Berean
07-07-2008, 06:45 PM
Acts 15:1-41
1 And certain men came down from Ju·de´a and began to teach the brothers: “Unless YOU get circumcised according to the custom of Moses, YOU cannot be saved.” 2 But when there had occurred no little dissension and disputing by Paul and Bar´na·bas with them, they arranged for Paul and Bar´na·bas and some others of them to go up to the apostles and older men in Jerusalem regarding this dispute.
3 Accordingly, after being conducted partway by the congregation, these men continued on their way through both Phoe·ni´cia and Sa·mar´i·a, relating in detail the conversion of people of the nations, and they were causing great joy to all the brothers. 4 On arriving in Jerusalem they were kindly received by the congregation and the apostles and the older men, and they recounted the many things God had done by means of them. 5 Yet, some of those of the sect of the Pharisees that had believed rose up from their seats and said: “It is necessary to circumcise them and charge them to observe the law of Moses.”
6 And the apostles and the older men gathered together to see about this affair. 7 Now when much disputing had taken place, Peter rose and said to them: “Men, brothers, YOU well know that from early days God made the choice among YOU that through my mouth people of the nations should hear the word of the good news and believe; 8 and God, who knows the heart, bore witness by giving them the holy spirit, just as he did to us also. 9 And he made no distinction at all between us and them, but purified their hearts by faith. 10 Now, therefore, why are YOU making a test of God by imposing upon the neck of the disciples a yoke that neither our forefathers nor we were capable of bearing? 11 On the contrary, we trust to get saved through the undeserved kindness of the Lord Jesus in the same way as those people also.”
12 At that the entire multitude became silent, and they began to listen to Bar´na·bas and Paul relate the many signs and portents that God did through them among the nations. 13 After they quit speaking, James answered, saying: “Men, brothers, hear me. 14 Sym´e·on has related thoroughly how God for the first time turned his attention to the nations to take out of them a people for his name. 15 And with this the words of the Prophets agree, just as it is written, 16 ‘After these things I shall return and rebuild the booth of David that is fallen down; and I shall rebuild its ruins and erect it again, 17 in order that those who remain of the men may earnestly seek Jehovah, together with people of all the nations, people who are called by my name, says Jehovah, who is doing these things, 18 known from of old.’ 19 Hence my decision is not to trouble those from the nations who are turning to God, 20 but to write them to abstain from things polluted by idols and from fornication and from what is strangled and from blood. 21 For from ancient times Moses has had in city after city those who preach him, because he is read aloud in the synagogues on every sabbath.”
22 Then the apostles and the older men together with the whole congregation favored sending chosen men from among them to Antioch along with Paul and Bar´na·bas, namely, Judas who was called Bar´sab·bas and Silas, leading men among the brothers; 23 and by their hand they wrote:
“The apostles and the older men, brothers, to those brothers in Antioch and Syria and Ci·li´cia who are from the nations: Greetings! 24 Since we have heard that some from among us have caused YOU trouble with speeches, trying to subvert YOUR souls, although we did not give them any instructions, 25 we have come to a unanimous accord and have favored choosing men to send to YOU together with our loved ones, Bar´na·bas and Paul, 26 men that have delivered up their souls for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 27 We are therefore dispatching Judas and Silas, that they also may report the same things by word. 28 For the holy spirit and we ourselves have favored adding no further burden to YOU, except these necessary things, 29 to keep abstaining from things sacrificed to idols and from blood and from things strangled and from fornication. If YOU carefully keep yourselves from these things, YOU will prosper. Good health to YOU!”
30 Accordingly, when these men were let go, they went down to Antioch, and they gathered the multitude together and handed them the letter. 31 After reading it, they rejoiced over the encouragement. 32 And Judas and Silas, since they themselves were also prophets, encouraged the brothers with many a discourse and strengthened them. 33 So, when they had passed some time, they were let go in peace by the brothers to those who had sent them out. 34 —— 35 However, Paul and Bar´na·bas continued spending time in Antioch teaching and declaring, with many others also, the good news of the word of Jehovah.
