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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. 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, 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.” 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. 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. But de when they could not 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, 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.” And de they stirred tarassō up the ho people ochlos and kai the ho city politarchēs authorities who heard akouō these houtos things . 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 , 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 , 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.

Paul Preaches in Thessalonica

17 Paul and Silas then traveled through the towns of Amphipolis and Apollonia and came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue. As was Paul’s custom, he went to the synagogue service, and for three Sabbaths in a row he used the Scriptures to reason with the people. He explained the prophecies and proved that the Messiah must suffer and rise from the dead. He said, “This Jesus I’m telling you about is the Messiah.” Some of the Jews who listened were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, along with many God-fearing Greek men and quite a few prominent women.[a]

But some of the Jews were jealous, so they gathered some troublemakers from the marketplace to form a mob and start a riot. They attacked the home of Jason, searching for Paul and Silas so they could drag them out to the crowd.[b] Not finding them there, they dragged out Jason and some of the other believers[c] instead and took them before the city council. “Paul and Silas have caused trouble all over the world,” they shouted, “and now they are here disturbing our city, too. And Jason has welcomed them into his home. They are all guilty of treason against Caesar, for they profess allegiance to another king, named Jesus.”

The people of the city, as well as the city council, were thrown into turmoil by these reports. So the officials forced Jason and the other believers to post bond, and then they released them.

Paul and Silas in Berea

10 That very night the believers sent Paul and Silas to Berea. When they arrived there, they went to the Jewish synagogue. 11 And the people of Berea were more open-minded than those in Thessalonica, and they listened eagerly to Paul’s message. They searched the Scriptures day after day to see if Paul and Silas were teaching the truth. 12 As a result, many Jews believed, as did many of the prominent Greek women and men.

13 But when some Jews in Thessalonica learned that Paul was preaching the word of God in Berea, they went there and stirred up trouble. 14 The believers acted at once, sending Paul on to the coast, while Silas and Timothy remained behind. 15 Those escorting Paul went with him all the way to Athens; then they returned to Berea with instructions for Silas and Timothy to hurry and join him.

Paul Preaches in Athens

16 While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was deeply troubled by all the idols he saw everywhere in the city. 17 He went to the synagogue to reason with the Jews and the God-fearing Gentiles, and he spoke daily in the public square to all who happened to be there.

18 He also had a debate with some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers. When he told them about Jesus and his resurrection, they said, “What’s this babbler trying to say with these strange ideas he’s picked up?” Others said, “He seems to be preaching about some foreign gods.”

19 Then they took him to the high council of the city.[d] “Come and tell us about this new teaching,” they said. 20 “You are saying some rather strange things, and we want to know what it’s all about.” 21 (It should be explained that all the Athenians as well as the foreigners in Athens seemed to spend all their time discussing the latest ideas.)

22 So Paul, standing before the council,[e] addressed them as follows: “Men of Athens, I notice that you are very religious in every way, 23 for as I was walking along I saw your many shrines. And one of your altars had this inscription on it: ‘To an Unknown God.’ This God, whom you worship without knowing, is the one I’m telling you about.

24 “He is the God who made the world and everything in it. Since he is Lord of heaven and earth, he doesn’t live in man-made temples, 25 and human hands can’t serve his needs—for he has no needs. He himself gives life and breath to everything, and he satisfies every need. 26 From one man[f] he created all the nations throughout the whole earth. He decided beforehand when they should rise and fall, and he determined their boundaries.

27 “His purpose was for the nations to seek after God and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him—though he is not far from any one of us. 28 For in him we live and move and exist. As some of your[g] own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’ 29 And since this is true, we shouldn’t think of God as an idol designed by craftsmen from gold or silver or stone.

30 “God overlooked people’s ignorance about these things in earlier times, but now he commands everyone everywhere to repent of their sins and turn to him. 31 For he has set a day for judging the world with justice by the man he has appointed, and he proved to everyone who this is by raising him from the dead.”

32 When they heard Paul speak about the resurrection of the dead, some laughed in contempt, but others said, “We want to hear more about this later.” 33 That ended Paul’s discussion with them, 34 but some joined him and became believers. Among them were Dionysius, a member of the council,[h] a woman named Damaris, and others with them.

Footnotes

  1. 17:4 Some manuscripts read quite a few of the wives of the leading men.
  2. 17:5 Or the city council.
  3. 17:6 Greek brothers; also in 17:10, 14.
  4. 17:19 Or the most learned society of philosophers in the city. Greek reads the Areopagus.
  5. 17:22 Traditionally rendered standing in the middle of Mars Hill; Greek reads standing in the middle of the Areopagus.
  6. 17:26 Greek From one; other manuscripts read From one blood.
  7. 17:28 Some manuscripts read our.
  8. 17:34 Greek an Areopagite.