Berean Study Bible | International Standard Version |
1When they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue. | 1Paul and Silas traveled through Amphipolis and Apollonia and came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue. |
2As was his custom, Paul went into the synagogue, and on three Sabbaths he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, | 2As usual, Paul entered there and on three Sabbaths discussed the Scriptures with them. |
3explaining and proving that the Christ had to suffer and rise from the dead. “This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Christ,” he declared. | 3He explained and showed them that the Messiah had to suffer and rise from the dead: "This very Jesus whom I proclaim to you is the Messiah." |
4Some of the Jews were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, along with a large number of God-fearing Greeks and quite a few leading women. | 4Some of them were persuaded and began to be associated with Paul and Silas, especially a large crowd of devout Greeks and the wives of many prominent men. |
5The Jews, however, became jealous. So they brought in some troublemakers from the marketplace, formed a mob, and sent the city into an uproar. They raided Jason’s house in search of Paul and Silas, hoping to bring them out to the people. | 5But the Jewish leaders became jealous, and they took some contemptible characters who used to hang out in the public square, formed a mob, and started a riot in the city. They attacked Jason's home and searched it for Paul and Silas in order to bring them out to the people. |
6But when they could not find them, they dragged Jason and some other brothers before the city officials, shouting, “These men who have turned the world upside down have now come here, | 6When they didn't find them, they dragged Jason and some other brothers before the city officials and shouted, "These fellows who have turned the world upside down have come here, too, |
7and Jason has welcomed them into his home. They are all defying Caesar’s decrees, saying that there is another king, named Jesus!” | 7and Jason has welcomed them as his guests. All of them oppose the emperor's decrees by saying that there is another king—Jesus!" |
8On hearing this, the crowd and city officials were greatly disturbed. | 8The crowd and the city officials were upset when they heard this, |
9And they collected bond from Jason and the others, and then released them. | 9but after they had gotten a bond from Jason and the others, they let them go. |
10As soon as night had fallen, the brothers sent Paul and Silas away to Berea. On arriving there, they went into the Jewish synagogue. | 10That night the brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away to Berea. When they arrived, they went into the Jewish synagogue. |
11Now the Bereans were more noble-minded than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if these teachings were true. | 11These people were more receptive than those in Thessalonica. They were very willing to receive the message, and every day they carefully examined the Scriptures to see if those things were so. |
12As a result, many of them believed, along with quite a few prominent Greek women and men. | 12Many of them believed, including a large number of prominent Greek women and men. |
13But when the Jews from Thessalonica learned that Paul was also proclaiming the word of God in Berea, they went there themselves to incite and agitate the crowds. | 13But when the Jewish leaders in Thessalonica found out that the word of God had been proclaimed by Paul also in Berea, they went there to upset and incite the crowds. |
14The brothers immediately sent Paul to the coast, but Silas and Timothy remained in Berea. | 14Then the brothers immediately sent Paul away to the coast, but Silas and Timothy stayed there. |
15Those who escorted Paul brought him to Athens and then returned with instructions for Silas and Timothy to join him as soon as possible. | 15The men who escorted Paul took him all the way to Athens and, after receiving instructions to have Silas and Timothy join him as soon as possible, they left. |
16While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was deeply disturbed in his spirit to see that the city was full of idols. | 16While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, his spirit was deeply disturbed to see the city full of idols. |
17So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and God-fearing Gentiles, and in the marketplace with those he met each day. | 17So he began holding discussions in the synagogue with the Jews and other worshipers, as well as every day in the public square with anyone who happened to be there. |
18Some Epicurean and Stoic philosophers also began to debate with him. Some of them asked, “What is this babbler trying to say?” Others said, “He seems to be advocating foreign gods.” They said this because Paul was proclaiming the good news of Jesus and the resurrection. | 18Some Epicurean and Stoic philosophers also debated with him. Some asked, "What is this blabbermouth trying to say?" while others said, "He seems to be preaching about foreign gods." This was because Paul was telling the good news about Jesus and the resurrection. |
19So they took Paul and brought him to the Areopagus, where they asked him, “May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting? | 19Then they took him, brought him before the Areopagus, and asked, "May we know what this new teaching of yours is? |
20For you are bringing some strange notions to our ears, and we want to know what they mean.” | 20It sounds rather strange to our ears, and we would like to know what it means." |
21Now all the Athenians and foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing more than hearing and articulating new ideas. | 21Now all the Athenians and the foreigners living there used to spend their time doing nothing else other than listening to the latest ideas or repeating them. |
22Then Paul stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said, “Men of Athens, I see that in every way you are very religious. | 22So Paul stood up in front of the Areopagus and said, "Men of Athens, I see that you are very religious in every way. |
23For as I walked around and examined your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. Therefore what you worship as something unknown, I now proclaim to you. | 23For as I was walking around and looking closely at the objects you worship, I even found an altar with this written on it: 'To an unknown god.' So I am telling you about the unknown object you worship. |
24The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples made by human hands. | 24The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth. He doesn't live in shrines made by human hands, |
25Nor is He served by human hands, as if He needed anything, because He Himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else. | 25and he isn't served by people as if he needed anything. He himself gives everyone life, breath, and everything else. |
26From one man He made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and He determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their lands. | 26From one man he made every nation of humanity to live all over the earth, fixing the seasons of the year and the national boundaries within which they live, |
27God intended that they would seek Him and perhaps reach out for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us. | 27so that they might look for God, somehow reach for him, and find him. Of course, he is never far from any one of us. |
28‘For in Him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are His offspring.’ | 28For we live, move, and exist because of him, as some of your own poets have said: '…Since we are his children, too.' |
29Therefore, being offspring of God, we should not think that the Divine Being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by man’s skill and imagination. | 29So if we are God's children, we shouldn't think that the divine being is like gold, silver, or stone, or is an image carved by humans using their own imagination and skill. |
30Although God overlooked the ignorance of earlier times, He now commands all people everywhere to repent. | 30Though God has overlooked those times of ignorance, he now commands everyone everywhere to repent, |
31For He has set a day when He will judge the world with justice by the Man He has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising Him from the dead.” | 31because he has set a day when he is going to judge the world with justice through a man whom he has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising him from the dead." |
32When they heard about the resurrection of the dead, some began to mock him, but others said, “We want to hear you again on this topic.” | 32When they heard about a resurrection of the dead, some began joking about it, while others said, "We will hear you again about this." |
33At that, Paul left the Areopagus. | 33And so Paul left the meeting. |
34But some joined him and believed, including Dionysius the Areopagite, a woman named Damaris, and others who were with them. | 34Some men joined him and became believers. With them were Dionysius, who was a member of the Areopagus, a woman named Damaris, and some others along with them. |
The Berean Bible (Berean Study Bible (BSB) © 2016, 2018 by Bible Hub and Berean.Bible. Used by Permission. All rights Reserved. | The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY. |
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