| New International Version | Berean Study Bible |
| 1When Paul and his companions had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue. | 1When they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue. |
| 2As was his custom, Paul went into the synagogue, 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 the Messiah had to suffer and rise from the dead. "This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Messiah," he said. | 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. |
| 4Some of the Jews were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a large number of God-fearing Greeks and quite a few prominent 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 other Jews were jealous; so they rounded up some bad characters from the marketplace, formed a mob and started a riot in the city. They rushed to Jason's house in search of Paul and Silas in order 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. |
| 6But when they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some other believers before the city officials, shouting: "These men who have caused trouble all over the world have now come here, | 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 welcomed them into his house. They are all defying Caesar's decrees, saying that there is another king, one called Jesus." | 7and Jason has welcomed them into his home. They are all defying Caesar’s decrees, saying that there is another king, named Jesus!” |
| 8When they heard this, the crowd and the city officials were thrown into turmoil. | 8On hearing this, the crowd and city officials were greatly disturbed. |
| 9Then they made Jason and the others post bond and let them go. | 9And they collected bond from Jason and the others, and then released them. |
| 10As soon as it was night, the believers sent Paul and Silas away to Berea. On arriving there, they went to 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 the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. | 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. |
| 12As a result, many of them believed, as did also a number of prominent Greek women and many Greek men. | 12As a result, many of them believed, along with quite a few prominent Greek women and men. |
| 13But when the Jews in Thessalonica learned that Paul was preaching the word of God at Berea, some of them went there too, agitating the crowds and stirring them up. | 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. |
| 14The believers immediately sent Paul to the coast, but Silas and Timothy stayed at Berea. | 14The brothers immediately sent Paul to the coast, but Silas and Timothy remained in Berea. |
| 15Those who escorted Paul brought him to Athens and then left with instructions for Silas and Timothy to join him as soon as possible. | 15Those who escorted Paul brought him to Athens and then returned with instructions for Silas and Timothy to join him as soon as possible. |
| 16While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was greatly distressed to see 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 both Jews and God-fearing Greeks, as well as in the marketplace day by 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. |
| 18A group of Epicurean and Stoic philosophers began to debate with him. Some of them asked, "What is this babbler trying to say?" Others remarked, "He seems to be advocating foreign gods." They said this because Paul was preaching the good news about 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. |
| 19Then they took him and brought him to a meeting of the Areopagus, where they said to him, "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? |
| 20You are bringing some strange ideas to our ears, and we would like to know what they mean." | 20For you are bringing some strange notions to our ears, and we want to know what they mean.” |
| 21(All the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing but talking about and listening to the latest ideas.) | 21Now all the Athenians and foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing more than hearing and articulating new ideas. |
| 22Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: "People of Athens! I see 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 walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: to an unknown god. So you are ignorant of the very thing you worship--and this is what I am going to 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. |
| 24"The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands. | 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. |
| 25And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else. | 25Nor is He served by human hands, as if He needed anything, because He Himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else. |
| 26From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. | 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. |
| 27God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any 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 some of your own poets have said, 'We are 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.’ |
| 29"Therefore since we are God's offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone--an image made by human design and skill. | 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. |
| 30In the past God overlooked such ignorance, 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. |
| 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." | 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.” |
| 32When they heard about the resurrection of the dead, some of them sneered, but others said, "We want to hear you again on this subject." | 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.” |
| 33At that, Paul left the Council. | 33At that, Paul left the Areopagus. |
| 34Some of the people became followers of Paul and believed. Among them was Dionysius, a member of the Areopagus, also a woman named Damaris, and a number of others. | 34But some joined him and believed, including Dionysius the Areopagite, a woman named Damaris, and others who were with them. |
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