Areopagite Areopagitēs and kai a woman gynē named onoma Damaris Damaris and kai others heteros with syn them autos.
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The Mounce Reverse Interlinear™ New Testament (MOUNCE)
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