36 Now after some days Paul said to Bar´na·bas: “Above all things, let us return and visit the brothers in every one of the cities in which we published the word of Jehovah to see how they are.” 37 For his part, Bar´na·bas was determined to take along also John, who was called Mark. 38 But Paul did not think it proper to be taking this one along with them, seeing that he had departed from them from Pam·phyl´i·a and had not gone with them to the work. 39 At this there occurred a sharp burst of anger, so that they separated from each other; and Bar´na·bas took Mark along and sailed away to Cy´prus. 40 Paul selected Silas and went off after he had been entrusted by the brothers to the undeserved kindness of Jehovah. 41 But he went through Syria and Ci·li´cia, strengthening the congregations.
Acts 16:1-40
1 So he arrived at Der´be and also at Lys´tra. And, look! a certain disciple was there by the name of Timothy, the son of a believing Jewish woman but of a Greek father, 2 and he was well reported on by the brothers in Lys´tra and I·co´ni·um. 3 Paul expressed the desire for this man to go out with him, and he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews that were in those places, for one and all knew that his father was a Greek. 4 Now as they traveled on through the cities they would deliver to those there for observance the decrees that had been decided upon by the apostles and older men who were in Jerusalem. 5 Therefore, indeed, the congregations continued to be made firm in the faith and to increase in number from day to day.
6 Moreover, they went through Phryg´i·a and the country of Ga·la´ti·a, because they were forbidden by the holy spirit to speak the word in the [district of] Asia. 7 Further, when getting down to Mys´i·a they made efforts to go into Bi·thyn´i·a, but the spirit of Jesus did not permit them. 8 So they passed Mys´i·a by and came down to Tro´as. 9 And during the night a vision appeared to Paul: a certain Mac·e·do´ni·an man was standing and entreating him and saying: “Step over into Mac·e·do´ni·a and help us.” 10 Now as soon as he had seen the vision, we sought to go forth into Mac·e·do´ni·a, drawing the conclusion that God had summoned us to declare the good news to them.
11 Therefore we put out to sea from Tro´as and came with a straight run to Sam´o·thrace, but on the following day to Ne·ap´o·lis, 12 and from there to Phi·lip´pi, a colony, which is the principal city of the district of Mac·e·do´ni·a. We continued in this city, spending some days. 13 And on the sabbath day we went forth outside the gate beside a river, where we were thinking there was a place of prayer; and we sat down and began speaking to the women that had assembled. 14 And a certain woman named Lyd´i·a, a seller of purple, of the city of Thy·a·ti´ra and a worshiper of God, was listening, and Jehovah opened her heart wide to pay attention to the things being spoken by Paul. 15 Now when she and her household got baptized, she said with entreaty: “If YOU men have judged me to be faithful to Jehovah, enter into my house and stay.” And she just made us come.
16 And it happened that as we were going to the place of prayer, a certain servant girl with a spirit, a demon of divination, met us. She used to furnish her masters with much gain by practicing the art of prediction. 17 This [girl] kept following Paul and us and crying out with the words: “These men are slaves of the Most High God, who are publishing to YOU the way of salvation.” 18 This she kept doing for many days. Finally Paul got tired of it and turned and said to the spirit: “I order you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And it came out that very hour.
19 Well, when her masters saw that their hope of gain had left, they laid hold of Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace to the rulers, 20 and, leading them up to the civil magistrates, they said: “These men are disturbing our city very much, they being Jews, 21 and they are publishing customs that it is not lawful for us to take up or practice, seeing we are Romans.” 22 And the crowd rose up together against them; and the civil magistrates, after tearing the outer garments off them, gave the command to beat them with rods. 23 After they had inflicted many blows upon them, they threw them into prison, ordering the jailer to keep them securely. 24 Because he got such an order, he threw them into the inner prison and made their feet fast in the stocks.
