Paul in Athens

¹⁶ Now while Paul was waiting for them in ^(A)Athens, his spirit was being provoked within him as he observed that the city was full of idols. ¹⁷ So he was reasoning ^(B)in the synagogue with the Jews and ^(C)the God-fearing Gentiles, and in the marketplace every day with those who happened to be present. ¹⁸ And some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers as well were ^[a]conversing with him. Some were saying, “What could ^(D)this ^[b]scavenger of tidbits want to say?” Others, “He seems to be a proclaimer of strange deities,”—because he was preaching ^(E)Jesus and the resurrection. ¹⁹ And they ^(F)took him and brought him ^[c]to the ^[d](G)Areopagus, saying, “May we know what ^(H)this new teaching is ^[e]which you are proclaiming? ²⁰ For you are bringing some strange things to our ears; so we want to know what these things mean.” ²¹ (Now all the Athenians and the strangers ^(I)visiting there used to spend their time in nothing other than telling or hearing something new.)

Sermon on Mars Hill

²² So Paul stood in the midst of the ^[f]Areopagus and said, “Men of ^(J)Athens, I see that you are very ^(K)religious in all respects. ²³ For while I was passing through and examining the ^(L)objects of your worship, I also found an altar with this inscription, ‘TO AN UNKNOWN GOD.’ Therefore, what ^(M)you worship in ignorance, this I proclaim to you. ^24 (N)The God who made the world and everything that is in it, since He is ^(O)Lord of heaven and earth, does not ^(P)dwell in temples made by hands; ²⁵ nor is He served by human hands, ^(Q)as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all people life and breath and all things; ²⁶ and ^(R)He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having ^(S)determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation, ²⁷ that they would seek God, if perhaps they might feel around for Him and find Him, ^(T)though He is not far from each one of us; ²⁸ for ^(U)in Him we live and move and ^[g]exist, as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we also are His descendants.’ ²⁹ Therefore, since we are the descendants of God, we ^(V)ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by human skill and thought. ³⁰ So having ^(W)overlooked ^(X)the times of ignorance, God is ^(Y)now proclaiming to mankind that all people everywhere are to repent, ³¹ because He has set ^(Z)a day on which ^(AA)He will judge ^[h](AB)the world in righteousness ^[i]through a Man whom He has ^(AC)appointed, having furnished proof to all people ^[j]by ^(AD)raising Him from the dead.”

³² Now when they heard of ^(AE)the resurrection of the dead, some began to scoff, but others said, “We shall hear from you ^[k]again concerning this.” ³³ So Paul went out from among them. ³⁴ But some men joined him and believed, among whom also were Dionysius the ^(AF)Areopagite and a woman named Damaris, and others with them.

Paul in Corinth

18 After these events Paul left ^(A)Athens and went to ^(B)Corinth. ² And he found a Jew named ^(C)Aquila, a native of ^(D)Pontus having recently come from ^(E)Italy with his wife ^(F)Priscilla, because ^(G)Claudius had commanded all the Jews to leave Rome. He came to them, ³ and because he was of the same trade he stayed with them, and ^(H)they worked together, for they were tent-makers by trade. ⁴ And Paul was reasoning ^(I)in the synagogue every ^(J)Sabbath and trying to persuade ^(K)Jews and Greeks.

⁵ But when ^(L)Silas and Timothy ^(M)came down from ^(N)Macedonia, Paul began devoting himself completely to the word, ^(O)testifying to the Jews that ^(P)Jesus was the ^[a]Christ. ⁶ But when they resisted and blasphemed, he ^(Q)shook out his garments and said to them, “Your ^(R)blood is ^[b]on your own heads! I am clean. From now on I will go ^(S)to the Gentiles.” ⁷ Then he left ^[c]the synagogue and went to the house of a man named ^[d]Titius Justus, ^(T)a worshiper of God, whose house was next door to the synagogue. ^8 (U)Crispus, ^(V)the leader of the synagogue, believed in the Lord ^(W)together with his entire household; and many of the ^(X)Corinthians, as they listened to Paul, were believing and being baptized. ⁹ And the Lord said to Paul by ^(Y)a vision at night, “Do not be afraid any longer, but go on speaking and do not be silent; ¹⁰ for I am with you, and no one will attack you to harm you, for I have many people in this city.” ¹¹ And he settled there for a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.

¹² But while Gallio was ^(Z)proconsul of ^(AA)Achaia, ^(AB)the Jews rose up together against Paul and brought him before ^(AC)the ^[e]judgment seat, ¹³ saying, “This man is inciting the people to worship God contrary to ^(AD)the ^[f]law.” ¹⁴ But when Paul was about to ^(AE)open his mouth, Gallio said to the Jews, “If it were a matter of some crime or vicious, unscrupulous act, O Jews, it would be reasonable for me to put up with you; ¹⁵ but if there are ^[g](AF)questions about ^[h]teaching and ^[i]persons and your own law, see to it yourselves; I am unwilling to be a judge of these matters.” ¹⁶ And he drove them away from ^(AG)the ^[j]judgment seat. ¹⁷ But they all took hold of ^(AH)Sosthenes, ^(AI)the leader of the synagogue, and began beating him in front of ^(AJ)the judgment seat. And yet Gallio was not concerned about any of these things.

¹⁸ Now Paul, when he had remained many days longer, ^(AK)took leave of ^(AL)the brothers and sisters and sailed away to ^(AM)Syria, and ^(AN)Priscilla and ^(AO)Aquila were with him. ^[k]Paul first ^(AP)had his hair cut at ^(AQ)Cenchrea, for he was keeping a vow. ¹⁹ They came to ^(AR)Ephesus, and he left them there. Now he himself entered ^(AS)the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews. ²⁰ When they asked him to stay for a longer time, he did not consent, ²¹ but ^(AT)took leave of them and said, “I will return to you again ^(AU)if God wills,” and he set sail from ^(AV)Ephesus.

²² When he had landed in ^(AW)Caesarea, he went up to Jerusalem and greeted the church, and went down to ^(AX)Antioch.

Third Missionary Journey

²³ And after spending some time there, he left and passed successively through the ^(AY)Galatian region and Phrygia, strengthening all the disciples.