Acts 17
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1Then they traveled through Amphipolis and Apollonia and came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue. 1When Paul and his companions had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue.
2As usual, Paul went to the synagogue, and on three Sabbath days reasoned with them from the Scriptures,2As was his custom, Paul went into the synagogue, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures,
3explaining and showing that the Messiah had to suffer and rise from the dead: "This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Messiah."3explaining and proving that the Messiah had to suffer and rise from the dead. "This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Messiah," he said.
4Then some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, including a great number of God-fearing Greeks, as well as a number of the leading women. 4Some of the Jews were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a large number of God-fearing Greeks and quite a few prominent women.
5But the Jews became jealous, and they brought together some scoundrels from the marketplace, formed a mob, and started a riot in the city. Attacking Jason's house, they searched for them to bring them out to the public assembly.5But other Jews were jealous; so they rounded up some bad characters from the marketplace, formed a mob and started a riot in the city. They rushed to Jason's house in search of Paul and Silas in order to bring them out to the crowd.
6When they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some of the brothers before the city officials, shouting, "These men who have turned the world upside down have come here too, 6But when they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some other believers before the city officials, shouting: "These men who have caused trouble all over the world have now come here,
7and Jason has received them as guests! They are all acting contrary to Caesar's decrees, saying that there is another king--Jesus!"7and Jason has welcomed them into his house. They are all defying Caesar's decrees, saying that there is another king, one called Jesus."
8The Jews stirred up the crowd and the city officials who heard these things.8When they heard this, the crowd and the city officials were thrown into turmoil.
9So taking a security bond from Jason and the others, they released them. 9Then they made Jason and the others post bond and let them go.
10As soon as it was night, the brothers sent Paul and Silas off to Berea. On arrival, they went into the synagogue of the Jews. 10As soon as it was night, the believers sent Paul and Silas away to Berea. On arriving there, they went to the Jewish synagogue.
11The people here were more open-minded than those in Thessalonica, since they welcomed the message with eagerness and examined the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so. 11Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.
12Consequently, many of them believed, including a number of the prominent Greek women as well as men. 12As a result, many of them believed, as did also a number of prominent Greek women and many Greek men.
13But when the Jews from Thessalonica found out that God's message had been proclaimed by Paul at Berea, they came there too, agitating and disturbing the crowds. 13But when the Jews in Thessalonica learned that Paul was preaching the word of God at Berea, some of them went there too, agitating the crowds and stirring them up.
14Then the brothers immediately sent Paul away to go to the sea, but Silas and Timothy stayed on there. 14The believers immediately sent Paul to the coast, but Silas and Timothy stayed at Berea.
15Those who escorted Paul brought him as far as Athens, and after receiving instructions for Silas and Timothy to come to him as quickly as possible, they departed. 15Those who escorted Paul brought him to Athens and then left with instructions for Silas and Timothy to join him as soon as possible.
16While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, his spirit was troubled within him when he saw that the city was full of idols. 16While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was greatly distressed to see that the city was full of idols.
17So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and with those who worshiped God and in the marketplace every day with those who happened to be there.17So he reasoned in the synagogue with both Jews and God-fearing Greeks, as well as in the marketplace day by day with those who happened to be there.
18Then also, some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers argued with him. Some said, "What is this pseudo-intellectual trying to say?" Others replied, "He seems to be a preacher of foreign deities"--because he was telling the good news about Jesus and the Resurrection. 18A group of Epicurean and Stoic philosophers began to debate with him. Some of them asked, "What is this babbler trying to say?" Others remarked, "He seems to be advocating foreign gods." They said this because Paul was preaching the good news about Jesus and the resurrection.
19They took him and brought him to the Areopagus, and said, "May we learn about this new teaching you're speaking of?19Then they took him and brought him to a meeting of the Areopagus, where they said to him, "May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting?
20For what you say sounds strange to us, and we want to know what these ideas mean." 20You are bringing some strange ideas to our ears, and we would like to know what they mean."
21Now all the Athenians and the foreigners residing there spent their time on nothing else but telling or hearing something new. 21(All the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing but talking about and listening to the latest ideas.)
22Then Paul stood in the middle of the Areopagus and said: "Men of Athens! I see that you are extremely religious in every respect.22Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: "People of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious.
23For as I was passing through and observing the objects of your worship, I even found an altar on which was inscribed: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. Therefore, what you worship in ignorance, this I proclaim to you. 23For 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 ignorant of the very thing you worship--and this is what I am going to proclaim to you.
24The God who made the world and everything in it--He is Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in shrines made by hands.24"The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands.
25Neither is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives everyone life and breath and all things.25And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else.
26From one man He has made every nationality to live over the whole earth and has determined their appointed times and the boundaries of where they live.26From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands.
27He did this so they might seek God, and perhaps they might reach out and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us.27God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us.
28For in Him we live and move and exist, as even some of your own poets have said, 'For we are also His offspring.'28For in him we live and move and have our being.' As some of your own poets have said, 'We are his offspring.'
29Being God's offspring then, we shouldn't think that the divine nature is like gold or silver or stone, an image fashioned by human art and imagination." 29"Therefore since we are God's offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone--an image made by human design and skill.
30Therefore, having overlooked the times of ignorance, God now commands all people everywhere to repent, 30In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent.
31because He has set a day when He is going to judge the world in righteousness by the Man He has appointed. He has provided proof of this to everyone by raising Him from the dead." 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."
32When they heard about resurrection of the dead, some began to ridicule him. But others said, "We'd like to hear from you again about this." 32When they heard about the resurrection of the dead, some of them sneered, but others said, "We want to hear you again on this subject."
33Then Paul left their presence.33At that, Paul left the Council.
34However, some men joined him and believed, including Dionysius the Areopagite, a woman named Damaris, and others with them. 34Some of the people became followers of Paul and believed. Among them was Dionysius, a member of the Areopagus, also a woman named Damaris, and a number of others.
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Acts 16
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