25 But about the middle of the night Paul and Silas were praying and praising God with song; yes, the prisoners were hearing them. 26 Suddenly a great earthquake occurred, so that the foundations of the jail were shaken. Moreover, all the doors were instantly opened, and the bonds of all were loosened. 27 The jailer, being awakened out of sleep and seeing the prison doors were open, drew his sword and was about to do away with himself, imagining that the prisoners had escaped. 28 But Paul called out with a loud voice, saying: “Do not hurt yourself, for we are all here!” 29 So he asked for lights and leaped in and, seized with trembling, he fell down before Paul and Silas. 30 And he brought them outside and said: “Sirs, what must I do to get saved?” 31 They said: “Believe on the Lord Jesus and you will get saved, you and your household.” 32 And they spoke the word of Jehovah to him together with all those in his house. 33 And he took them along in that hour of the night and bathed their stripes; and, one and all, he and his were baptized without delay. 34 And he brought them into his house and set a table before them, and he rejoiced greatly with all his household now that he had believed God.
35 When it became day, the civil magistrates dispatched the constables to say: “Release those men.” 36 So the jailer reported their words to Paul: “The civil magistrates have dispatched men that YOU [two] might be released. Now, therefore, come out and go YOUR way in peace.” 37 But Paul said to them: “They flogged us publicly uncondemned, men who are Romans, and threw us into prison; and are they now throwing us out secretly? No, indeed! but let them come themselves and bring us out.” 38 So the constables reported these sayings to the civil magistrates. These grew fearful when they heard that the men were Romans. 39 Consequently they came and entreated them and, after bringing them out, they requested them to depart from the city. 40 But they came out of the prison and went to the home of Lyd´i·a, and when they saw the brothers they encouraged them and departed.
Acts 17:1-34
1 They now journeyed through Am·phip´o·lis and Ap·ol·lo´ni·a and came to Thes·sa·lo·ni´ca, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. 2 So according to Paul’s custom he went inside to them, and for three sabbaths he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, 3 explaining and proving by references that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead, and [saying]: “This is the Christ, this Jesus whom I am publishing to YOU.” 4 As a result some of them became believers and associated themselves with Paul and Silas, and a great multitude of the Greeks who worshiped [God] and not a few of the principal women did so.
5 But the Jews, getting jealous, took into their company certain wicked men of the marketplace idlers and formed a mob and proceeded to throw the city into an uproar. And they assaulted the house of Ja´son and went seeking to have them brought forth to the rabble. 6 When they did not find them they dragged Ja´son and certain brothers to the city rulers, crying out: “These men that have overturned the inhabited earth are present here also, 7 and Ja´son has received them with hospitality. And all these [men] act in opposition to the decrees of Caesar, saying there is another king, Jesus.” 8 They indeed agitated the crowd and the city rulers when they heard these things; 9 and first after taking sufficient security from Ja´son and the others they let them go.
10 Immediately by night the brothers sent both Paul and Silas out to Be·roe´a, and these, upon arriving, went into the synagogue of the Jews. 11 Now the latter were more noble-minded than those in Thes·sa·lo·ni´ca, for they received the word with the greatest eagerness of mind, carefully examining the Scriptures daily as to whether these things were so. 12 Therefore many of them became believers, and so did not a few of the reputable Greek women and of the men. 13 But when the Jews from Thes·sa·lo·ni´ca learned that the word of God was published also in Be·roe´a by Paul, they came there also to incite and agitate the masses. 14 Then the brothers immediately sent Paul off to go as far as the sea; but both Silas and Timothy remained behind there. 15 However, those conducting Paul brought him as far as Athens and, after receiving a command for Silas and Timothy to come to him as quickly as possible, they departed.
