The Good News Turns Thessalonica Upside Down
17 1 After traveling through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue. 2 And Paul, as was his custom, went in to them, and for three Sabbaths he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, 3 explaining and proving that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead, and saying, "This Jesus, whom I proclaim to you, is the Christ." 4 And some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a great many of the devout Greeks and quite a few of the leading women. 5 But the Jews were jealous, and taking some wicked men from the streets, they formed a mob and set the city in an uproar. And they attacked the house of Jason, seeking to bring them out to the crowd. 6 And when they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some of the brothers before the city authorities, shouting, "These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also, 7 and Jason has welcomed them. They are all acting against the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king — Jesus." 8 And they stirred up the crowd and the city authorities who heard these things. 9 And when they had taken bail from Jason and the rest, they let them go.
The Bereans Search the Scriptures
10 The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived they went into the Jewish synagogue. 11 Now these Jews were more open-minded than those in Thessalonica; they received the word eagerly, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were true. 12 Many of them therefore believed, along with quite a few Greek women of high standing, and men as well. 13 But when the Jews from Thessalonica learned that the word of our Father was proclaimed by Paul at Berea also, they came there too, agitating and stirring up the crowds. 14 Then the brothers immediately sent Paul off on his way to the sea, but Silas and Timothy remained there. 15 Those who escorted Paul brought him as far as Athens, and after receiving instructions for Silas and Timothy to come to him as soon as possible, they departed.
Paul Arrives in Athens
16 Now while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was deeply stirred as he saw that the city was full of idols. 17 So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the devout persons, and in the marketplace every day with those who happened to be there. 18 Some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers also conversed with him. And some said, "What is this babbler trying to say?" Others said, "He seems to be a proclaimer of foreign gods" — because he was preaching the good news of Jesus and the resurrection.
19 And they took him and brought him to the Areopagus, saying, "May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting? a a v19 The Areopagus, or "Mars Hill," was the rocky hill in Athens where the city's council met to weigh new ideas and teachings. 20 For you bring some strange things to our ears. We want to know, therefore, what these things mean." 21 Now all the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there spent all their time doing nothing but telling or hearing something new.
22 So Paul, standing in the midst of the Areopagus, said: "Men of Athens, I can see that in every way you are very religious. 23 For as I walked around and looked at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: 'To an unknown god.' What you therefore worship without knowing — this I now proclaim to you. 24 Our Father, who made the world and everything in it, being Sovereign of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by human hands, b b v24 Paul tells the pagan Athenians that the "unknown god" they worship is in truth our Father — the Creator of all things, who cannot be housed in any temple. 25 nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to everyone life and breath and everything. 26 And from one man he made every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their dwelling places, 27 that they should seek our Father, and perhaps reach out for him and find him — though he is not far from each one of us, 28 for "In him we live and move and have our being"; as even some of your own poets have said, "For we are indeed his children." 29 Since we are our Father's children, we ought not to think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone — an image formed by the skill and imagination of man. 30 The times of ignorance our Father overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, 31 because he has set a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed, and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead." c c v31 The man our Father appointed to judge the world is Jesus; the Father's proof to everyone is that he raised Jesus from the dead.
32 Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some began to mock, but others said, "We will hear you again about this." 33 So Paul left them. 34 But some men joined him and believed, among them Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris, and others with them.