In
Thessalonica
When
they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia,
They
came to Thessalonica,
Where
there was a Jewish Synagogue.
2
As his Custom was,
Paul
went into the Synagogue,
And
on three Sabbath days
He
reasoned with them from the Scriptures,
Explaining
and Proving
That
the Christ had to Suffer and Rise from the Dead.
'THIS
JESUS I AM PROCLAIMING TO YOU IS THE CHRIST,'
He
said.
4
Some of the Jews were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas,
As
did a large number of God-fearing Greeks
And
not a few Prominent women.
5
BUT THE 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.
6
But when they did not find them,
they
Dragged Jason and some other Brothers
Before
the City Officials, shouting:
'THESE
MEN WHO HAVE CAUSE TROUBLE ALL OVER THE WORLD
HAVE
NOW COME HERE,
7
AND JASON HAS WELCOMED THEM INTO HIS HOUSE.
THEY
ARE DEFYING CAESAR'S DECREES,
SAYING
THAT THERE IS ANOTHER KING,
ONE
CALLED JESUS.'
8
When they heard this,
The
Crowd and the City Officials were thrown into Turmoil.
9
Then they made Jason and the others Post Bond
And
let them go.
In
Berea
10
As soon as it was night,
the
Brothers sent Paul and Silas away to Berea.
On
arriving there,
They
went to the Jewish Synagogue.
11
Now the Bereans were of more Noble Character
Than
the Thessalonians,
For
they received the Message with Great Eagerness
AND
EXAMINED THE SCRIPTURES EVERY DAY
TO
SEE IF WHAT PAUL SAID WAS TRUE.
12
MANY OF THE JEWS BELEIVED,
AS
DID ALSO A NUMBER OF PROMINENT GREEK WOMEN
AND
MANY GREEK MEN.
13
When the Jews in Thessalonica learned
That
Paul was Preaching the Word of God at Berea,
They
went there too,
Agitating
the Crowds and Stirring them up.
14
The Brothers immediately sent Paul to the coast,
But
Silas and Timothy stayed at Berea.
15
The men who accompanied Paul
Brought
him to Athens
And
then left with Instructions for Silas and Timothy
to
join him as soon as possible.
In
Athens
16
While Paul was waiting for them in Athens,
He
was greatly Distressed to see
That
the City was full of Idols.
17
So he reasoned in the Synagogue
With
the Jews and the God-fearing Greeks,
As
well as in the Marketplace day by day
With
those who happened to be there.
18
A group of Epicurean and Stoic Philosophers
Began
to dispute with him.
Some
of them asked,
'WHAT
IS THIS BLABBLER 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.
19
Then 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?
20
YOU ARE BRINGING SOME STRANGE IDEAS
TO
OUR EARS,
AND
WE WANT TO KNOW WHAT THEY MEAN.'
21
(All the Athenians and Foreigners who lived there
Spent
their time doing nothing
But
talking about and listening to the latest ideas.)
22
Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said:
'MEN
OF ATHENS!
IS
SEE THAT IN EVERY WAY YOU ARE VERY RELIGIOUS.
23
For as I walked around and observed your objects of worship,
I
even found and Altar with this Inscription:
TO
AN UNKNOWN GOD.
NOW
WHAT YOU WORSHIP AS SOMETHING UNKNOWN
I
AM GOING TO PROCLAIM TO YOU.
24
THE GOD WHO MADE THE WORLD
AND
EVRYTHING IN IT IS THE LORD OF HEAVEN AND EARTH
AND
DOES NOT LIVE IN TEMPLES BUILT BY HANDS.
25
AND HE IS NOT SEVED BY HUMAN HANDS,
AS
IF HE NEEDED ANYTHING,
BECAUSE
HE HIMSELF GIVES ALL MEN LIFE AND BREATH
AND
EVERYTHING ELSE.
26
FROM ONE MAN HE MADE EVERY NATION OF MEN,
THAT
THEY SHOUD INHABIT THE WHOLE EARTH;
AND
HE DETERMINED THE TIMES SET FOR THEM
AND
THE EXACT PLACES WHERE THEY SHOULD LIVE.
27
GOD DID THIS SO THAT MEN WOULD SEEK HIM
AND
PERHAPS REACH OUT 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.'
29
'THEREFORE SINCE WE ARE GOD'SOFFSPRING,
WE
SHOULD NOT THINK THAT THE DIVINE BEING
IS
LIKE GOLD OR SILVER OR STONE--
AND
IMAGE MADE BY MAN'S DESIGN AND SKILL.
30
IN THE PAST GOD OVERLOOKED SUCH IGNORANCE,
BUT
NOW HE COMMANDS ALL PEOPLE EVERYWHERE
TO
REPENT.
31
FOR HE HAS SET A DAY
WHEN
HE WILL JUDGE THE WORLD WITH JUSITCE
BY
THE MAN HE HAS APPOINTED.
HE
HAS GIVEN PROOF OF THIS TO ALL MEN
BY
RASING HIM FROM THE DEAD.'
32
When they heard about the Resurrection of the dead,
Some
of them Sneered,
But
others said,
WE
WANT TO HEAR YOU AGAIN ON THIS SUBJECT.'
33
At that Paul left the Council.
34
A few men 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.
(Acts
17)
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