Acts 17:4-34

41And some of them were persuaded and joined 2Paul and Silas, 3along with a large number of the 4God-fearing 5Greeks and 6a significant number of the 7leading women. 5But 8the 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 9Jason and were seeking to bring them out to the people. 6When they did not find them, they began 10dragging Jason and some brothers before the city authorities, shouting, “These men who have upset 1112the world have come here also; 713and Jason 14has welcomed them, and they all act 15contrary 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 16pledge from 17Jason and the others, they released them.

1018The brothers immediately sent 19Paul and Silas away by night to 20Berea, 21and when they arrived, they went into 22the synagogue of the Jews. 11Now these people were more noble-minded than those in 23Thessalonica, 24for they received the word with 25great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so. 12Therefore, 26many of them believed, 27along with a significant number of 28prominent Greek 29women and men. 13But when the Jews of 30Thessalonica found out that the word of God had been proclaimed by Paul in 31Berea also, they came there as well, agitating and stirring up the crowds. 14Then immediately 32the brothers sent Paul out to go as far as the sea; and 33Silas and 34Timothy remained there. 15Now 35those who escorted Paul brought him as far as 36Athens; and receiving a command for 37Silas and Timothy to 38come to him as soon as possible, they left.

16Now while Paul was waiting for them in 39Athens, his spirit was being provoked within him as he observed that the city was full of idols. 17So he was reasoning 40in the synagogue with the Jews and 41the 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 42conversing with him. Some were saying, “What could 43this 44scavenger of tidbits want to say?” Others, “He seems to be a proclaimer of strange deities,”--because he was preaching 45Jesus and the resurrection. 19And they 46took him and brought him 47to the 4849Areopagus, saying, “May we know what 50this new teaching is 51which 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 52visiting there used to spend their time in nothing other than telling or hearing something new.)

22So Paul stood in the midst of the 53Areopagus and said, “Men of 54Athens, I see that you are very 55religious in all respects. 23For while I was passing through and examining the 56objects of your worship, I also found an altar with this inscription, ‘TO AN UNKNOWN GOD.’ Therefore, what 57you worship in ignorance, this I proclaim to you. 2458The God who made the world and everything that is in it, since He is 59Lord of heaven and earth, does not 60dwell in temples made by hands; 25nor is He served by human hands, 61as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all people life and breath and all things; 26and 62He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having 63determined 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, 64though He is not far from each one of us; 28for 65in Him we live and move and 66exist, as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we also are His descendants.’ 29Therefore, since we are the descendants of God, we 67ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by human skill and thought. 30So having 68overlooked 69the times of ignorance, God is 70now proclaiming to mankind that all people everywhere are to repent, 31because He has set 71a day on which 72He will judge 7374the world in righteousness 75through a Man whom He has 76appointed, having furnished proof to all people 77by 78raising Him from the dead.”

32Now when they heard of 79the resurrection of the dead, some began to scoff, but others said, “We shall hear from you 80again concerning this.” 33So Paul went out from among them. 34But some men joined him and believed, among whom also were Dionysius the 81Areopagite and a woman named Damaris, and others with them.