Berean Study Bible

New American Standard Bible 1995

1When they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue.

1Now when they had traveled through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews.

2As was his custom, Paul went into the synagogue, and on three Sabbaths he reasoned with them from the Scriptures,

2And according to Paul's custom, he went to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures,

3explaining and proving that the Christ had to suffer and rise from the dead. “This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Christ,” he declared.

3explaining 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."

4Some of the Jews were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, along with a large number of God-fearing Greeks and quite a few leading women.

4And 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.

5The Jews, however, became jealous. So they brought in some troublemakers from the marketplace, formed a mob, and sent the city into an uproar. They raided Jason’s house in search of Paul and Silas, hoping to bring them out to the people.

5But 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.

6But when they could not find them, they dragged Jason and some other brothers before the city officials, shouting, “These men who have turned the world upside down have now come here,

6When 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;

7and Jason has welcomed them into his home. They are all defying Caesar’s decrees, saying that there is another king, named Jesus!”

7and Jason has welcomed them, and they all act contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus."

8On hearing this, the crowd and city officials were greatly disturbed.

8They stirred up the crowd and the city authorities who heard these things.

9And they collected bond from Jason and the others, and then released them.

9And when they had received a pledge from Jason and the others, they released them.

10As soon as night had fallen, the brothers sent Paul and Silas away to Berea. On arriving there, they went into the Jewish synagogue.

10The brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews.

11Now the Bereans were more noble-minded than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if these teachings were true.

11Now 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.

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

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

13But when the Jews from Thessalonica learned that Paul was also proclaiming the word of God in Berea, they went there themselves to incite and agitate the crowds.

13But 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.

14The brothers immediately sent Paul to the coast, but Silas and Timothy remained in Berea.

14Then immediately the brethren sent Paul out to go as far as the sea; and Silas and Timothy remained there.

15Those who escorted Paul brought him to Athens and then returned with instructions for Silas and Timothy to join him as soon as possible.

15Now 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.

16While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was deeply disturbed in his spirit to see that the city was full of idols.

16Now while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was being provoked within him as he was observing the city full of idols.

17So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and God-fearing Gentiles, and in the marketplace with those he met each day.

17So 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.

18Some Epicurean and Stoic philosophers also began to debate with him. Some of them asked, “What is this babbler trying to say?” Others said, “He seems to be advocating foreign gods.” They said this because Paul was proclaiming the good news of Jesus and the resurrection.

18And 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.

19So they took Paul and brought him to the Areopagus, where they asked him, “May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting?

19And they took him and brought him to the Areopagus, saying, "May we know what this new teaching is which you are proclaiming?

20For you are bringing some strange notions to our ears, and we want to know what they mean.”

20"For you are bringing some strange things to our ears; so we want to know what these things mean."

21Now all the Athenians and foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing more than hearing and articulating new ideas.

21(Now all the Athenians and the strangers visiting there used to spend their time in nothing other than telling or hearing something new.)

22Then Paul stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said, “Men of Athens, I see that in every way you are very religious.

22So Paul stood in the midst of the Areopagus and said, "Men of Athens, I observe that you are very religious in all respects.

23For as I walked around and examined your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. Therefore what you worship as something unknown, I now proclaim to you.

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.

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

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;

25Nor is He served by human hands, as if He needed anything, because He Himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else.

25nor is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all people life and breath and all things;

26From one man He made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and He determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their lands.

26and 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,

27God intended that they would seek Him and perhaps reach out for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us.

27that 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 have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are His offspring.’

28for in Him we live and move and exist, as even some of your own poets have said, 'For we also are His children.'

29Therefore, being offspring of God, we should not think that the Divine Being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by man’s skill and imagination.

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.

30Although God overlooked the ignorance of earlier times, He now commands all people everywhere to repent.

30"Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent,

31For 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.”

31because 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."

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

32Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some began to sneer, but others said, "We shall hear you again concerning this."

33At that, Paul left the Areopagus.

33So Paul went out of their midst.

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

34But 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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