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 passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue.

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

Paul, as was his custom, went in to them, and for three Sabbath days 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 demonstrating that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead, and saying, “This Jesus, whom I proclaim 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.

Some of them were persuaded, and joined Paul and Silas, of the devout Greeks a great multitude, and not a few of the chief 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 unpersuaded Jews took along some wicked men from the marketplace, and gathering a crowd, set the city in an uproar. Assaulting the house of Jason, they sought 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 didn’t find them, they dragged Jason and certain brothers before the rulers of the city, crying, “These who have turned the world upside down 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!

whom Jason has received. These 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).

The multitude and the rulers of the city were troubled when they heard these things.

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

When they had taken security from Jason and the rest, they let them go.

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 brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Beroea. When they arrived, they went into the Jewish synagogue.

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 than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of the mind, 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.

Many of them therefore believed; also of the prominent Greek women, and not a few 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 had knowledge that the word of God was proclaimed by Paul at Beroea also, they came there likewise, agitating the multitudes.

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

Then the brothers immediately sent out Paul to go as far as to the sea, and Silas and Timothy still stayed 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.

But those who escorted Paul brought him as far as Athens. Receiving a commandment to Silas and Timothy that they should come to him very quickly, they departed.

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 waited for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him as he saw 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 reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the devout persons, and in the marketplace every day with those who met him.

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.

Some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers also were conversing with him. Some said, “What does this babbler want to say?” Others said, “He seems to be advocating foreign deities,” because he preached 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?

They took hold of him, and brought him to the Areopagus, saying, “May we know what this new teaching is, which is spoken by you?

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 bring certain strange things to our ears. We want to know therefore 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 living there spent their time in nothing else, but either to tell or to hear some new thing.

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.

Paul stood in the middle of the Areopagus, and said, “You men of Athens, I perceive that you are very religious in all things.

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 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 announce 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, he, being Lord of heaven and earth, doesn’t 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.

neither is he served by men’s hands, as though he needed anything, seeing he himself gives to all 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),

He made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the surface of the earth, having determined appointed seasons, and the boundaries of their dwellings,

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 should seek the Lord, if perhaps they might reach out 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 have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘For we are also his offspring.’

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 offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold, or silver, or stone, engraved by art and design 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),

The times of ignorance therefore God overlooked. But now he commands 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 appointed a day in which he will judge the world in righteousness by the man whom he has ordained; of which he has given assurance to all men, in that he has raised 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 mocked; but others said, “We want to hear you again concerning this.”

33 S o Paul went out from among them.

Thus Paul went out from among them.

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