Acts 17

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Paul at Thessalonica

Now when they had gone through Amphipolis and Apollonia they came to Thessalonica, where there was a Synagogue of the Jews: Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews:
And Paul, as he generally did, went in to them, and on three Sabbath days had discussions with them from the holy Writings, And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures,
Saying to them clearly and openly that Christ had to be put to death and come back to life again; and that this Jesus, whom, he said, I am preaching to you, is the Christ. Opening and alleging, that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead; and that this Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ.
And some of them had faith, and were joined to Paul and Silas; and a number of the God-fearing Greeks, and some of the chief women. And some of them believed, and consorted with Paul and Silas; and of the devout Greeks a great multitude, and of the chief women not a few.
But the Jews, being moved with envy, took with them certain low persons from among the common people, and getting together a great number of people, made an outcry in the town, attacking the house of Jason with the purpose of taking them out to the people. But the Jews which believed not, moved with envy, took unto them certain lewd fellows of the baser sort, and gathered a company, and set all the city on an uproar, and assaulted the house of Jason, and sought to bring them out to the people.
And when they were not able to get them, they took Jason and some of the brothers by force before the rulers of the town, crying, These men, who have made trouble all over the world have now come here; And when they found them not, they drew Jason and certain brethren unto the rulers of the city, crying, These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also;
Whom Jason has taken into his house: and they are acting against the orders of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus. Whom Jason hath received: and these all do contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, one Jesus.
And hearing these things the people and the rulers of the town were troubled. And they troubled the people and the rulers of the city, when they heard these things.
And having made Jason and the others give an undertaking to keep the peace, they let them go. And when they had taken security of Jason, and of the other, they let them go.

The noble behaviour of the Bereans

And the brothers straight away sent Paul and Silas away by night to Beroea: and they, when they came there, went to the Synagogue of the Jews. And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews.
Now these were more noble than the Jews of Thessalonica, for they gave serious attention to the word, searching in the holy Writings every day, to see if these things were so. These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.
And a number of them had faith, and no small number of the Greek women of high position and of the men. Therefore many of them believed; also of honourable women which were Greeks, and of men, not a few.
But when the Jews of Thessalonica had news that Paul was preaching the word at Beroea, they came there, troubling the people and working them up. But when the Jews of Thessalonica had knowledge that the word of God was preached of Paul at Berea, they came thither also, and stirred up the people.
So the brothers sent Paul straight away to the sea: but Silas and Timothy kept there still. And then immediately the brethren sent away Paul to go as it were to the sea: but Silas and Timotheus abode there still.
But those who went with Paul took him as far as Athens, and then went away, with orders from him to Silas and Timothy to come to him quickly. And they that conducted Paul brought him unto Athens: and receiving a commandment unto Silas and Timotheus for to come to him with all speed, they departed.

Paul at Athens

Now while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was troubled, for he saw all the town full of images of the gods. Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was stirred in him, when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry.
So he had discussions in the Synagogue with the Jews and God-fearing Gentiles, and every day in the market-place with those who were there. Therefore disputed he in the synagogue with the Jews, and with the devout persons, and in the market daily with them that met with him.
And some of those who were supporters of the theories of the Epicureans and the Stoics, had a meeting with him. And some said, What is this talker of foolish words saying? And others, He seems to be a preacher of strange gods: because he was preaching of Jesus and his coming back from the dead. Then certain philosophers of the Epicureans, and of the Stoicks, encountered him. And some said, What will this babbler say? other some, He seemeth to be a setter forth of strange gods: because he preached unto them Jesus, and the resurrection.
And they took him to Mars' Hill, saying, Will you make clear to us what is this new teaching of yours? And they took him, and brought him unto Areopagus, saying, May we know what this new doctrine, whereof thou speakest, is?
For you seem to us to say strange things, and we have a desire to get the sense of them. For thou bringest certain strange things to our ears: we would know therefore what these things mean.
(Now all the Athenians and the men from other lands who come there were giving all their time to talking or hearing of anything new.) (For all the Athenians and strangers which were there spent their time in nothing else, but either to tell, or to hear some new thing.)

He does preaching there

And Paul got to his feet on Mars' Hill and said, O men of Athens, I see that you are overmuch given to fear of the gods. Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars' hill, and said, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious.
For when I came by, I was looking at the things to which you give worship, and I saw an altar with this writing on it, TO THE GOD OF WHOM THERE IS NO KNOWLEDGE. Now, what you, without knowledge, give worship to, I make clear to you. For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you.
The God who made the earth and everything in it, he, being Lord of heaven and earth, is not housed in buildings made with hands; God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands;
And he is not dependent on the work of men's hands, as if he had need of anything, for he himself gives to all life and breath and all things; Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;
And he has made of one blood all the nations of men living on all the face of the earth, ordering their times and the limits of their lands, And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;
So that they might make search for God, in order, if possible, to get knowledge of him and make discovery of him, though he is not far from every one of us: That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:
For in him we have life and motion and existence; as certain of your verse writers have said, For we are his offspring. For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.
If then we are the offspring of God, it is not right for us to have the idea that God is like gold or silver or stone, formed by the art or design of man. Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device.
Those times when men had no knowledge were overlooked by God; but now he gives orders to all men in every place to undergo a change of heart: And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:
Because a day has been fixed in which all the world will be judged in righteousness by the man who has been marked out by him for this work; of which he has given a sign to all men by giving him back from the dead. Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.

The scornful behaviour of the Athenians

Now on hearing about the coming back from death, some of them made sport of it, but others said, Let us go more fully into this another time. And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked: and others said, We will hear thee again of this matter.
And so Paul went away from among them. So Paul departed from among them.
But some men gave him their support: among whom was Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris, and others with them. Howbeit certain men clave unto him, and believed: among the which was Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris, and others with them.
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