16 Now while Paul was waiting for them in Athens, his spirit within him came to be irritated at beholding that the city was full of idols. 17 Consequently he began to reason in the synagogue with the Jews and the other people who worshiped [God] and every day in the marketplace with those who happened to be on hand. 18 But certain ones of both the Ep·i·cu·re´an and the Sto´ic philosophers took to conversing with him controversially, and some would say: “What is it this chatterer would like to tell?” Others: “He seems to be a publisher of foreign deities.” This was because he was declaring the good news of Jesus and the resurrection. 19 So they laid hold of him and led him to the Ar·e·op´a·gus, saying: “Can we get to know what this new teaching is which is spoken by you? 20 For you are introducing some things that are strange to our ears. Therefore we desire to get to know what these things purport to be.” 21 In fact, all Athenians and the foreigners sojourning there would spend their leisure time at nothing but telling something or listening to something new. 22 Paul now stood in the midst of the Ar·e·op´a·gus and said:
“Men of Athens, I behold that in all things YOU seem to be more given to the fear of the deities than others are. 23 For instance, while passing along and carefully observing YOUR objects of veneration I also found an altar on which had been inscribed ‘To an Unknown God.’ Therefore what YOU are unknowingly giving godly devotion to, this I am publishing to YOU. 24 The God that made the world and all the things in it, being, as this One is, Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in handmade temples, 25 neither is he attended to by human hands as if he needed anything, because he himself gives to all [persons] life and breath and all things. 26 And he made out of one [man] every nation of men, to dwell upon the entire surface of the earth, and he decreed the appointed times and the set limits of the dwelling of [men], 27 for them to seek God, if they might grope for him and really find him, although, in fact, he is not far off from each one of us. 28 For by him we have life and move and exist, even as certain ones of the poets among YOU have said, ‘For we are also his progeny.’
29 “Seeing, therefore, that we are the progeny of God, we ought not to imagine that the Divine Being is like gold or silver or stone, like something sculptured by the art and contrivance of man. 30 True, God has overlooked the times of such ignorance, yet now he is telling mankind that they should all everywhere repent. 31 Because he has set a day in which he purposes to judge the inhabited earth in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed, and he has furnished a guarantee to all men in that he has resurrected him from the dead.”
32 Well, when they heard of a resurrection of the dead, some began to mock, while others said: “We will hear you about this even another time.” 33 Thus Paul went out from their midst, 34 but some men joined themselves to him and became believers, among whom also were Di·o·nys´i·us, a judge of the court of the Ar·e·op´a·gus, and a woman named Dam´a·ris, and others besides them.
1 And certain men came down from Ju·de´a and began to teach the brothers: “Unless YOU get circumcised according to the custom of Moses, YOU cannot be saved.” 2 But when there had occurred no little dissension and disputing by Paul and Bar´na·bas with them, they arranged for Paul and Bar´na·bas and some others of them to go up to the apostles and older men in Jerusalem regarding this dispute.
3 Accordingly, after being conducted partway by the congregation, these men continued on their way through both Phoe·ni´cia and Sa·mar´i·a, relating in detail the conversion of people of the nations, and they were causing great joy to all the brothers. 4 On arriving in Jerusalem they were kindly received by the congregation and the apostles and the older men, and they recounted the many things God had done by means of them. 5 Yet, some of those of the sect of the Pharisees that had believed rose up from their seats and said: “It is necessary to circumcise them and charge them to observe the law of Moses.”
6 And the apostles and the older men gathered together to see about this affair. 7 Now when much disputing had taken place, Peter rose and said to them: “Men, brothers, YOU well know that from early days God made the choice among YOU that through my mouth people of the nations should hear the word of the good news and believe; 8 and God, who knows the heart, bore witness by giving them the holy spirit, just as he did to us also. 9 And he made no distinction at all between us and them, but purified their hearts by faith. 10 Now, therefore, why are YOU making a test of God by imposing upon the neck of the disciples a yoke that neither our forefathers nor we were capable of bearing? 11 On the contrary, we trust to get saved through the undeserved kindness of the Lord Jesus in the same way as those people also.”
