Acts 17:5-34

5But 1the 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 2Jason and were seeking to bring them out to the people. 6When they did not find them, they began 3dragging Jason and some brothers before the city authorities, shouting, “These men who have upset 45the world have come here also; 76and Jason 7has welcomed them, and they all act 8contrary 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 9pledge from 10Jason and the others, they released them.

1011The brothers immediately sent 12Paul and Silas away by night to 13Berea, 14and when they arrived, they went into 15the synagogue of the Jews. 11Now these people were more noble-minded than those in 16Thessalonica, 17for they received the word with 18great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so. 12Therefore, 19many of them believed, 20along with a significant number of 21prominent Greek 22women and men. 13But when the Jews of 23Thessalonica found out that the word of God had been proclaimed by Paul in 24Berea also, they came there as well, agitating and stirring up the crowds. 14Then immediately 25the brothers sent Paul out to go as far as the sea; and 26Silas and 27Timothy remained there. 15Now 28those who escorted Paul brought him as far as 29Athens; and receiving a command for 30Silas and Timothy to 31come to him as soon as possible, they left.

16Now while Paul was waiting for them in 32Athens, his spirit was being provoked within him as he observed that the city was full of idols. 17So he was reasoning 33in the synagogue with the Jews and 34the 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 35conversing with him. Some were saying, “What could 36this 37scavenger of tidbits want to say?” Others, “He seems to be a proclaimer of strange deities,”--because he was preaching 38Jesus and the resurrection. 19And they 39took him and brought him 40to the 4142Areopagus, saying, “May we know what 43this new teaching is 44which 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 45visiting there used to spend their time in nothing other than telling or hearing something new.)

22So Paul stood in the midst of the 46Areopagus and said, “Men of 47Athens, I see that you are very 48religious in all respects. 23For while I was passing through and examining the 49objects of your worship, I also found an altar with this inscription, ‘TO AN UNKNOWN GOD.’ Therefore, what 50you worship in ignorance, this I proclaim to you. 2451The God who made the world and everything that is in it, since He is 52Lord of heaven and earth, does not 53dwell in temples made by hands; 25nor is He served by human hands, 54as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all people life and breath and all things; 26and 55He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having 56determined 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, 57though He is not far from each one of us; 28for 58in Him we live and move and 59exist, as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we also are His descendants.’ 29Therefore, since we are the descendants of God, we 60ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by human skill and thought. 30So having 61overlooked 62the times of ignorance, God is 63now proclaiming to mankind that all people everywhere are to repent, 31because He has set 64a day on which 65He will judge 6667the world in righteousness 68through a Man whom He has 69appointed, having furnished proof to all people 70by 71raising Him from the dead.”

32Now when they heard of 72the resurrection of the dead, some began to scoff, but others said, “We shall hear from you 73again concerning this.” 33So Paul went out from among them. 34But some men joined him and believed, among whom also were Dionysius the 74Areopagite and a woman named Damaris, and others with them.