MSB ACTs Chapter 17

The Uproar in Thessalonica

17 [When] they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue. 2 As was [his] custom, Paul went into [the synagogue], and on three Sabbaths he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, 3 explaining and proving that the Christ had to suffer and rise from [the] dead. “This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Christ,” [ he declared ]. 4 Some of [the Jews] were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, along with a large number of God-fearing Greeks and [quite] a few leading women.

5 The Jews, however, brought in some troublemakers they took from the marketplace,[fn] formed a mob, [and] sent the city into an uproar. They raided Jason’s house in search of [Paul and Silas], [hoping] to bring them out to the people. 6 But when they could not find them, they dragged Jason and some other brothers before the city officials, shouting, “These [men] who have turned the world {upside down} have now come here, 7 [and] Jason has welcomed them into his home. They {are} all defying Caesar’s decrees, saying that there is another king, [ named ] Jesus!”

8 On hearing this, the crowd and city officials were greatly disturbed. 9 And they collected bond from Jason and the others [and then] released them.

The Character of the Bereans

10 As soon as night [had fallen], the brothers sent Paul and Silas {away} to Berea. On arriving [there], they went into the Jewish synagogue. 11 Now [the Bereans] were more noble-minded than the Thessalonians, [for] they received the message with great eagerness [and] examined the Scriptures every day [to see] if these [teachings] were true.[fn] 12 As a result, many of them believed, along with [quite] a few prominent Greek women and men.

13 But when the Jews from Thessalonica learned that Paul was also proclaiming the word of God in Berea, they went there themselves to incite[fn] the crowds. 14 The brothers immediately sent Paul away as if[fn] to the [coast], but Silas and Timothy remained [in Berea]. 15 Those who escorted Paul brought him to Athens and then [returned] with instructions for Silas and Timothy to [join] him as soon as possible.

Paul in Athens

16 [While] Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was deeply disturbed in his spirit to see that the city was full of idols. 17 So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and God-fearing [Gentiles], and in the marketplace with those he met each day.

18 Some Epicurean and Stoic philosophers also began to debate with him. Some [of them] asked, “What {is} this babbler trying to say?” Others [said], “He seems to be advocating foreign gods.” [They said this] because [Paul] was proclaiming the good news of Jesus and the resurrection.

19 So they took [Paul] [and] brought [him] to the Areopagus,[fn] [where] they asked [him], “May we know what this new teaching [is] [that] you are presenting? 20 For you are bringing some strange notions to our ears, [and] we want to know what [they] mean.”

21 Now all [the] Athenians and foreigners who lived there spent their time [doing] nothing [more] than hearing and articulating new [ideas].

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 [Him] whom[fn] 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 [the] hands of men,[fn] as if He needed anything, [because] He Himself gives everyone life and breath and everything [else]. 26 From one blood[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 The Lord [ intended that ] they would seek [Him][fn] [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[fn] joined him [and] believed, including Dionysius the Areopagite, a woman named Damaris, and others [who were] with them.