12 At that the entire multitude became silent, and they began to listen to Bar´na·bas and Paul relate the many signs and portents that God did through them among the nations. 13 After they quit speaking, James answered, saying: “Men, brothers, hear me. 14 Sym´e·on has related thoroughly how God for the first time turned his attention to the nations to take out of them a people for his name. 15 And with this the words of the Prophets agree, just as it is written, 16 ‘After these things I shall return and rebuild the booth of David that is fallen down; and I shall rebuild its ruins and erect it again, 17 in order that those who remain of the men may earnestly seek Jehovah, together with people of all the nations, people who are called by my name, says Jehovah, who is doing these things, 18 known from of old.’ 19 Hence my decision is not to trouble those from the nations who are turning to God, 20 but to write them to abstain from things polluted by idols and from fornication and from what is strangled and from blood. 21 For from ancient times Moses has had in city after city those who preach him, because he is read aloud in the synagogues on every sabbath.”
22 Then the apostles and the older men together with the whole congregation favored sending chosen men from among them to Antioch along with Paul and Bar´na·bas, namely, Judas who was called Bar´sab·bas and Silas, leading men among the brothers; 23 and by their hand they wrote:
“The apostles and the older men, brothers, to those brothers in Antioch and Syria and Ci·li´cia who are from the nations: Greetings! 24 Since we have heard that some from among us have caused YOU trouble with speeches, trying to subvert YOUR souls, although we did not give them any instructions, 25 we have come to a unanimous accord and have favored choosing men to send to YOU together with our loved ones, Bar´na·bas and Paul, 26 men that have delivered up their souls for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 27 We are therefore dispatching Judas and Silas, that they also may report the same things by word. 28 For the holy spirit and we ourselves have favored adding no further burden to YOU, except these necessary things, 29 to keep abstaining from things sacrificed to idols and from blood and from things strangled and from fornication. If YOU carefully keep yourselves from these things, YOU will prosper. Good health to YOU!”
30 Accordingly, when these men were let go, they went down to Antioch, and they gathered the multitude together and handed them the letter. 31 After reading it, they rejoiced over the encouragement. 32 And Judas and Silas, since they themselves were also prophets, encouraged the brothers with many a discourse and strengthened them. 33 So, when they had passed some time, they were let go in peace by the brothers to those who had sent them out. 34 —— 35 However, Paul and Bar´na·bas continued spending time in Antioch teaching and declaring, with many others also, the good news of the word of Jehovah.
36 Now after some days Paul said to Bar´na·bas: “Above all things, let us return and visit the brothers in every one of the cities in which we published the word of Jehovah to see how they are.” 37 For his part, Bar´na·bas was determined to take along also John, who was called Mark. 38 But Paul did not think it proper to be taking this one along with them, seeing that he had departed from them from Pam·phyl´i·a and had not gone with them to the work. 39 At this there occurred a sharp burst of anger, so that they separated from each other; and Bar´na·bas took Mark along and sailed away to Cy´prus. 40 Paul selected Silas and went off after he had been entrusted by the brothers to the undeserved kindness of Jehovah. 41 But he went through Syria and Ci·li´cia, strengthening the congregations.
Acts 16:1-40
1 So he arrived at Der´be and also at Lys´tra. And, look! a certain disciple was there by the name of Timothy, the son of a believing Jewish woman but of a Greek father, 2 and he was well reported on by the brothers in Lys´tra and I·co´ni·um. 3 Paul expressed the desire for this man to go out with him, and he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews that were in those places, for one and all knew that his father was a Greek. 4 Now as they traveled on through the cities they would deliver to those there for observance the decrees that had been decided upon by the apostles and older men who were in Jerusalem. 5 Therefore, indeed, the congregations continued to be made firm in the faith and to increase in number from day to day.
6 Moreover, they went through Phryg´i·a and the country of Ga·la´ti·a, because they were forbidden by the holy spirit to speak the word in the [district of] Asia. 7 Further, when getting down to Mys´i·a they made efforts to go into Bi·thyn´i·a, but the spirit of Jesus did not permit them. 8 So they passed Mys´i·a by and came down to Tro´as. 9 And during the night a vision appeared to Paul: a certain Mac·e·do´ni·an man was standing and entreating him and saying: “Step over into Mac·e·do´ni·a and help us.” 10 Now as soon as he had seen the vision, we sought to go forth into Mac·e·do´ni·a, drawing the conclusion that God had summoned us to declare the good news to them.
