1They passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia and came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. 2Paul went in, for it was his custom. He reasoned with them from the Scriptures for three Sabbath days. 3He explained and proved that Christ had to suffer and rise from the dead. And that Jesus is the Messiah. 4Some of them were convinced believed and joined with Paul and Silas. A large crowd of the devout Greeks and of the prominent women also joined. 5The Jews were moved with jealousy so they gathered bad people who organized a crowd for a riot. They assaulted the house of Jason in order to bring them out to the crowd. 6When they did not find them they dragged Jason and other brothers before the rulers of the city. They said: »These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also.« 7Jason welcomed them. They all act contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus. 8The crowd and the rulers of the city were troubled when they heard these things. 9They made Jason post bond and they let them go. 10The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Beroea. When they arrived there they went to the synagogue of the Jews. 11The Bereans were nobler than those in Thessalonica because they received the word with all readiness of mind and examined the Scriptures daily to see if what Paul told them was true. 12Many of them believed. So did the prominent Greek women and prominent men. 13When the Jews of Thessalonica learned that Paul was preaching the word of God at Beroea, they went there and stirred up the crowds and caused trouble. 14The brothers immediately sent Paul to the sea. Silas and Timothy stayed at Beroea. 15Those who conducted Paul brought him as far as Athens. He sent orders to Silas and Timothy that they should come to him as soon as possible. 16Paul waited for them at Athens. His spirit was irritated within him when he saw the city full of idols. 17So he reasoned in the synagogue with Jews and devout persons. He went to the marketplace every day with those who would meet with him. 18The Epicurean and Stoic philosophers encountered him. Some said: What is this babbler saying? Others: He seems to be advocating strange gods because he preached Jesus and the resurrection. 19They took hold of him and brought him to the Areopagus. They said, »May we know what is this new teaching? 20»You bring strange ideas to our ears. We want to know what these things mean.« 21The Athenians and the strangers who lived there spent their time doing nothing else except talking about and listening to new ideas. 22Paul stood in the midst of the Areopagus, and said: »Men of Athens, in all things, I perceive that you are very religious. 23« As I passed along, and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription: »To An Unknown God.« What you worship as unknown, this I will proclaim to you. 24»The God that made the world and all things in it is the Lord of heaven and earth. He does not live in temples made with hands. 25»Men’s hands do not serve him as if he needed anything. He gives life and breath to all. 26»From one person he made every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth. He determined their appointed seasons, and the bounds of their habitation. 27»God did this so man could seek him and might find him. He is not far from each one of us. 28»In him we live, and move, and have our existence. Your own poets have said: For we are also his offspring. 29»Being then the offspring of God, we should not think that the divine being is like gold, or silver, or stone, a device made by man’s design or skill. 30»God overlooked the times of ignorance; but now he commands men everywhere to repent. 31»He has established a day time in which he will judge the world in righteousness by the man Jesus whom he has ordained. Of that he gives proof of this to all men by raising him from the dead.« (John 5:22) (Isaiah 2:4) (Acts 10:42) 32Some mocked when they heard about the resurrection of the dead. Yet others said: »We will hear you again concerning this«. 33Thus Paul went out from among them. 34Some men joined themselves to him and believed. Included among the believers were Dionysius the Areopagite, a woman named Damaris, and others with them.