Jan. 19, 2025

Act 17:1  When Paul and his companions had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue. 

Act 17:2  As was his custom, Paul went into the synagogue, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, 

Act 17:3  explaining 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. 

Act 17:4  Some 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. 

Act 17:5  But 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. 

Act 17:6  But 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, 

Act 17:7  and Jason has welcomed them into his house. They are all defying Caesar's decrees, saying that there is another king, one called Jesus." 

Act 17:8  When they heard this, the crowd and the city officials were thrown into turmoil. 

Act 17:9  Then they made Jason and the others post bond and let them go. 

Paul and Silas in Berea

Act 17:10  As soon as it was night, the believers sent Paul and Silas away to Berea. On arriving there, they went to the Jewish synagogue. 

Act 17:11  Now 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. 

Act 17:12  As a result, many of them believed, as did also a number of prominent Greek women and many Greek men. 

Act 17:13  But 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. 

Act 17:14  The believers immediately sent Paul to the coast, but Silas and Timothy stayed at Berea. 

Act 17:15  Those who escorted Paul brought him to Athens and then left with instructions for Silas and Timothy to join him as soon as possible. 

Paul in Athens

Act 17:16  While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was greatly distressed to see that the city was full of idols. 

Act 17:17  So 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. 

Act 17:18  A 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. 

Act 17:19  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? 

Act 17:20  You are bringing some strange ideas to our ears, and we would like to know what they mean." 

Act 17:21  (All the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing but talking about and listening to the latest ideas.) 

Paul Addresses the Areopagus

Act 17:22  Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: "People of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious. 

Act 17:23  For 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.