1 N ow after had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews.

Now when they had traveled through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews.

2 A nd Paul entered, as he usually did, and for three Sabbaths he reasoned and argued with them from the Scriptures,

And according to Paul’s custom, he went to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures,

3 E xplaining and setting forth 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 (the Messiah).

explaining and giving evidence that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead, and saying, “ This Jesus whom I am proclaiming to you is the Christ.”

4 A nd some of them were induced to believe and associated themselves with Paul and Silas, as did a great number of the devout Greeks and not a few of the leading women.

And some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, along with a large number of the God-fearing Greeks and a number of the leading women.

5 B ut the unbelieving Jews were aroused to jealousy, and, getting hold of some wicked men (ruffians and rascals) and loungers in the marketplace, they gathered together a mob, set the town in an uproar, and attacked the house of Jason, seeking to bring out to the people.

But the Jews, becoming jealous and taking along some wicked men from the market place, formed a mob and set the city in an uproar; and attacking the house of Jason, they were seeking to bring them out to the people.

6 B ut when they failed to find them, they dragged Jason and some of the brethren before the city authorities, crying, These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also,

When they did not find them, they began dragging Jason and some brethren before the city authorities, shouting, “These men who have upset the world have come here also;

7 A nd Jason has received them to his house and privately protected them! And they are all ignoring and acting contrary to the decrees of Caesar, asserting that there is another king, one Jesus!

and Jason has welcomed them, and they all act contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus.”

8 A nd both the crowd and the city authorities, on hearing this, were irritated (stirred up and troubled).

They stirred up the crowd and the city authorities who heard these things.

9 A nd when they had taken security from Jason and the others, they let them go.

And when they had received a pledge from Jason and the others, they released them. Paul at Berea

10 N ow the brethren at once sent Paul and Silas away by night to Beroea; and when they arrived, they entered the synagogue of the Jews.

The brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews.

11 N ow these were better disposed and more noble than those in Thessalonica, for they were entirely ready and accepted and welcomed the message '> concerning the attainment through Christ of eternal salvation in the kingdom of God] with inclination of mind and eagerness, searching and examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.

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

12 M any of them therefore became believers, together with not a few prominent Greeks, women as well as men.

Therefore many of them believed, along with a number of prominent Greek women and men.

13 B ut when the Jews of Thessalonica learned that the Word of God '> concerning the attainment through Christ of eternal salvation in the kingdom of God] was also preached by Paul at Beroea, they came there too, disturbing and inciting the masses.

But when the Jews of Thessalonica found out that the word of God had been proclaimed by Paul in Berea also, they came there as well, agitating and stirring up the crowds.

14 A t once the brethren sent Paul off on his way to the sea, but Silas and Timothy remained behind.

Then immediately the brethren sent Paul out to go as far as the sea; and Silas and Timothy remained there.

15 T hose who escorted Paul brought him as far as Athens; and receiving instructions for Silas and Timothy that they should come to him as soon as possible, they departed.

Now those who escorted Paul brought him as far as Athens; and receiving a command for Silas and Timothy to come to him as soon as possible, they left. Paul at Athens

16 N ow while Paul was awaiting them at Athens, his spirit was grieved and roused to anger as he saw that the city was full of idols.

Now while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was being provoked within him as he was observing the city full of idols.

17 S o he reasoned and argued in the synagogue with the Jews and those who worshiped there, and in the marketplace day after day with any who chanced to be there.

So he was reasoning in the synagogue with the Jews and the God-fearing Gentiles, and in the market place every day with those who happened to be present.

18 A nd some also of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers encountered him and began to engage in discussion. And some said, What is this babbler with his scrap-heap learning trying to say? Others said, He seems to be an announcer of foreign deities—because he preached Jesus and the resurrection.

And also some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers were conversing with him. Some were saying, “What would this idle babbler wish to say?” Others, “He seems to be a proclaimer of strange deities,”—because he was preaching Jesus and the resurrection.

19 A nd they took hold of him and brought him to the Areopagus, saying, May we know what this novel (unheard of and unprecedented) teaching is which you are openly declaring?

And they took him and brought him to the Areopagus, saying, “May we know what this new teaching is which you are proclaiming?

20 F or you set forth some startling things, foreign and strange to our ears; we wish to know therefore just what these things mean—

For you are bringing some strange things to our ears; so we want to know what these things mean.”

21 F or the Athenians, all of them, and the foreign residents and visitors among them spent all their leisure time in nothing except telling or hearing something newer than the last—

(Now all the Athenians and the strangers visiting there used to spend their time in nothing other than telling or hearing something new.) Sermon on Mars Hill

22 S o Paul, standing in the center of the Areopagus, said: Men of Athens, I perceive in every way that you are most religious or very reverent to demons.

So Paul stood in the midst of the Areopagus and said, “Men of Athens, I observe that you are very religious in all respects.

23 F or as I passed along and carefully observed your objects of worship, I came also upon an altar with this inscription, To the unknown god. Now what you are already worshiping as unknown, this I set forth to you.

For while I was passing through and examining the objects of your worship, I also found an altar with this inscription, ‘TO AN UNKNOWN GOD.’ Therefore what you worship in ignorance, this I proclaim to you.

24 T he God Who produced and formed the world and all things in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in handmade shrines.

The God who made the world and all things in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands;

25 N either is He served by human hands, as though He lacked anything, for it is He Himself Who gives life and breath and all things to all.

nor is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all people life and breath and all things;

26 A nd He made from one all nations of men to settle on the face of the earth, having definitely determined allotted periods of time and the fixed boundaries of their habitation (their settlements, lands, and abodes),

and He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation,

27 S o that they should seek God, in the hope that they might feel after Him and find Him, although He is not far from each one of us.

that they would seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us;

28 F or in Him we live and move and have our being; as even some of your poets have said, For we are also His offspring.

for in Him we live and move and exist, as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we also are His children.’

29 S ince then we are God’s offspring, we ought not to suppose that Deity (the Godhead) is like gold or silver or stone, a representation by human art and imagination, or anything constructed or invented.

Being then the children of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and thought of man.

30 S uch ages of ignorance God, it is true, ignored and allowed to pass unnoticed; but now He charges all people everywhere to repent ( to change their minds for the better and heartily to amend their ways, with abhorrence of their past sins),

Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent,

31 B ecause He has fixed a day when He will judge the world righteously (justly) by a Man Whom He has destined and appointed for that task, and He has made this credible and given conviction and assurance and evidence to everyone by raising Him from the dead.

because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead.”

32 N ow when they had heard a resurrection from the dead, some scoffed; but others said, We will hear you again about this matter.

Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some began to sneer, but others said, “We shall hear you again concerning this.”

33 S o Paul went out from among them.

So Paul went out of their midst.

34 B ut some men were on his side and joined him and believed (became Christians); among them were Dionysius, a judge of the Areopagus, and a woman named Damaris, and some others with them.

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