11 Therefore we put out to sea from Tro´as and came with a straight run to Sam´o·thrace, but on the following day to Ne·ap´o·lis, 12 and from there to Phi·lip´pi, a colony, which is the principal city of the district of Mac·e·do´ni·a. We continued in this city, spending some days. 13 And on the sabbath day we went forth outside the gate beside a river, where we were thinking there was a place of prayer; and we sat down and began speaking to the women that had assembled. 14 And a certain woman named Lyd´i·a, a seller of purple, of the city of Thy·a·ti´ra and a worshiper of God, was listening, and Jehovah opened her heart wide to pay attention to the things being spoken by Paul. 15 Now when she and her household got baptized, she said with entreaty: “If YOU men have judged me to be faithful to Jehovah, enter into my house and stay.” And she just made us come.
16 And it happened that as we were going to the place of prayer, a certain servant girl with a spirit, a demon of divination, met us. She used to furnish her masters with much gain by practicing the art of prediction. 17 This [girl] kept following Paul and us and crying out with the words: “These men are slaves of the Most High God, who are publishing to YOU the way of salvation.” 18 This she kept doing for many days. Finally Paul got tired of it and turned and said to the spirit: “I order you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And it came out that very hour.
19 Well, when her masters saw that their hope of gain had left, they laid hold of Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace to the rulers, 20 and, leading them up to the civil magistrates, they said: “These men are disturbing our city very much, they being Jews, 21 and they are publishing customs that it is not lawful for us to take up or practice, seeing we are Romans.” 22 And the crowd rose up together against them; and the civil magistrates, after tearing the outer garments off them, gave the command to beat them with rods. 23 After they had inflicted many blows upon them, they threw them into prison, ordering the jailer to keep them securely. 24 Because he got such an order, he threw them into the inner prison and made their feet fast in the stocks.
25 But about the middle of the night Paul and Silas were praying and praising God with song; yes, the prisoners were hearing them. 26 Suddenly a great earthquake occurred, so that the foundations of the jail were shaken. Moreover, all the doors were instantly opened, and the bonds of all were loosened. 27 The jailer, being awakened out of sleep and seeing the prison doors were open, drew his sword and was about to do away with himself, imagining that the prisoners had escaped. 28 But Paul called out with a loud voice, saying: “Do not hurt yourself, for we are all here!” 29 So he asked for lights and leaped in and, seized with trembling, he fell down before Paul and Silas. 30 And he brought them outside and said: “Sirs, what must I do to get saved?” 31 They said: “Believe on the Lord Jesus and you will get saved, you and your household.” 32 And they spoke the word of Jehovah to him together with all those in his house. 33 And he took them along in that hour of the night and bathed their stripes; and, one and all, he and his were baptized without delay. 34 And he brought them into his house and set a table before them, and he rejoiced greatly with all his household now that he had believed God.
35 When it became day, the civil magistrates dispatched the constables to say: “Release those men.” 36 So the jailer reported their words to Paul: “The civil magistrates have dispatched men that YOU [two] might be released. Now, therefore, come out and go YOUR way in peace.” 37 But Paul said to them: “They flogged us publicly uncondemned, men who are Romans, and threw us into prison; and are they now throwing us out secretly? No, indeed! but let them come themselves and bring us out.” 38 So the constables reported these sayings to the civil magistrates. These grew fearful when they heard that the men were Romans. 39 Consequently they came and entreated them and, after bringing them out, they requested them to depart from the city. 40 But they came out of the prison and went to the home of Lyd´i·a, and when they saw the brothers they encouraged them and departed.
Acts 17:1-34
1 They now journeyed through Am·phip´o·lis and Ap·ol·lo´ni·a and came to Thes·sa·lo·ni´ca, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. 2 So according to Paul’s custom he went inside to them, and for three sabbaths he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, 3 explaining and proving by references that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead, and [saying]: “This is the Christ, this Jesus whom I am publishing to YOU.” 4 As a result some of them became believers and associated themselves with Paul and Silas, and a great multitude of the Greeks who worshiped [God] and not a few of the principal women did so.
