| International Standard Version | NET Bible |
| 1Paul and Silas traveled through Amphipolis and Apollonia and came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue. | 1After they traveled through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue. |
| 2As usual, Paul entered there and on three Sabbaths discussed the Scriptures with them. | 2Paul went to the Jews in the synagogue, as he customarily did, and on three Sabbath days he addressed them from 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." | 3explaining and demonstrating that the Christ had to suffer and to rise from the dead, saying, "This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the 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. | 4Some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, along with a large group of God-fearing Greeks and quite a few prominent women. |
| 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 became jealous, and gathering together some worthless men from the rabble in the marketplace, they formed a mob and set the city in an uproar. They attacked Jason's house, trying to find Paul and Silas to bring them out to the assembly. |
| 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, | 6When they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some of the brothers before the city officials, screaming, "These people who have stirred up trouble throughout the world have come here too, |
| 7and Jason has welcomed them as his guests. All of them oppose the emperor's decrees by saying that there is another king—Jesus!" | 7and Jason has welcomed them as guests! They are all acting against Caesar's decrees, saying there is another king named Jesus!" |
| 8The crowd and the city officials were upset when they heard this, | 8They caused confusion among the crowd and the city officials who heard these things. |
| 9but after they had gotten a bond from Jason and the others, they let them go. | 9After the city officials had received bail from Jason and the others, they released them. |
| 10That night the brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away to Berea. When they arrived, they went into the Jewish synagogue. | 10The brothers sent Paul and Silas off to Berea at once, during the night. When they arrived, they went to the Jewish synagogue. |
| 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 Jews were more open-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they eagerly received the message, examining the scriptures carefully every day to see if these things were so. |
| 12Many of them believed, including a large number of prominent Greek women and men. | 12Therefore many of them believed, along with quite a few prominent Greek women and men. |
| 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 from Thessalonica heard that Paul had also proclaimed the word of God in Berea, they came there too, inciting and disturbing the crowds. |
| 14Then the brothers immediately sent Paul away to the coast, but Silas and Timothy stayed there. | 14Then the brothers sent Paul away to the coast at once, but Silas and Timothy remained in Berea. |
| 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. | 15Those who accompanied Paul escorted him as far as Athens, and after receiving an order for Silas and Timothy to come to him as soon as possible, they left. |
| 16While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, his spirit was deeply disturbed to see the city full of idols. | 16While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, his spirit was greatly upset because he saw the city was full of idols. |
| 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. | 17So he was addressing the Jews and the God-fearing Gentiles in the synagogue, and in the marketplace every day those who happened to be there. |
| 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. | 18Also some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers were conversing with him, and some were asking, "What does this foolish babbler want to say?" Others said, "He seems to be a proclaimer of foreign gods." (They said this because he was proclaiming the good news about 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? | 19So they took Paul and brought him to the Areopagus, saying, "May we know what this new teaching is that you are proclaiming? |
| 20It sounds rather strange to our ears, and we would like to know what it means." | 20For you are bringing some surprising things to our ears, so we want to know what they 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(All the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there used to spend their time in nothing else than telling or listening to something new.) |
| 22So Paul stood up in front of the Areopagus and said, "Men of Athens, I see that you are very religious in every way. | 22So Paul stood before the Areopagus and said, "Men of Athens, I see that you are very religious in all respects. |
| 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 went around and observed closely your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: 'To an unknown god.' Therefore what you worship without knowing it, this I proclaim to 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, | 24The God who made the world and everything in it, who is Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by human hands, |
| 25and he isn't served by people as if he needed anything. He himself gives everyone life, breath, and everything else. | 25nor is he served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives life and breath and everything to everyone. |
| 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, | 26From one man he made every nation of the human race to inhabit the entire earth, determining their set times and the fixed limits of the places where they would live, |
| 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. | 27so that they would search for God and perhaps grope around for him and find him, though he is not far from each 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 about and exist, as even some of your own poets have said, 'For we too are 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. | 29So since we are God's offspring, we should not think the deity is like gold or silver or stone, an image made by human skill and imagination. |
| 30Though God has overlooked those times of ignorance, he now commands everyone everywhere to repent, | 30Therefore, although God has overlooked such times of ignorance, he now commands all people everywhere 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 has set a day on which he is going to judge the world in righteousness, by a man whom he designated, having provided proof to everyone by raising 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." | 32Now when they heard about the resurrection from the dead, some began to scoff, but others said, "We will hear you again about this." |
| 33And so Paul left the meeting. | 33So Paul left the Areopagus. |
| 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. | 34But some people joined him and believed. Among them were Dionysius, who was a member of the Areopagus, a woman named Damaris, and others with them. |
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