| English Standard Version | NET Bible |
| 1Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. | 1After they traveled 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, | 2Paul went to the Jews in the synagogue, as he customarily did, and on three Sabbath days he addressed 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 demonstrating that the Christ had to suffer and to rise from the dead, saying, "This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Christ." |
| 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 them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, along with a large group of God-fearing Greeks and quite a few prominent 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. | 5But the Jews became jealous, and gathering together some worthless men from the rabble in the marketplace, they formed a mob and set the city in an uproar. They attacked Jason's house, trying to find Paul and Silas to bring them out to the assembly. |
| 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, | 6When they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some of the brothers before the city officials, screaming, "These people who have stirred up trouble throughout the world have come here too, |
| 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 as guests! They are all acting against Caesar's decrees, saying there is another king named Jesus!" |
| 8And the people and the city authorities were disturbed when they heard these things. | 8They caused confusion among the crowd and the city officials who heard these things. |
| 9And when they had taken money as security from Jason and the rest, they let them go. | 9After the city officials had received bail from Jason and the others, they released them. |
| 10The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived they went into the Jewish synagogue. | 10The brothers sent Paul and Silas off to Berea at once, during the night. When they arrived, they went to 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. | 11These Jews were more open-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they eagerly received the message, examining the scriptures carefully every day to see if these things were so. |
| 12Many of them therefore believed, with not a few Greek women of high standing as well as men. | 12Therefore 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 heard that Paul had also proclaimed the word of God in Berea, they came there too, inciting and disturbing the crowds. |
| 14Then the brothers immediately sent Paul off on his way to the sea, but Silas and Timothy remained there. | 14Then the brothers sent Paul away to the coast at once, 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 accompanied Paul escorted him as far as Athens, and after receiving an order for Silas and Timothy to come to him as soon as possible, they left. |
| 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, his spirit was greatly upset because he saw 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 was addressing the Jews and the God-fearing Gentiles in the synagogue, and in the marketplace every day those who happened to be there. |
| 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. | 18Also some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers were conversing with him, and some were asking, "What does this foolish babbler want to say?" Others said, "He seems to be a proclaimer of foreign gods." (They said this because he was proclaiming the good news about 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, saying, "May we know what this new teaching is that you are proclaiming? |
| 20For you bring some strange things to our ears. We wish to know therefore what these things mean.” | 20For you are bringing some surprising things to our ears, so 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. | 21(All the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there used to spend their time in nothing else than telling or listening to something new.) |
| 22So Paul, standing in the midst of the Areopagus, said: “Men of Athens, I perceive that in every way you are very religious. | 22So Paul stood before the Areopagus and said, "Men of Athens, I see that you are very religious in all respects. |
| 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 went around and observed closely your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: 'To an unknown god.' Therefore what you worship without knowing it, this I 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, who is Lord of heaven and earth, 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 life and breath and everything to everyone. |
| 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 the human race to inhabit the entire earth, determining their set times and the fixed limits of the places where they would live, |
| 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, | 27so that they would search for God and perhaps grope around 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.’ | 28For in him we live and move about and exist, as even some of your own poets have said, 'For we too 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. | 29So since we are God's offspring, we should not think the deity is like gold or silver or stone, an image made by human skill and imagination. |
| 30The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, | 30Therefore, although God has overlooked such times of ignorance, 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.” | 31because he has set a day on which he is going to judge the world in righteousness, by a man whom he designated, having provided proof 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.” | 32Now when they heard about the resurrection from the dead, some began to scoff, but others said, "We will hear you again about this." |
| 33So Paul went out from their midst. | 33So 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 people joined him and believed. Among them were Dionysius, who was a member of the Areopagus, a woman named Damaris, and others with them. |
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