Now when they had traveled
through
Amphipolis
and Apollonia
, they came
to aThessalonica
, where
there was a synagogue
of the Jews
.
And aaccording to Paul's
custom
, he went
to them, and for three
bSabbaths
reasoned
with them from cthe Scriptures
,
1explaining and 2giving
evidence
that the 3Christ
ahad
to suffer
and brise
again
from the dead
, and saying, " cThis
Jesus
whom
I am proclaiming
to you is the 3Christ
."
aAnd some of them were persuaded
and joined
bPaul
and Silas
, 1along
with a large
number
of the cGod-fearing
dGreeks
and 2a number
of the eleading
women
.
But athe Jews, becoming
jealous
and taking
along
some
wicked
men
from the market
place
, formed
a mob
and set
the city
in an uproar
; and attacking
the house
of bJason
, they were seeking
to bring
them out to the people
.
When they did not find them, they began adragging
Jason
and some
brethren
before
the city
authorities
, shouting
, "These
men
who have upset
1 bthe world
have come
here
also
;
1and Jason ahas welcomed
them, and they all
act
bcontrary
to the decrees
of Caesar
, saying
that there is another
king
, Jesus
."
They stirred up the crowd
and the city
authorities
who heard
these
things
.
And when they had received a 1pledge
from aJason
and the others
, they released
them.
aThe brethren immediately
sent
bPaul
and Silas
away
by night
to cBerea
, 1and when they arrived
, they went
into dthe synagogue
of the Jews
.
Now these
were more
noble-minded
than those
in aThessalonica
, 1for they received
the word
with 2great
eagerness
, examining
the Scriptures
daily
to see whether
these
things
were so
.
Therefore amany
of them believed
, 1along
with a number
of bprominent
Greek
cwomen
and men
.
But when the Jews
of aThessalonica
found
out that the word
of God
had been proclaimed
by Paul
in bBerea
also
, they came
there
as well
, agitating
and stirring
up the crowds
.
Then immediately
athe brethren
sent
Paul
out to go
as far
as the sea
; and bSilas
and cTimothy
remained
there
.
Now athose
who escorted
Paul
brought
him as far
as bAthens
; and receiving
a command
for cSilas
and Timothy
to dcome
to him as soon
as possible
, they left
.
Now while Paul
was waiting
for them at aAthens
, his spirit
was being provoked
within
him as he was observing
the city
full
of idols
.
So he was reasoning
ain the synagogue
with the Jews
and bthe God-fearing
Gentiles, and in the market
place
every
day
with those
who happened
to be present
.
And also some
of the Epicurean
and Stoic
philosophers
were 1conversing
with him. Some
were saying
, "What
would athis
2idle
babbler
wish
to say
?" Others
, "He seems
to be a proclaimer
of strange
deities
,"--because
he was preaching
bJesus
and the resurrection
.
And they atook him and brought
him 1to the 2 bAreopagus
, saying
, "May
we know
what
cthis
new
teaching
is 3which you are proclaiming
?
"For you are bringing some
strange
things
to our ears
; so
we want
to know
what
these
things
mean
."
(Now all
the Athenians
and the strangers
avisiting
there used to spend
their time
in nothing
other
than
telling
or
hearing
something
new
.)
So Paul
stood
in the midst
of the 1Areopagus
and said
, "Men
of aAthens
, I observe
that you are very
breligious
in all
respects
.
"For while I was passing through
and examining
the aobjects
of your worship
, I also
found
an altar
with this
inscription
, `TO AN UNKNOWN
GOD
.' Therefore
what
byou worship
in ignorance
, this
I proclaim
to you.
" aThe God who made
the world
and all
things
in it, since He is bLord
of heaven
and earth
, does not cdwell
in temples
made
with hands
;
nor is He served
by human
hands
, aas though He needed
anything
, since He Himself
gives
to all
people life
and breath
and all
things
;
and aHe made from one
man every
nation
of mankind
to live
on all
the face
of the earth
, having bdetermined
their appointed
times
and the boundaries
of their habitation
,
that they would seek God
, if
perhaps
they might grope
for Him and find
Him, athough
He is not far
from each
one
of us;
for ain Him we live and move
and 1exist
, as even
some
of your own poets
have said
, `For we also
are His children
.'
"Being then
the children
of God
, we aought
not to think
that the Divine
Nature
is like
gold
or
silver
or
stone
, an image
formed
by the art
and thought
of man
.
"Therefore having aoverlooked
bthe times
of ignorance
, God
is cnow
declaring
to men
that all
people everywhere
should repent
,
because He has fixed
aa day
in which
bHe will
judge
1 cthe world
in righteousness
2through
a Man
whom
He has dappointed
, having furnished
proof
to all
men
3by eraising
Him from the dead
."
Now when they heard
of athe resurrection
of the dead
, some
began to sneer
, but others
said
, "We shall hear
you 1again
concerning
this
."
So Paul
went
out of their midst
.
But some men
joined
him and believed
, among
whom
also
were Dionysius
the aAreopagite
and a woman
named
Damaris
and others
with them.