Paul’s Address in the Areopagus

22 Then Paul stood up in [the] meeting[fn] of the Areopagus [and] said, “Men [of] Athens, I see that in every way you [are] very religious.

23 For as I walked around and examined your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. Therefore what you worship as something unknown, I [now] proclaim to you.

24 The God who made the world and everything in it is [the] Lord of heaven and earth [and] {does} not live in temples made by [human] hands. 25 Nor is He served by human hands, as if He needed anything, [because] He Himself gives everyone life and breath and everything [else]. 26 From one [man][fn] He made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and He determined [their] appointed times and the boundaries of their lands.

27 [ God intended that ] they would seek [Him] [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.’[fn] As some of your [own] poets have said, We are [His] offspring.’[fn] 29 Therefore, being offspring of God, we should not think that the Divine Being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by man’s skill and imagination.

30 Although God overlooked the ignorance of [earlier] times, He now commands all people everywhere to repent. 31 For He has set a day when He will judge the world with justice by the Man He has appointed. He has given proof [of this] to everyone by raising Him from [the] dead.”

32 [When] they heard about [the] resurrection of [the] dead, some began to mock [him], but [others] said, “We want to hear you again on this [topic].” 33 At that Paul left [the Areopagus]. 34 But some joined him [and] believed, including Dionysius the Areopagite, a woman named Damaris, and others [who were] with them.