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17
Preaching Christ at Thessalonica
1 Now traveling through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. 2 And according to Paul's custom, he went in to them, and for three Sabbaths he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, 3 interpreting and pointing out that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer, and to arise from the dead, and saying that “This Jesus, whom I preach to you, is the Christ.” 4 And some of them were persuaded and were joined with Paul and Silas, both of the devout Greeks, a great multitude, and not a few of the chief women.
Assault on Jason's House
5 And the Jews who did not believe took some wicked men from the marketplace, and forming a mob, they threw the city into disorder, and came upon the house of Jason, and sought to bring them to the people. 6 But when they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some brothers to the rulers of the city, crying out, “The men who have turned the world upside down have come here, too; 7 whom Jason has received; and these all practice contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying there is another king—Jesus.” 8 And they troubled the crowd and the rulers of the city when they heard these things. 9 And having taken the security bond from Jason and the rest, they released them.
In Berea
10 Then the brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away during the night to Berea. When they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews. 11 Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, who received the word with all readiness, each day examining the Scriptures to see whether these things might be so. 12 Therefore many of them believed, and not a few of the prominent Greek women and men. 13 But when the Jews from Thessalonica found out that the word of God was proclaimed by Paul in Berea, they came there also, agitating the crowds. 14 Then immediately the brothers sent Paul away to go toward the sea; but both Silas and Timothy remained there. 15 Now those who escorted Paul brought him to Athens; and receiving a command for Silas and Timothy, that as quickly as possible they should come to him, they departed.
In Athens
16 And in Athens, while Paul waited for them, his spirit was provoked within him when he saw that the city was full of idols. 17 Therefore he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and with the Gentile worshipers, and in the marketplace daily with those coming by. 18 And also some of the Epicurean and of the Stoic philosophers were conversing with him. And some were saying, “What does this seed-picker wish to say?” But others said, “He seems to be a proclaimer of foreign deities,” because he was preaching the good news of Jesus and the resurrection.
19 And taking hold of him, they brought him to the Areopagus, saying, “May we know what this new doctrine is you speak about? 20 For you are bringing some strange things to our ears. Therefore we desire to know what these things might mean.” 21 Now all the Athenians and the strangers staying there as visitors spent their time in nothing other than to say or to hear some new thing.
22 Then Paul stood in the midst of the Areopagus and said, “Men, Athenians, according to all things I perceive you as being very religious; 23 for as I passed by and considered the objects of your worship, I found also an altar on which it had been inscribed:
TO THE UNKNOWN GOD.
Therefore, Him whom being ignorant of you worship, this One I announce to you: 24 The God who made the world and all the things in it, He being Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands, 25 nor by the hands of men is He served, as though He needed anything, for He gives to all life and breath with respect to all things. 26 And He made from one blood every nation of men to dwell upon all the face of the earth, and He ordained their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings, 27 in order for them to seek the Lord, if perhaps indeed they might grope for Him and find Him, and yet being indeed not far from each one of us; 28 for in Him we live and move and have our being, as also some of your own poets have said, ‘For we are also His offspring.’ 29 Therefore, being the offspring of God, we ought not to suppose that the Godhead is like gold or silver or stone, something shaped by art and the imagination of man. 30 So then these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now He commands all men everywhere to repent, 31 because He has appointed a day in which He is going to judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has appointed, having given proof to all, by raising Him from the dead.”
32 But when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some were scoffing, but others said, “We will hear you again concerning this.” 33 And thus Paul went forth from their midst. 34 However, some men were joined to him and believed, among whom were also Dionysius the Areopagite, a woman named Damaris, and others with them.

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© 2014 Dr. Paul W. Esposito