Acts 17

1After passing through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews.

2And according to Paul's custom, he went in to them, and on three Sabbaths he reasoned with them from the Scriptures,

3explaining and demonstrating that the Messiah had to suffer and rise from the dead, and that this Jesus, whom I proclaim to you, is the Messiah.

4And some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, along with a large number of the God-fearing Greeks and not a few of the leading women.

5But the Jews, becoming jealous and taking along some wicked men from the marketplace, formed a mob and were throwing the city into an uproar; and coming to Jason’s house, they were seeking to bring them out to the assembly.

6But when they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some brothers before the city authorities, shouting, “These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also,”

7These men, whom Jason has welcomed, are all acting against Caesar’s decrees, saying that there is another king—Jesus.

8And they disturbed the crowd and the city officials when they heard these things,

9And after taking security from Jason and the others, they released them.

10Then the brothers immediately sent both Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews.

11These were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so.

12Therefore many of them believed, and not a few of the prominent Greek women and men.

13But when the Jews from Thessalonica learned that the word of God had been proclaimed by Paul in Berea also, they came there too, stirring up and troubling the crowds.

14Then the brothers immediately sent Paul away to go as far as the sea, but both Silas and Timothy remained there.

15Those who were escorting Paul brought him as far as Athens, and after receiving instructions for Silas and Timothy to come to him as quickly as possible, they departed.

16While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, his spirit was provoked within him as he saw that the city was full of idols.

17So he was reasoning in the synagogue with the Jews and those who worshiped God, and in the marketplace every day with those who happened to be there.

18Some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers also engaged with him, and some were saying, “What is this babbler trying to say?” But others said, “He seems to be a proclaimer of foreign deities,” because he was proclaiming the good news about Jesus and the resurrection.

19So they took hold of him and brought him to the Areopagus, saying, “May we know what this new teaching is that is being spoken by you?”

20For you are bringing some strange things to our ears. Therefore we want to know what these things mean.

21All the Athenians and the foreigners staying there would spend their time in nothing else than telling or hearing something newer.

22So Paul, standing in the midst of the Areopagus, said, “Men of Athens, I see that in every way you are very religious.”

23For as I was passing through and observing your objects of worship, I even found an altar on which had been inscribed, ‘To an unknown god.’ Therefore, what you worship in ignorance—this I proclaim to you.

24The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made by hands.

25Nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all life and breath and all things.

26And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on the whole face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their dwelling place,

27that they should seek God, if perhaps they might grope for him and find him—though indeed he is not far from each one of us.

28For in him we live and move and exist, as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we also are his offspring.’

29Therefore, since we are God’s offspring, we ought not to think that the Divine Being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by human skill and imagination.

30Therefore, having overlooked the times of ignorance, God now commands all people everywhere to repent,

31because he has fixed a day on which he is going to judge the inhabited world in righteousness by a man whom he appointed, having given proof to all by raising him from the dead.

32When they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked, but others said, “We will hear you again about this.”

33So Paul went out from among them.

34But some men joined him and believed, among whom were also Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris, and others with them.