International Standard Version

King James Bible

1Paul and Silas traveled through Amphipolis and Apollonia and came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue.

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

2As usual, Paul entered there and on three Sabbaths discussed the Scriptures with them.

2And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures,

3He explained and showed them that the Messiah had to suffer and rise from the dead: "This very Jesus whom I proclaim to you is the Messiah."

3Opening 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.

4Some of them were persuaded and began to be associated with Paul and Silas, especially a large crowd of devout Greeks and the wives of many prominent men.

4And 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.

5But the Jewish leaders became jealous, and they took some contemptible characters who used to hang out in the public square, formed a mob, and started a riot in the city. They attacked Jason's home and searched it for Paul and Silas in order to bring them out to the people.

5But 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.

6When they didn't find them, they dragged Jason and some other brothers before the city officials and shouted, "These fellows who have turned the world upside down have come here, too,

6And 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;

7and Jason has welcomed them as his guests. All of them oppose the emperor's decrees by saying that there is another king—Jesus!"

7Whom Jason hath received: and these all do contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, one Jesus.

8The crowd and the city officials were upset when they heard this,

8And they troubled the people and the rulers of the city, when they heard these things.

9but after they had gotten a bond from Jason and the others, they let them go.

9And when they had taken security of Jason, and of the other, they let them go.

10That night the brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away to Berea. When they arrived, they went into the Jewish synagogue.

10And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews.

11These people were more receptive than those in Thessalonica. They were very willing to receive the message, and every day they carefully examined the Scriptures to see if those things were so.

11These 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.

12Many of them believed, including a large number of prominent Greek women and men.

12Therefore many of them believed; also of honourable women which were Greeks, and of men, not a few.

13But when the Jewish leaders in Thessalonica found out that the word of God had been proclaimed by Paul also in Berea, they went there to upset and incite the crowds.

13But 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.

14Then the brothers immediately sent Paul away to the coast, but Silas and Timothy stayed there.

14And then immediately the brethren sent away Paul to go as it were to the sea: but Silas and Timotheus abode there still.

15The men who escorted Paul took him all the way to Athens and, after receiving instructions to have Silas and Timothy join him as soon as possible, they left.

15And 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.

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

16Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was stirred in him, when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry.

17So he began holding discussions in the synagogue with the Jews and other worshipers, as well as every day in the public square with anyone who happened to be there.

17Therefore disputed he in the synagogue with the Jews, and with the devout persons, and in the market daily with them that met with him.

18Some Epicurean and Stoic philosophers also debated with him. Some asked, "What is this blabbermouth trying to say?" while others said, "He seems to be preaching about foreign gods." This was because Paul was telling the good news about Jesus and the resurrection.

18Then 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.

19Then they took him, brought him before the Areopagus, and asked, "May we know what this new teaching of yours is?

19And they took him, and brought him unto Areopagus, saying, May we know what this new doctrine, whereof thou speakest, is?

20It sounds rather strange to our ears, and we would like to know what it means."

20For thou bringest certain strange things to our ears: we would know therefore what these things mean.

21Now all the Athenians and the foreigners living there used to spend their time doing nothing else other than listening to the latest ideas or repeating them.

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.)

22So Paul stood up in front of the Areopagus and said, "Men of Athens, I see that you are very religious in every way.

22Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars' hill, and said, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious.

23For as I was walking around and looking closely at the objects you worship, I even found an altar with this written on it: 'To an unknown god.' So I am telling you about the unknown object you worship.

23For 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.

24The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth. He doesn't live in shrines made by human hands,

24God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands;

25and he isn't served by people as if he needed anything. He himself gives everyone life, breath, and everything else.

25Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;

26From one man he made every nation of humanity to live all over the earth, fixing the seasons of the year and the national boundaries within which they live,

26And 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;

27so that they might look for God, somehow reach for him, and find him. Of course, he is never far from any one of us.

27That 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:

28For we live, move, and exist because of him, as some of your own poets have said: '…Since we are his children, too.'

28For 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.

29So if we are God's children, we shouldn't think that the divine being is like gold, silver, or stone, or is an image carved by humans using their own imagination and skill.

29Forasmuch 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.

30Though God has overlooked those times of ignorance, he now commands everyone everywhere to repent,

30And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:

31because he has set a day when he is going to judge the world with justice through a man whom he has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising him from the dead."

31Because 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.

32When they heard about a resurrection of the dead, some began joking about it, while others said, "We will hear you again about this."

32And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked: and others said, We will hear thee again of this matter.

33And so Paul left the meeting.

33So Paul departed from among them.

34Some men joined him and became believers. With them were Dionysius, who was a member of the Areopagus, a woman named Damaris, and some others along with them.

34Howbeit certain men clave unto him, and believed: among the which was Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris, and others with them.

The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY.

King James Bible, text courtesy of BibleProtector.com.