5 But the Jews, getting jealous, took into their company certain wicked men of the marketplace idlers and formed a mob and proceeded to throw the city into an uproar. And they assaulted the house of Ja´son and went seeking to have them brought forth to the rabble. 6 When they did not find them they dragged Ja´son and certain brothers to the city rulers, crying out: “These men that have overturned the inhabited earth are present here also, 7 and Ja´son has received them with hospitality. And all these [men] act in opposition to the decrees of Caesar, saying there is another king, Jesus.” 8 They indeed agitated the crowd and the city rulers when they heard these things; 9 and first after taking sufficient security from Ja´son and the others they let them go.
10 Immediately by night the brothers sent both Paul and Silas out to Be·roe´a, and these, upon arriving, went into the synagogue of the Jews. 11 Now the latter were more noble-minded than those in Thes·sa·lo·ni´ca, for they received the word with the greatest eagerness of mind, carefully examining the Scriptures daily as to whether these things were so. 12 Therefore many of them became believers, and so did not a few of the reputable Greek women and of the men. 13 But when the Jews from Thes·sa·lo·ni´ca learned that the word of God was published also in Be·roe´a by Paul, they came there also to incite and agitate the masses. 14 Then the brothers immediately sent Paul off to go as far as the sea; but both Silas and Timothy remained behind there. 15 However, those conducting Paul brought him as far as Athens and, after receiving a command for Silas and Timothy to come to him as quickly as possible, they departed.
16 Now while Paul was waiting for them in Athens, his spirit within him came to be irritated at beholding that the city was full of idols. 17 Consequently he began to reason in the synagogue with the Jews and the other people who worshiped [God] and every day in the marketplace with those who happened to be on hand. 18 But certain ones of both the Ep·i·cu·re´an and the Sto´ic philosophers took to conversing with him controversially, and some would say: “What is it this chatterer would like to tell?” Others: “He seems to be a publisher of foreign deities.” This was because he was declaring the good news of Jesus and the resurrection. 19 So they laid hold of him and led him to the Ar·e·op´a·gus, saying: “Can we get to know what this new teaching is which is spoken by you? 20 For you are introducing some things that are strange to our ears. Therefore we desire to get to know what these things purport to be.” 21 In fact, all Athenians and the foreigners sojourning there would spend their leisure time at nothing but telling something or listening to something new. 22 Paul now stood in the midst of the Ar·e·op´a·gus and said:
“Men of Athens, I behold that in all things YOU seem to be more given to the fear of the deities than others are. 23 For instance, while passing along and carefully observing YOUR objects of veneration I also found an altar on which had been inscribed ‘To an Unknown God.’ Therefore what YOU are unknowingly giving godly devotion to, this I am publishing to YOU. 24 The God that made the world and all the things in it, being, as this One is, Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in handmade temples, 25 neither is he attended to by human hands as if he needed anything, because he himself gives to all [persons] life and breath and all things. 26 And he made out of one [man] every nation of men, to dwell upon the entire surface of the earth, and he decreed the appointed times and the set limits of the dwelling of [men], 27 for them to seek God, if they might grope for him and really find him, although, in fact, he is not far off from each one of us. 28 For by him we have life and move and exist, even as certain ones of the poets among YOU have said, ‘For we are also his progeny.’
29 “Seeing, therefore, that we are the progeny of God, we ought not to imagine that the Divine Being is like gold or silver or stone, like something sculptured by the art and contrivance of man. 30 True, God has overlooked the times of such ignorance, yet now he is telling mankind that they should all everywhere repent. 31 Because he has set a day in which he purposes to judge the inhabited earth in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed, and he has furnished a guarantee to all men in that he has resurrected him from the dead.”
32 Well, when they heard of a resurrection of the dead, some began to mock, while others said: “We will hear you about this even another time.” 33 Thus Paul went out from their midst, 34 but some men joined themselves to him and became believers, among whom also were Di·o·nys´i·us, a judge of the court of the Ar·e·op´a·gus, and a woman named Dam´a·ris, and others besides them.