Shared Word Translation
Acts 17
In Thessalonica
Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. And Paul went in, as was his custom, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, explaining and setting before them 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.” And some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a great many of the devout Greeks and not a few of the leading women. But the Jews, becoming jealous, took along some wicked men from the marketplace, formed a mob, and set the city in an uproar; and attacking the house of Jason, they sought to bring them out to the crowd. And when they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some brothers before the city authorities, crying out, “These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also, and Jason has received them; and they are all acting against the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king—Jesus.” And the crowd and the city authorities were disturbed when they heard these things. And when they had taken security from Jason and the rest, they let them go.
In Berea
The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea; and when they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews. Now these were more receptive than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so. Many of them therefore believed, along with not a few Greek women of high standing and men. But when the Jews from Thessalonica learned that the word of God was proclaimed by Paul also in Berea, they came there too, stirring up and troubling the crowds. Then the brothers immediately sent Paul off on his way to the sea, but Silas and Timothy remained there. Those who escorted Paul brought him as far as Athens; and after receiving a command for Silas and Timothy to come to him as soon as possible, they departed.
In Athens
Now while Paul was waiting for them in Athens, his spirit was provoked within him as he saw that the city was full of idols. 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. Some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers also conversed with him. And some said, “What does this babbler wish to say?” Others said, “He seems to be a proclaimer of foreign divinities,” because he was proclaiming Jesus and the resurrection. And they took hold of him and brought him to the Areopagus, saying, “May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting? For you bring certain strange things to our ears. We wish to know therefore what these things mean.” Now all the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there would spend their time in nothing except telling or hearing something new.
Paul at the Areopagus
So Paul, standing in the midst of the Areopagus, said:
“Men of Athens, I perceive that in every way you are very religious.
For as I passed along and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription: ‘To an unknown god.’
What therefore you worship in ignorance, this I proclaim to you.
The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made by hands,
nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all life and breath and all things.
And he made from one every nation of humankind to dwell on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted times and the boundaries of their dwelling place,
that they should seek God, and perhaps feel after him and find him—though indeed he is not far from each one of us.
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 offspring.’
Being then God’s offspring, we ought not to think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of man.
The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent,
because he has fixed 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.”
Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked. But others said, “We will hear you again about this.” So Paul went out from their midst. But some men joined him and believed, among whom also were Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris and others with them.