English Standard Version

Berean Study Bible

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

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

2And Paul went in, as was his custom, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures,

2As was his custom, Paul went into the synagogue, and on three Sabbaths he reasoned with them from the Scriptures,

3explaining and proving that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead, and saying, “This Jesus, whom I proclaim to you, is the Christ.”

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.

4And some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a great many of the devout Greeks and not a few of the leading women.

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.

5But the Jews were jealous, and taking some wicked men of the rabble, they formed a mob, set the city in an uproar, and attacked the house of Jason, seeking to bring them out to the crowd.

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.

6And when they could not find them, they dragged Jason and some of the brothers before the city authorities, shouting, “These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also,

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,

7and Jason has received them, and they are all acting against the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus.”

7and Jason has welcomed them into his home. They are all defying Caesar’s decrees, saying that there is another king, named Jesus!”

8And the people and the city authorities were disturbed when they heard these things.

8On hearing this, the crowd and city officials were greatly disturbed.

9And when they had taken money as security from Jason and the rest, they let them go.

9And they collected bond from Jason and the others, and then released them.

10The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived they went into the Jewish synagogue.

10As soon as night had fallen, the brothers sent Paul and Silas away to Berea. On arriving there, they went into the Jewish synagogue.

11Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.

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.

12Many of them therefore believed, with not a few Greek women of high standing as well as men.

12As a result, many of them believed, along with quite a few prominent Greek women and men.

13But when the Jews from Thessalonica learned that the word of God was proclaimed by Paul at Berea also, they came there too, agitating and stirring up the crowds.

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.

14Then the brothers immediately sent Paul off on his way to the sea, but Silas and Timothy remained there.

14The brothers immediately sent Paul to the coast, but Silas and Timothy remained in Berea.

15Those who conducted Paul brought him as far as Athens, and after receiving a command for Silas and Timothy to come to him as soon as possible, they departed.

15Those who escorted Paul brought him to Athens and then returned with instructions for Silas and Timothy to join him as soon as possible.

16Now while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him as he saw that the city was full of idols.

16While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was deeply disturbed in his spirit to see that the city was full of idols.

17So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the devout persons, and in the marketplace every day with those who happened to be there.

17So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and God-fearing Gentiles, and in the marketplace with those he met each day.

18Some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers also conversed with him. And some said, “What does this babbler wish to say?” Others said, “He seems to be a preacher of foreign divinities”—because he was preaching Jesus and the resurrection.

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.

19And they took him and brought him to the Areopagus, saying, “May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting?

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?

20For you bring some strange things to our ears. We wish to know therefore what these things mean.”

20For you are bringing some strange notions to our ears, and we want to know what they mean.”

21Now all the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there would spend their time in nothing except telling or hearing something new.

21Now all the Athenians and foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing more than hearing and articulating new ideas.

22So Paul, standing in the midst of the Areopagus, said: “Men of Athens, I perceive that in every way you are very religious.

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.

23For as I passed along and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription: ‘To the unknown god.’ What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you.

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.

24The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man,

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.

25nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything.

25Nor is He served by human hands, as if He needed anything, because He Himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else.

26And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place,

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.

27that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us,

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.

28for “‘In him we live and move and have our being’; as even some of your own poets have said, “‘For we are indeed his offspring.’

28‘For in Him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are His offspring.’

29Being then God’s offspring, we ought not to think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of man.

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.

30The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent,

30Although God overlooked the ignorance of earlier times, He now commands all people everywhere to repent.

31because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.”

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.”

32Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked. But others said, “We will hear you again about this.”

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.”

33So Paul went out from their midst.

33At that, Paul left the Areopagus.

34But some men joined him and believed, among whom also were Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris and others with them.

34But some joined him and believed, including Dionysius the Areopagite, a woman named Damaris, and others who were with them.

ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved.

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