The Uproar in Thessalonica

1Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. 2And according to his custom Paul went in among them, and for three sabbath-days discoursed to them from the scriptures; 3opening them and shewing, that the Messiah was to suffer and rise again from the dead: and that this is the Christ even, Jesus, whom, said he, I preach unto you. 4And some of them believed and joined themselves to Paul and Silas, and a great number of the devout Greeks, and of the women of distinction not a few.

5But the unbelieving Jews being filled with envy, collected some loose profligate fellows, and making a tumult set all the city in an uproar: and assaulting Jason's house, they sought for them in order to bring them out to the populace. 6But not finding them, they dragged Jason and some of the brethren to the rulers of the city, crying out, these men that have turned the world upside down, 7are come hither also, and Jason has privately received them. And they all act contrary to the decrees of Cesar, saying, there is another king, one Jesus. 8And they alarmed the people, and the rulers of the city upon hearing these things: 9but they taking security of Jason and the rest, let them go.

The Character of the Bereans

10And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night to Berea: who, when they were come thither, went into the synagogue of the Jews. 11These were more ingenuous than those at Thessalonica; for they received the word with all readiness of mind, searching the scriptures daily, whether these things were so. 12And therefore many of them believed: and of the Grecian women of quality, and of men likewise not a few. 13But when the Jews of Thessalonica knew that the word of God was preached by Paul at Berea, they came thither also, to stir up the people. 14Then the brethren immediately sent away Paul towards the sea: but Silas and Timothy remained there. 15And they that conducted Paul attended him to Athens: and receiving an order to Silas and Timothy, to come to him as soon as possible, they departed.

Paul in Athens

16Now while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his Spirit was greatly moved, when he saw the city wholly given up to idolatry. 17He therefore disputed in the synagogue with the Jews and other devout persons on the sabbath-day, and with whomsoever he met in public every day. 18But some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers encountered him; and some said, What would this babler say? and others, He seemeth to be a proclaimer of foreign deities: because he preached to them Jesus and the resurrection. 19And they took and brought him to the Areopagus, and said, May we know what this new doctrine is, of which thou speakest? 20For thou bringest strange things to our ears; we would therefore know what these things mean. 21(Now all the Athenians, and strangers sojourning among them, spent their time in nothing else, but to tell or to hear something new.)

Paul’s Address in the Areopagus

22Then Paul stood up in the midst of the Areopagus and said, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that you are indeed over-much religious: 23for as I was passing along, and looking at what ye worshipped, I found an altar on which there was inscribed, "To the unknown God." Whom therefore ye worship unknown, Him do I declare unto you. 24The God that made the world and all things therein, being lord of heaven and earth dwelleth not in temples made with hands: 25nor is He served by the hands of men, as needing any thing: for He giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; 26and hath made of one blood every nation of men to dwell upon all the face of the earth, having determined the seasons before-appointed them, and the bounds of their habitation; 27that they might seek the Lord, if possibly they might trace Him, and find Him: though indeed He is not far from every one of us. 28For in Him we live and move, and exist; as some also of your own poets have said, "For we his offspring are." 29Being then the offspring of God, we ought not to imagine that the Deity is like to gold, or silver, or stone, carved by the art and device of man. 30Wherefore though God overlooked the times of this ignorance, He now requireth all men every where to repent. 31Because He hath fixed a day, in which He will judge the world in righteousness, by that man whom He hath appointed thereto; having given assurance of it to all men, by raising Him from the dead.

32And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some laughed at it: and others said, We will hear thee again concerning this matter. 33So Paul went out of the assembly. 34Some however adhered to him, and believed: among whom was Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris, and others with them.