The Uproar in Thessalonica

1Nowe as they passed through Amphipolis, and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was a Synagogue of the Iewes. 2And Paul, as his maner was, went in vnto them, and three Sabbath daies disputed with them by the Scriptures, 3Opening, & alleadging that Christ must haue suffered, and risen againe from the dead: and this is Iesus Christ, whom, said he, I preach to you. 4And some of them beleeued, and ioyned in companie with Paul and Silas: also of the Grecians that feared God a great multitude, and of the chiefe women not a fewe.

5But the Iewes which beleeued not, mooued with enuie, tooke vnto them certaine vagabonds and wicked felowes, and whe they had assembled the multitude, they made a tumult in the citie, and made assault against the house of Iason, and sought to bring them out to the people. 6But when they found them not, they drew Iason & certaine brethren vnto the heads of the citie, crying, These are they which haue subuerted the state of the world, and here they are, 7Whom Iason hath receiued, and these all doe against the decrees of Cesar, saying that there is another King, one Iesus. 8Then they troubled the people, and the heads of the citie, when they heard these things. 9Notwithstanding when they had receiued sufficient assurance of Iason and of the other, they let them goe.

The Character of the Bereans

10And the brethren immediatly sent away Paul and Silas by night vnto Berea, which when they were come thither, entred into ye Synagogue of the Iewes. 11These were also more noble men then they which were at Thessalonica, which receiued the woorde with all readinesse, and searched the Scriptures daily, whether those things were so. 12Therefore many of them beleeued, and of honest women, which were Grecians, and men not a fewe. 13But when the Iewes of Thessalonica knewe, that the woord of God was also preached of Paul at Berea, they came thither also, & mooued the people. 14But by and by the brethren sent away Paul to goe as it were to the sea: but Silas and Timotheus abode there still. 15And they that did conduct Paul, brought him vnto Athens: and when they had receiued a commaundement vnto Silas and Timotheus that they shoulde come to him at once, they departed.

Paul in Athens

16Nowe while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirite was stirred in him, when hee sawe the citie subiect to idolatrie. 17Therefore he disputed in the Synagogue with the Iewes, and with them that were religious, and in the market daily with whomesoeuer he met. 18Then certaine Philosophers of the Epicures, and of the Stoickes, disputed with him, and some sayde, What will this babler say? Others sayde, He seemeth to be a setter forth of straunge gods (because hee preached vnto them Iesus, and the resurrection.) 19And they tooke him, and brought him into Mars streete, saying, May we not know, what this newe doctrine, whereof thou speakest, is? 20For thou bringest certaine strange thinges vnto our eares: we woulde knowe therefore, what these things meane. 21For all the Athenians, and strangers which dwelt there, gaue them selues to nothing els, but either to tell, or to heare some newes.

Paul’s Address in the Areopagus

22Then Paul stoode in the mids of Mars streete, and sayde, Yee men of Athens, I perceiue that in all things yee are too superstitious. 23For as I passed by, and behelde your deuotions, I founde an altar wherein was written, Vnto The Vnknowen God. Whome yee then ignorantly worship, him shewe I vnto you. 24God that made the worlde, and all things that are therein, seeing that he is Lorde of heaue and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands, 25Neither is worshipped with mens handes, as though he needed any thing, seeing hee giueth to all life and breath and all things, 26And hath made of one blood all mankinde, to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath assigned the seasons which were ordeined before, and the boundes of their habitation, 27That they shoulde seeke the Lorde, if so be they might haue groped after him, and founde him though doubtlesse he be not farre from euery one of vs. 28For in him we liue, and mooue, and haue our being, as also certaine of your owne Poets haue sayd, for we are also his generation. 29Forasmuch then, as we are the generation of God, we ought not to thinke that ye Godhead is like vnto gold, or siluer, or stone grauen by arte and the inuention of man. 30And the time of this ignorance God regarded not: but nowe hee admonisheth all men euery where to repent, 31Because hee hath appoynted a day in the which he wil iudge the world in righteousnes, by that man whome hee hath appoynted, whereof he hath giuen an assurance to all men, in that hee hath raised him from the dead.

32Now when they heard of the resurrection from the dead, some mocked, and other sayde, We will heare thee againe of this thing. 33And so Paul departed from among them. 34Howbeit certaine men claue vnto Paul, and beleeued: among whome was also Denys Areopagita, and a woman named Damaris, and other with them.