1 After passing 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 was a synagogue of the Jews:

2 According to his custom, Paul went in to them, and for three Sabbaths he reasoned with them from the Scriptures.

And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures,

3 He explained and presented evidence that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead, saying, 'This Jesus, whom I proclaim to you, is the Christ.'

Opening and alleging, that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead; and that this Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ.

4 Some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, along with a large number of devout Greeks and a considerable number of prominent women.

And some of them believed, and consorted with Paul and Silas; and of the devout Greeks a great multitude, and of the chief women not a few.

5 But the Jews, becoming jealous, gathered some wicked men from the marketplace, formed a mob, and caused an uproar in the city. They attacked Jason's house, seeking to bring Paul and Silas out to the assembly.

But the Jews which believed not, moved with envy, took unto them certain lewd fellows of the baser sort, and gathered a company, and set all the city on an uproar, and assaulted the house of Jason, and sought to bring them out to the people.

6 When they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some other believers before the city rulers, shouting, 'These men who have turned the world upside down have now come here too.'

And when they found them not, they drew Jason and certain brethren unto the rulers of the city, crying, These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also;

7 And Jason has welcomed them. They are all acting contrary to Caesar's decrees, saying that there is another king—Jesus.

Whom Jason hath received: and these all do contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, one Jesus.

8 They stirred up the crowd and the city rulers as they heard these things.

And they troubled the people and the rulers of the city, when they heard these things.

9 After receiving a pledge from Jason and the others, they released them.

And when they had taken security of Jason, and of the other, they let them go.

10 Immediately, the brothers sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea. Upon arriving, they went into the synagogue of the Jews.

And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews.

11 The Bereans were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.

These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.

12 As a result, many of them believed, along with a number of prominent Greek women and men.

Therefore many of them believed; also of honourable women which were Greeks, and of men, not a few.

13 But when the Jews from Thessalonica learned that Paul was preaching the Word of God in Berea as well, they came there too, agitating and stirring up the crowds.

But when the Jews of Thessalonica had knowledge that the word of God was preached of Paul at Berea, they came thither also, and stirred up the people.

14 Immediately, the brothers sent Paul away to go to the sea, but Silas and Timothy remained there.

And then immediately the brethren sent away Paul to go as it were to the sea: but Silas and Timotheus abode there still.

15 Those who escorted Paul brought him as far as Athens, and after receiving instructions for Silas and Timothy to join him as soon as possible, they departed.

And they that conducted Paul brought him unto Athens: and receiving a commandment unto Silas and Timotheus for to come to him with all speed, they departed.

16 While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, his spirit was deeply troubled as he observed the city full of idols.

Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was stirred in him, when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry.

17 So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the devout people, and every day in the marketplace with those who happened to be there.

Therefore disputed he in the synagogue with the Jews, and with the devout persons, and in the market daily with them that met with him.

18 Some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers also debated with him. Some said, 'What is this babbler trying to say?' Others remarked, 'He seems to be a proclaimer of foreign gods,' because he was preaching about Jesus and the resurrection.

Then certain philosophers of the Epicureans, and of the Stoicks, encountered him. And some said, What will this babbler say? other some, He seemeth to be a setter forth of strange gods: because he preached unto them Jesus, and the resurrection.

19 They took hold of him and brought him to the Areopagus, saying, 'May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting?

And they took him, and brought him unto Areopagus, saying, May we know what this new doctrine, whereof thou speakest, is?

20 For you bring some strange ideas to our ears, and we want to know what they mean.

For thou bringest certain strange things to our ears: we would know therefore what these things mean.

21 (All the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing but talking about and listening to the latest ideas.)

For all the Athenians and strangers which were there spent their time in nothing else, but either to tell, or to hear some new thing.)

22 Paul then stood up in the middle of the Areopagus and said, 'Men of Athens, I see that in every way you are very religious.

Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars' hill, and said, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious.

23 As I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. So, you are worshiping in ignorance the very one I proclaim to you.

For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you.

24 The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by human hands.

God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands;

25 Nor is he served by human hands as if he needed anything, since he himself gives everyone life, breath, and everything else.

Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;

26 From one man, he made every nation of mankind to live on the entire face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation.

And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;

27 He did this so that they would seek the Lord, if perhaps they might feel their way toward him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us.

That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:

28 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.'

For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.

29 Therefore, since we are God's offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold, silver, or stone—an image formed by human skill and imagination.

Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device.

30 In the past, God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent.

And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:

31 For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising him from the dead.

Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.

32 When they heard about the resurrection of the dead, some began to mock, but others said, 'We want to hear you again on this matter.'

And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked: and others said, We will hear thee again of this matter.

33 At that, Paul left the assembly.

So Paul departed from among them.

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

Howbeit certain men clave unto him, and believed: among the which was Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris, and others with them.