| Berean Study Bible | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1When they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue. | 1Then they traveled through Amphipolis and Apollonia and came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue. |
| 2As was his custom, Paul went into the synagogue, and on three Sabbaths he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, | 2As usual, Paul went to the synagogue, and on three Sabbath days reasoned with them from the Scriptures, |
| 3explaining and proving that the Christ had to suffer and rise from the dead. “This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Christ,” he declared. | 3explaining and showing that the Messiah had to suffer and rise from the dead: "This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Messiah." |
| 4Some of the Jews were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, along with a large number of God-fearing Greeks and quite a few leading women. | 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. |
| 5The Jews, however, became jealous. So they brought in some troublemakers from the marketplace, formed a mob, and sent the city into an uproar. They raided Jason’s house in search of Paul and Silas, hoping to bring them out to the people. | 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. |
| 6But when they could not find them, they dragged Jason and some other brothers before the city officials, shouting, “These men who have turned the world upside down have now come here, | 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, |
| 7and Jason has welcomed them into his home. They are all defying Caesar’s decrees, saying that there is another king, named Jesus!” | 7and Jason has received them as guests! They are all acting contrary to Caesar's decrees, saying that there is another king--Jesus!" |
| 8On hearing this, the crowd and city officials were greatly disturbed. | 8The Jews stirred up the crowd and the city officials who heard these things. |
| 9And they collected bond from Jason and the others, and then released them. | 9So taking a security bond from Jason and the others, they released them. |
| 10As soon as night had fallen, the brothers sent Paul and Silas away to Berea. On arriving there, they went into the Jewish synagogue. | 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. |
| 11Now the Bereans were more noble-minded than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if these teachings were true. | 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. |
| 12As a result, many of them believed, along with quite a few prominent Greek women and men. | 12Consequently, many of them believed, including a number of the prominent Greek women as well as men. |
| 13But when the Jews from Thessalonica learned that Paul was also proclaiming the word of God in Berea, they went there themselves to incite and agitate the crowds. | 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. |
| 14The brothers immediately sent Paul to the coast, but Silas and Timothy remained in Berea. | 14Then the brothers immediately sent Paul away to go to the sea, but Silas and Timothy stayed on there. |
| 15Those who escorted Paul brought him to Athens and then returned with instructions for Silas and Timothy to join him as soon as possible. | 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. |
| 16While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was deeply disturbed in his spirit to see that the city was full of idols. | 16While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, his spirit was troubled within him when he saw that the city was full of idols. |
| 17So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and God-fearing Gentiles, and in the marketplace with those he met each day. | 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. |
| 18Some Epicurean and Stoic philosophers also began to debate with him. Some of them asked, “What is this babbler trying to say?” Others said, “He seems to be advocating foreign gods.” They said this because Paul was proclaiming the good news of Jesus and the resurrection. | 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. |
| 19So they took Paul and brought him to the Areopagus, where they asked him, “May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting? | 19They took him and brought him to the Areopagus, and said, "May we learn about this new teaching you're speaking of? |
| 20For you are bringing some strange notions to our ears, and we want to know what they mean.” | 20For what you say sounds strange to us, and we want to know what these ideas mean." |
| 21Now all the Athenians and foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing more than hearing and articulating new ideas. | 21Now all the Athenians and the foreigners residing there spent their time on nothing else but telling or hearing something new. |
| 22Then Paul stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said, “Men of Athens, I see that in every way you are very religious. | 22Then Paul stood in the middle of the Areopagus and said: "Men of Athens! I see that you are extremely religious in every respect. |
| 23For as I walked around and examined your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. Therefore what you worship as something unknown, I now proclaim to you. | 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. |
| 24The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples made by human hands. | 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. |
| 25Nor is He served by human hands, as if He needed anything, because He Himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else. | 25Neither is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives everyone life and breath and all things. |
| 26From one man He made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and He determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their lands. | 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. |
| 27God intended that they would seek Him and perhaps reach out for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us. | 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. |
| 28‘For in Him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are His offspring.’ | 28For in Him we live and move and exist, as even some of your own poets have said, 'For we are also His offspring.' |
| 29Therefore, being offspring of God, we should not think that the Divine Being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by man’s skill and imagination. | 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." |
| 30Although God overlooked the ignorance of earlier times, He now commands all people everywhere to repent. | 30Therefore, having overlooked the times of ignorance, God now commands all people everywhere to repent, |
| 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.” | 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." |
| 32When they heard about the resurrection of the dead, some began to mock him, but others said, “We want to hear you again on this topic.” | 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." |
| 33At that, Paul left the Areopagus. | 33Then Paul left their presence. |
| 34But some joined him and believed, including Dionysius the Areopagite, a woman named Damaris, and others who were with them. | 34However, some men joined him and believed, including Dionysius the Areopagite, a woman named Damaris, and others with them. |
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