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1 Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews:
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2 And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures,
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3 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.
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4 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.
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5 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.
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6 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;
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7 Whom Jason hath received: and these all do contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, one Jesus.
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8 And they troubled the people and the rulers of the city, when they heard these things.
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9 And when they had taken security of Jason, and of the other, they let them go.
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10 And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews.
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11 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.
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12 Therefore many of them believed; also of honourable women which were Greeks, and of men, not a few.
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13 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.
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14 And then immediately the brethren sent away Paul to go as it were to the sea: but Silas and Timotheus abode there still.
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15 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.
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16 Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was stirred in him, when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry.
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17 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.
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18 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.
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19 And they took him, and brought him unto Areopagus, saying, May we know what this new doctrine, whereof thou speakest, is?
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20 For thou bringest certain strange things to our ears: we would know therefore what these things mean.
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21 (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.)
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22 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.
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23 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.
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24 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;
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25 Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;
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26 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;
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27 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:
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28 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.
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29 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.
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30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:
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31 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.
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32 And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked: and others said, We will hear thee again of this matter.
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33 So Paul departed from among them.
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34 Howbeit certain men clave unto him, and believed: among the which was Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris, and others with them.
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- 1 Now when they had traveled through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews.
- 2 And according to Paul's custom, he went to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures,
- 3 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 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 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 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 and Jason has welcomed them, and they all act contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus.”
- 8 They stirred up the crowd and the city authorities who heard these things.
- 9 And when they had received a pledge from Jason and the others, they released them.
- 10 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 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 Therefore many of them believed, along with a number of prominent Greek women and men.
- 13 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 Then immediately the brethren sent Paul out to go as far as the sea; and Silas and Timothy remained there.
- 15 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.
- 16 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 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 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 And they took him and brought him to the Areopagus, saying, “May we know what this new teaching is which you are proclaiming?
- 20 “For you are bringing some strange things to our ears; so we want to know what these things mean.”
- 21 (Now all the Athenians and the strangers visiting there used to spend their time in nothing other than telling or hearing something new.)
- 22 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 “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 “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 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 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 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 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 “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 “Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent,
- 31 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 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 So Paul went out of their midst.
- 34 But some men joined him and believed, among whom also were Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris and others with them.
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