Acts 17

Paul in Thessalonica

1Now when they had traveled through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to 1Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. 2And 2according to Paul’s custom, he 3visited them, and for three 4Sabbaths reasoned with them from 5the Scriptures, 36explaining and 7giving evidence that the 8Christ 9had to suffer and 10rise from the dead, and saying, “11This Jesus whom I am proclaiming to you is the 12Christ.” 413And some of them were persuaded and joined 14Paul and Silas, 15along with a large number of the 16God-fearing 17Greeks and 18a significant number of the 19leading women. 5But 20the Jews, becoming jealous and taking along some wicked men from the marketplace, formed a mob and set the city in an uproar; and they attacked the house of 21Jason and were seeking to bring them out to the people. 6When they did not find them, they began 22dragging Jason and some brothers before the city authorities, shouting, “These men who have upset 2324the world have come here also; 725and Jason 26has welcomed them, and they all act 27contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus.” 8They stirred up the crowd and the city authorities who heard these things. 9And when they had received a 28pledge from 29Jason and the others, they released them.

Paul in Berea

1030The brothers immediately sent 31Paul and Silas away by night to 32Berea, 33and when they arrived, they went into 34the synagogue of the Jews. 11Now these people were more noble-minded than those in 35Thessalonica, 36for they received the word with 37great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so. 12Therefore, 38many of them believed, 39along with a significant number of 40prominent Greek 41women and men. 13But when the Jews of 42Thessalonica found out that the word of God had been proclaimed by Paul in 43Berea also, they came there as well, agitating and stirring up the crowds. 14Then immediately 44the brothers sent Paul out to go as far as the sea; and 45Silas and 46Timothy remained there. 15Now 47those who escorted Paul brought him as far as 48Athens; and receiving a command for 49Silas and Timothy to 50come to him as soon as possible, they left.

Paul in Athens

16Now while Paul was waiting for them in 51Athens, his spirit was being provoked within him as he observed that the city was full of idols. 17So he was reasoning 52in the synagogue with the Jews and 53the God-fearing Gentiles, and in the marketplace every day with those who happened to be present. 18And some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers as well were 54conversing with him. Some were saying, “What could 55this 56scavenger of tidbits want to say?” Others, “He seems to be a proclaimer of strange deities,”--because he was preaching 57Jesus and the resurrection. 19And they 58took him and brought him 59to the 6061Areopagus, saying, “May we know what 62this new teaching is 63which you are proclaiming? 20For you are bringing some strange things to our ears; so we want to know what these things mean.” 21(Now all the Athenians and the strangers 64visiting there used to spend their time in nothing other than telling or hearing something new.)

Sermon on Mars Hill

22So Paul stood in the midst of the 65Areopagus and said, “Men of 66Athens, I see that you are very 67religious in all respects. 23For while I was passing through and examining the 68objects of your worship, I also found an altar with this inscription, ‘TO AN UNKNOWN GOD.’ Therefore, what 69you worship in ignorance, this I proclaim to you. 2470The God who made the world and everything that is in it, since He is 71Lord of heaven and earth, does not 72dwell in temples made by hands; 25nor is He served by human hands, 73as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all people life and breath and all things; 26and 74He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having 75determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation, 27that they would seek God, if perhaps they might feel around for Him and find Him, 76though He is not far from each one of us; 28for 77in Him we live and move and 78exist, as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we also are His descendants.’ 29Therefore, since we are the descendants of God, we 79ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by human skill and thought. 30So having 80overlooked 81the times of ignorance, God is 82now proclaiming to mankind that all people everywhere are to repent, 31because He has set 83a day on which 84He will judge 8586the world in righteousness 87through a Man whom He has 88appointed, having furnished proof to all people 89by 90raising Him from the dead.”

32Now when they heard of 91the resurrection of the dead, some began to scoff, but others said, “We shall hear from you 92again concerning this.” 33So Paul went out from among them. 34But some men joined him and believed, among whom also were Dionysius the 93Areopagite and a woman named Damaris, and others with them.