Acts 17

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

And according to Paul’s custom, he went in to them, and for three Sabbath days reasoned with them from the Scriptures,

explaining and setting before them that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from among the dead, and that, “This Jesus, whom I am proclaiming to you, is the Christ.”

And some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, and a great multitude of the God-fearing Greeks, and not a few of the prominent women.

But the Jews, becoming jealous and taking along some wicked men from among those who loitered at the marketplace, formed a mob and were setting the city in an uproar. And assaulting the house of Jason, they were seeking to bring them out to the people.

And when they did not find them, they dragged Jason and certain brothers before the rulers of the city, shouting, “These who have turned the inhabited world upside down have come here also,

whom Jason has received. And these all act contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus.”

And they troubled the crowd and the rulers of the city, who heard these things.

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

And the brothers and sisters immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night to Berea, and when they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews.

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

Therefore, many of them believed, along with many of the Greek women of high standing, and of Greek men, not a few.

But when the Jews of Thessalonica learned that the word of God was proclaimed by Paul at Berea also, they came there also, stirring up and troubling the people.

And then immediately the brothers and sisters sent Paul away to go as far as to the sea, but Silas and Timothy remained there still.

But those who escorted Paul brought him as far as Athens, and receiving a commandment for Silas and Timothy that they should come to him with all speed, they departed.

Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was stirred up within him as he saw the city full of idols.

So he reasoned in the synagogue with Jews and the God-fearing Greeks, and in the marketplace every day with those who happened to be there.

And some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers also debated with him. And some said, “What would this babbler say?” Others, “He seems to be a promoter of foreign divinities,” because he proclaimed the good news about Jesus and the resurrection.

And they took hold of him and brought him to the Areopagus, saying, “May we learn what this new teaching is that you are speaking?

For you bring certain strange things to our ears, therefore, we want to know what these things mean.”

(Now all the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing else, but either telling or hearing something new.)

And Paul stood in the middle of the Areopagus, and said, “You men of Athens, I perceive that you are very religious in every way.

For as I passed along and observed the objects of your devotion, I even found an altar with this inscription, TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. Therefore, to what you show reverence without knowledge, this I proclaim to you.

The God who made the world and all things in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in shrines made with hands,

nor is he served by human hands, as if he needed anything, seeing he himself gives to all people life, and breath, and all things.

And from one man he made every nation of humankind to live on the entire face of the earth, having determined their appointed seasons, and the boundaries of where they live,

so that they would seek God, if perhaps they might feel around for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us.

For it is 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.’

Since we are the offspring of God, we have an obligation not to assume that the divine nature is like gold, or silver, or stone, an image formed by human art and imagination.

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

because he has set a day in which he will judge the inhabited world righteously by the man whom he has appointed, having given proof to all people by raising him from among the dead.”

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

So Paul went out from among them.

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