Christian Standard Bible

King James Bible

1After they passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue.

1Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews:

2As usual, Paul went into the synagogue, and on three Sabbath days reasoned with them from the Scriptures,

2And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures,

3explaining and proving that it was necessary for the Messiah to suffer and rise from the dead: "This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Messiah."

3Opening and alleging, that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead; and that this Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ.

4Some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, including a large number of God-fearing Greeks, as well as a number of the leading women.

4And some of them believed, and consorted with Paul and Silas; and of the devout Greeks a great multitude, and of the chief women not a few.

5But the Jews became jealous, and they brought together some wicked men from the marketplace, formed a mob, and started a riot in the city. Attacking Jason's house, they searched for them to bring them out to the public assembly.

5But the Jews which believed not, moved with envy, took unto them certain lewd fellows of the baser sort, and gathered a company, and set all the city on an uproar, and assaulted the house of Jason, and sought to bring them out to the people.

6When they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some of the brothers before the city officials, shouting, "These men who have turned the world upside down have come here too,

6And when they found them not, they drew Jason and certain brethren unto the rulers of the city, crying, These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also;

7and Jason has welcomed them. They are all acting contrary to Caesar's decrees, saying that there is another king--Jesus."

7Whom Jason hath received: and these all do contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, one Jesus.

8The crowd and city officials who heard these things were upset.

8And they troubled the people and the rulers of the city, when they heard these things.

9After taking a security bond from Jason and the others, they released them.

9And when they had taken security of Jason, and of the other, they let them go.

10As soon as it was night, the brothers and sisters sent Paul and Silas away to Berea. Upon arrival, they went into the synagogue of the Jews.

10And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews.

11The people here were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, since they received the word with eagerness and examined the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.

11These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.

12Consequently, many of them believed, including a number of the prominent Greek women as well as men.

12Therefore many of them believed; also of honourable women which were Greeks, and of men, not a few.

13But when the Jews from Thessalonica found out that the word of God had been proclaimed by Paul at Berea, they came there too, agitating and upsetting the crowds.

13But when the Jews of Thessalonica had knowledge that the word of God was preached of Paul at Berea, they came thither also, and stirred up the people.

14Then the brothers and sisters immediately sent Paul away to go to the coast, but Silas and Timothy stayed on there.

14And then immediately the brethren sent away Paul to go as it were to the sea: but Silas and Timotheus abode there still.

15Those who escorted Paul brought him as far as Athens, and after receiving instructions for Silas and Timothy to come to him as quickly as possible, they departed.

15And they that conducted Paul brought him unto Athens: and receiving a commandment unto Silas and Timotheus for to come to him with all speed, they departed.

16While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was deeply distressed when he saw that the city was full of idols.

16Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was stirred in him, when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry.

17So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and with those who worshiped God, as well as in the marketplace every day with those who happened to be there.

17Therefore disputed he in the synagogue with the Jews, and with the devout persons, and in the market daily with them that met with him.

18Some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers also debated with him. Some said, "What is this ignorant show-off trying to say?" Others replied, "He seems to be a preacher of foreign deities"--because he was telling the good news about Jesus and the resurrection.

18Then certain philosophers of the Epicureans, and of the Stoicks, encountered him. And some said, What will this babbler say? other some, He seemeth to be a setter forth of strange gods: because he preached unto them Jesus, and the resurrection.

19They took him and brought him to the Areopagus, and said, "May we learn about this new teaching you are presenting?

19And they took him, and brought him unto Areopagus, saying, May we know what this new doctrine, whereof thou speakest, is?

20Because what you say sounds strange to us, and we want to know what these things mean."

20For thou bringest certain strange things to our ears: we would know therefore what these things mean.

21Now all the Athenians and the foreigners residing there spent their time on nothing else but telling or hearing something new.

21(For all the Athenians and strangers which were there spent their time in nothing else, but either to tell, or to hear some new thing.)

22Paul stood in the middle of the Areopagus and said: "People of Athens! I see that you are extremely religious in every respect.

22Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars' hill, and said, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious.

23For as I was passing through and observing the objects of your worship, I even found an altar on which was inscribed: 'To an Unknown God.' Therefore, what you worship in ignorance, this I proclaim to you.

23For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you.

24The God who made the world and everything in it--he is Lord of heaven and earth--does not live in shrines made by hands.

24God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands;

25Neither is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives everyone life and breath and all things.

25Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;

26From one man he has made every nationality to live over the whole earth and has determined their appointed times and the boundaries of where they live.

26And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;

27He did this so that they might seek God, and perhaps they might reach out and find him, though he is not far from each one of us.

27That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:

28For in him we live and move and have our being, as even some of your own poets have said, 'For we are also his offspring.'

28For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.

29Since we are God's offspring then, we shouldn't think that the divine nature is like gold or silver or stone, an image fashioned by human art and imagination.

29Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device.

30"Therefore, having overlooked the times of ignorance, God now commands all people everywhere to repent,

30And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:

31because he has set a day when he is going to judge the world in righteousness by the man he has appointed. He has provided proof of this to everyone by raising him from the dead."

31Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.

32When they heard about the resurrection of the dead, some began to ridicule him, but others said, "We'd like to hear from you again about this."

32And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked: and others said, We will hear thee again of this matter.

33So Paul left their presence.

33So Paul departed from among them.

34However, some people joined him and believed, including Dionysius the Areopagite, a woman named Damaris, and others with them.

34Howbeit certain men clave unto him, and believed: among the which was Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris, and others with them.

The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission.

King James Bible, text courtesy of BibleProtector.com.