Paul Preaches at Thessalonica

1And having passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. 2And according to the custom with Paul, he went in to them and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures, 3opening and setting forth that it behooved the Christ to have suffered and to have risen out from the dead, and that “this Jesus whom I preach to you is the Christ.” 4And some of them were obedient and joined themselves to Paul and to Silas, along with a great multitude of the worshipping Greeks, and not a few of the leading women.

The Uproar in Thessalonica

5Now the Jews having become jealous, and having taken to them certain wicked men of the market-loungers, and having collected a crowd, set the city in uproar. And having assailed the house of Jason, they were seeking them to bring out to the people. 6But not having found them, they dragged Jason and certain brothers before the city authorities, crying out, “These ones having upset the world come here also, 7whom Jason has received. And these all do contrary to the decrees of Caesar, proclaiming another to be king, Jesus.”

8And they stirred up the crowd and the city authorities, hearing these things. 9And having taken security from Jason and the rest, they let go them.

The Character of the Bereans

10And the brothers sent away both Paul and Silas immediately by night to Berea, who having arrived, went into the synagogue of the Jews. 11Now these, who were more noble than those in Thessalonica, received the word with all readiness, on every day examining the Scriptures, whether these things were so. 12Therefore many of them indeed believed, and not a few of the prominent Grecian women and men.

13But when the Jews from Thessalonica learned that the word of God also was proclaimed by Paul in Berea, they came there also, stirring up and agitating the crowds. 14And then immediately the brothers sent away Paul to go as to the sea. And both Silas and Timothy remained there. 15Now those escorting Paul brought him unto Athens, and having received a command unto Silas and Timothy that as quickly as possible they should come to him, they departed.

Paul in Athens

16Now of Paul in Athens waiting for them, his spirit was provoked in him, seeing the city to be utterly idolatrous. 17So indeed he was reasoning in the synagogue with the Jews and those worshiping, and in the marketplace on every day with those meeting him.

18And also some of the Epicureans and Stoics, philosophers, encountered him, and some were saying, “What may this babbler desire to say?” but others, “He seems to be a proclaimer of foreign gods,” because he was proclaiming the gospel of Jesus and the resurrection.

19And having taken hold of him they brought him to the Areopagus, saying, “Are we able to know what is this new teaching which is spoken by you. 20For you are bringing some strange things to our ears. We resolve therefore to know what these things wish to be.” 21Now all the Athenians and the visiting strangers spent their time in nothing else than to tell something and to hear something new.

Paul Before the Areopagus

22And Paul, having stood in the midst of the Areopagus, was saying, “Men, Athenians, I behold that in all things you are very religious. 23For passing through and beholding your objects of worship, I even found an altar on which had been inscribed:

Therefore whom you worship not knowing, Him I proclaim to you.

24The God having made the world and all things that are in it, He being Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in hand-made temples, 25nor is He served by hands of men as needing anything, Himself giving to all life and breath and everything. 26And He made from one man every nation of men, to dwell upon all the face of the earth, having determined the appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation, 27to seek God, if perhaps indeed they might palpate for Him, and might find Him. And indeed, He is not far from each one of us.

28‘For in Him we live and move and are.’a As also some of the poets among you have said, ‘For we are also His offspring.’b 29Therefore, being offspring of God, we ought not to consider the Divine Being to be like to gold or to silver or to stone, a graven thing of man’s craft and imagination.

30So indeed God, having overlooked the times of ignorance, now commands all men everywhere to repent, 31because He set a day in which He is about to judge the world in righteousness by a man whom He appointed, having provided a guarantee to all, having raised Him out from the dead.”

32Now having heard of a resurrection of the dead, some indeed began to mock him, but some said, “We will hear you concerning this again also.” 33Thus Paul went out from their midst. 34But some men, having joined themselves to him, believed, among whom also were Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris, and others with them.